Sight Loss Caused by Accidents

Developing signs of sight loss or eye injury can be an upsetting experience, especially if it was the result of an accident that was not your fault. The effects of permanent, temporary, or partial sight loss can also be traumatising, and you may have to make many changes to your lifestyle. According to the NHS, there are almost 2 million people in the UK that are living with sight loss, with around 360,000 of those registered as blind or partially sighted.

Causes of Sight Loss

If you had an accident that was not your fault, that caused you to lose your sight, no matter the degree, then you may be entitled to compensation. This is especially true if the accident was the fault of someone else or a company. There are many accidents that can trigger sight loss. Some of the causes of sight loss include:

• Accidents at work
• Car accidents
• Exposure to bright lights
• Blows to the head
• Assault

Accidents at work

There are cases of accidents that can cause loss of sight at work. One of the common causes of sight loss is due to chemical spills, while another is due to hazards that can enter the eyes, such as small pieces of material. At work, it is your employer’s responsibility to keep you safe from accidents which can cause full or partial sight loss. Your employer should provide you with the correct PPE, such as goggles, for any jobs which involve exposure to chemicals.

Exposure to bright lights

Another example of an accident at work that might result in you developing signs of sight loss is exposure to bright lights. Again, it is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that you have the correct protective equipment, to stop exposure from lights; this can come from unsafe welding of torches or lasers.

Car Accidents

Car accidents can also cause sight loss. Cases where you have suffered trauma to the head or eyes upon impact can cause you to lose your sight, or when an airbag has inflated, causing debris to hit you in the eye. If the car accident was the fault of another driver, you may receive some money for your sight loss as part of your road traffic accident claim.

Assault

If you have been involved in an act of violence or been a victim of an assault, you may be able to claim for your sight loss injuries under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is a government agency that provides compensation to victims of violent crime in England, Scotland and Wales.

Where you may have a criminal injury claim, you are not required to use the services of a claims management company to pursue the claim. It is possible for you to present the claim yourself directly, for free, to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

The Effects of Sight Loss

Losing your sight can change your life. And if the injuries were caused by an accident that was not your fault, then you may be entitled to compensation. Losing your sight, even only temporarily, can cause drastic life changes. These changes can include changes to your daily life, changes to your employment, and changes to your routine. You may have to get assistive equipment to do daily tasks, or even learn Braille. This can be quite a drastic change, and may affect you mentally as well as physically.

We understand that this may be a traumatic experience, and it may affect your independence. This is all taken into consideration when you make a claim. You can either claim compensation for loss of sight in one eye or for full blindness, and either may cover any required changes to your home.

A lot of people who experience more permanent effects from an accident may also need a carer. Many choose a relative or close friend, as that is who they feel most comfortable around. If you were to make a sight loss claim, then the financial implications for your carer may also be accounted for in the compensation you receive.

How we can help

The solicitors that The Compensation Experts work with operate on a no win no fee basis and often deal with accidental sight loss claims. They are well placed to help you get the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today by filling in our contact form or by giving us a call on 0800 182 2193 to speak to one of our friendly call agents.

Typically, customers pay 25% including VAT of the compensation amount that is recovered by our third-party law firms, although this is subject to your individual circumstances and the actual fee may be more or less than this. For example, you may be required to pay an additional fee for other costs such as after-the-event (ATE) insurance. Termination fees may apply.