Car accidents cause all kinds of physical damage, including injuries to the eyes. Understanding how eye injuries happen during a collision is important, as they could result in permanent vision loss without immediate treatment.
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Our Savannah car crash lawyers explain more about eye injuries you could sustain in a car crash, including why seeking medical treatment right away could help protect your vision. It is equally important to understand how to seek compensation for your eye injuries after a collision.
At Roden Law, we help injured crash victims in Georgia every day, something we have been doing for decades. During that time, we have recovered millions to help our clients move forward after their traumatic experiences.
Not sure if you have a case? We offer a completely FREE consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.
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What Types of Eye Injuries Could Occur in a Car Crash?
Car crash eye injuries can occur in numerous ways. The airbag could hit you in the face or eyes when it deploys. If you are in the front seat, you could strike the dashboard or other hard surfaces inside the vehicle. Some people who sustain eye injuries may get hit by flying debris caused by the crash, such as shattered glass, pieces of metal or plastic, objects in the car or something else. In some cases, an airbag may deploy improperly, causing your eyes to be exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Eye injuries that are commonly occur in a car wreck include:
Black Eye
Direct trauma to your eyes or the area around your eyes could cause your eyes to bleed, leading to tissue discoloration and a black eye. One way this could happen, for example, is if you hit the side of the door or steering wheel during the impact.. A black eye is not necessarily serious, but it is not easy to tell if other damage may have occurred, such as a torn retinae. In some cases, victims may develop “raccoon eyes” which simply means you have two black eyes. This distinction is important, however, because it could be an indication of a brain injury.
Lacerations
Flying glass from a shattered window or windshield during a car crash could cut your eyelids. Serious eyelid lacerations can cause underlying damage to your eyeball, socket, retina or another part of the eye.
Orbital Fractures
It usually takes excessive force to break or fracture the bones in your eye socket. For example, if you hit your eye on the steering wheel due to the impact of a car crash. Orbital fractures are sometimes associated with serious brain or eye injuries that can affect coordination or even cognitive abilities.
Globe Ruptures
Blunt trauma or penetration of an eye can damage the cornea or sclera, the outermost layers of the eye. For example, the quick combustion of an airbag (less than a second) could mean a forceful impact on your face and, potentially, your eye.
Hyphema
When blood enters your eye’s anterior chamber, it becomes visible on your eyeball. A hyphema is typically caused by trauma to your eye and requires immediate medical attention to avoid permanent vision loss.
Chemical Burns
If your eye becomes exposed to any leaking chemicals from the vehicle after a car crash, you could suffer a chemical burn to your cornea or stem cells, leading to irritation or even blindness.
Traumatic Cataracts
Trauma to the eye could cloud your lens, causing blurred vision. Traumatic cataracts can gradually develop in the eye over time, so it is important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience any changes in your vision after a crash.
Retinal Detachment
The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue located in the back of your eye. A blow to your head during a car crash could rip the retina from the blood vessels in your eye. If you suffer from retinal detachment, your eyes may feel heavy, and you may see flashes or floaters. Retinal tears or a retinal detachment is an immediate emergency. Do not delay going to the ER as it could result in permanent vision loss.
Vitreous Hemorrhage
The vitreous humor is the gel between your retina and eye lens. Blunt trauma to your eye can cause hemorrhaging (bleeding) into the vitreous humor. Severe bleeding can be extremely dangerous if left untreated, potentially causing blindness.
Optic Nerve Damage
A blow to the eye during a car crash can put enough pressure on your optic nerve to bleed, cut off circulation and possibly cause permanent blindness.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
A TBI is caused by violent shock or impact to the head. This could result in different types of visual impairment, such as:
- Blurry vision
- Double vision
- Loss of eye coordination
- Light sensitivity
- Visual memory loss
Symptoms of Eye Damage
If you suffered an eye injury from a car crash, you may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Itchy eyes
- Flashes of light
- Swelling around your eye
- Dark spots when you blink
- Blood in or around your eyes
- Blurry vision when you try to focus on an object
- Reduced eye coordination or movement when you try to look up, down or peripherally
Treatment Option for a Car Crash Eye Injury
There are various options for treating an eye injury. The treatment you receive will depend on how serious your injury is:
- Medication: A doctor might prescribe a drug to help clear an infection in your eye or manage pain and inflammation.
- Eye patch: An eye patch can protect your eye while it heals after your injury.
- Eye drops or ointments: If your eye is inflamed or dry, eye drops and ointments may lubricate it, reduce inflammation or prevent infection.
- Rehabilitation: Prescription glasses, cryotherapy (therapy using cold temperatures), magnification devices, filters, etc. are types of rehabilitation designed to help victims regain visual function after a severe eye injury.
- Surgery: Some injuries require surgery to repair damage to the eye, such as with a retinal tear, or to remove foreign objects.
Including Eye Injuries in a Georgia Auto Accident Claim
Georgia is an at-fault state. This means the driver at fault must pay for the other driver’s injuries and damages through their insurance company.
You can seek compensation for treatment of eye injuries and any other injuries from the crash. This includes the cost of:
- Trips to the emergency room
- Therapy related to your eye injury
- Surgery
- Prescription medication
- Follow-up visits with doctors
For some crash victims, their eye injuries are severe enough to impact their emotional and mental health. Others may be unable to go to work or participate in activities or hobbies they once enjoyed. In this situation, you may be able to seek additional compensation for those damages.
It is important to seek help from an experienced lawyer after a car crash. In Savannah, the experienced attorneys at Roden Law know how to evaluate victims’ damages to determine the full value of a claim. We also have the resources and experience managing car crash cases to gather strong evidence that supports your claim.
You should not count on the insurance company to take care of you after suffering a serious car crash injury. They will be looking for some way to undercut your claim and lessen its value. Our trusted law firm knows how to effectively counter these tactics to protect the full value of your claim.
Did a Car Crash Cause Your Eye Injury? Speak With a Roden Law Attorney
If you suffered an injury to your eye or another area from a car crash in Georgia, Roden Law is here to help. We have advocated for many victims of car crashes and secured compensation for their physical injuries and other damages.
Call our office to speak with a member of our legal team about your injuries and potential legal options. Our lawyers do not charge any upfront costs or fees.
Learn more about your legal options. Contact us today: 1-844-RESULTS.