Eye injury At Work?

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Accident at Work/ Eye Injuries

Eye Related Accidents At Work

If your eyes have been injured in a work-related accident, we may be able to help you win compensation.  Contact our team of highly experienced accident claims lawyers today to discuss in confidence.

Call us today on 0333 358 2345 or get in touch online to arrange a call-back from a friendly member of our team.

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EYE INJURIES IN THE WORKPLACE

Accidents involving the eyes can have potentially sight-threatening consequences.  There are two main workplace hazards that are a potential threat to eyesight.

COMPUTER USE

While using a computer does not generally cause permanent eye damage there are important safety issues which should be taken into consideration by employers. It is not the screen directly that is likely to cause personal injury to the eyes, but factors such as bad posture, bad lighting or dry eyes leading to eye strain.

Employers should encourage their staff to take frequent screen breaks to rest tired eyes. This can help to prevent headaches. They should also ensure that there is adequate lighting for the task and that the glare from the screen is kept to a minimum. Employees should wear glasses if required.

CHEMICALS AND INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

The second risk to the eyes is potentially more serious and occurs when using chemicals of industrial machinery. Industrial work presents a potential danger to the eyes particularly for people who are operating any sort of pressing or grinding equipment. It is essential that the correct eye protection is worn and it is the responsibility of the employer to provide this.

When using a welding torch it is always necessary to wear a welding mask. The intense bright light of a welding torch can cause lasting damage to the retina and cornea.

Workers should handle chemicals using the manufacturer’s specific guidelines or on site-specific instructions.  This will often mean the use of safety goggles to avoid potentially harmful splashes to the eye.  Even if you are observing the task you should always wear the same eye protection as the worker carrying out the task.

Amount of Compensation

All personal injury cases are unique and so the amount of compensation that is awarded in each case is also unique. Compensation is understood by looking at two specific factors: general damages and special damages.

GENERAL DAMAGES

The pain and suffering that your injuries have caused are main factors that are used to determine how much general damage compensation you are owed. This will usually be determined by undergoing a medical examination, from which a report is created that highlights the length of time the injuries will take to heal as well as their severity. Our compensation calculator will give you an indication of how much general damage compensation you might be entitled to based upon your injuries.

SPECIAL DAMAGES

In addition to receiving compensation for your injuries, you may be able to reclaim any financial losses that you might have suffered as a result of your injuries. Compensation for financial losses is known as special damages compensation. This can include losses such as loss of earnings due to not being able to return to work, the cost of treatment as well as travel to treatment. It is important that you keep any receipts or evidence of additional losses in order for these to be reclaimed.

With the exception of children, there is a three-year time limit on making a personal injury claim. This time limit begins from the date that the accident initially occurred. Therefore, you should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to assess your case.