An eye injury claim is a claim for damage to the eye, the eye socket or the visual pathways of the brain caused by someone else’s negligence, including partial or total loss of vision. Eye injuries range from corneal scratches that heal in days to injuries that permanently blind one or both eyes.
Blank Kim Injury Law represents people with eye injuries from our Fairfax office on Chain Bridge Road, open 24 hours. Aaron Blank and Robert Kim are both licensed in Virginia. Robert Kim speaks Korean, and our paralegals speak Spanish.
Types of eye injuries
The eye is a small organ with very different parts, and an injury to each one behaves differently. Common traumatic eye injuries include:
| Injury | What happens | Possible lasting effects |
|---|---|---|
| Corneal abrasion or laceration | The clear front surface is scratched or cut | Scarring of the cornea, blurred vision, transplant in severe cases |
| Hyphema | Bleeding inside the front chamber of the eye | Raised eye pressure and later glaucoma |
| Traumatic cataract | The lens clouds after a blow or penetrating injury | Cataract surgery, sometimes at a young age |
| Retinal detachment or tear | The light-sensing layer pulls away from the back of the eye | Permanent vision loss if not repaired quickly |
| Orbital (eye socket) fracture | Bones around the eye break | Double vision, a sunken eye, facial asymmetry |
| Open globe injury | The eyeball is ruptured or pierced | Severe vision loss or removal of the eye |
| Chemical burn | Acids or alkalis contact the eye | Scarring of the eye surface, chronic pain, vision loss |
| Traumatic optic neuropathy | The optic nerve is damaged | Permanent vision or visual field loss |
Vision can also be lost without any injury to the eye itself. A traumatic brain injury can damage the parts of the brain that process sight, causing blurred or double vision, light sensitivity or loss of part of the visual field.
How eye injuries happen in Northern Virginia
- Vehicle crashes. Airbag deployment, broken glass and impact with the steering wheel or dashboard cause many facial and eye injuries on I-66, Route 50 and the Beltway. See our car accident page.
- Construction and trade work. Nail guns, grinders, flying debris, splashing concrete and chemicals. See our construction accident page.
- Defective products. Bungee cords that snap back, safety glasses that shatter, exploding batteries, pressurized containers and fireworks. See our product liability page.
- Chemical exposure. Cleaning products, pool chemicals and industrial chemicals splashed without proper protection.
- Assaults on poorly secured property. Attacks in parking garages, apartment complexes and bars where security was inadequate. See our negligent security page.
- Sports and recreation. Balls, paintball, golf and airsoft injuries, especially where required protection was not provided. See our sports injury page.
- Dog bites and falls. Bites to a child’s face and falls onto sharp edges.
- Medical care. Complications from eye surgery done carelessly, and delays in treating a retinal detachment, an infection or rising eye pressure. See our delayed diagnosis page.
What to do after an eye injury
- Get emergency care. Sudden vision loss, flashes of light, a curtain across your vision, a chemical splash or anything stuck in the eye needs immediate treatment. For a chemical splash, flush the eye with clean water while help is on the way.
- Do not rub the eye or try to remove an embedded object yourself.
- Follow up with an ophthalmologist, not only an urgent care or emergency physician, and keep every appointment.
- Keep the product, glasses or equipment involved, and photograph the scene.
- If the injury happened at work, report it to your employer.
How vision loss is measured and proven
Vision loss is measured precisely, which helps in proving it. The records that matter include:
- Visual acuity testing, which measures how clearly you see at distance and near
- Visual field testing, which maps any blind areas in your peripheral vision
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and retinal imaging
- Eye pressure measurements, which track the risk of glaucoma after trauma
- Operative reports from any surgery
- Expert testimony from an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist on cause, permanence and future risks
Losing vision in one eye takes away depth perception, which affects driving, climbing ladders, operating machinery and many sports. The injured eye can also face a higher lifetime risk of glaucoma, cataract or retinal detachment. A vocational evaluator can explain which jobs are affected, and a life care planner can set out future eye care, low-vision aids, and orientation and mobility training when sight is severely reduced.
Compensation for an eye injury
- Emergency care, surgery, follow-up and lifelong monitoring
- Prosthetic eyes, specialty contact lenses and low-vision devices
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity, especially for drivers, pilots, tradespeople and others whose work depends on full vision
- Help with transportation and daily tasks when vision loss prevents driving
- Pain, suffering and the loss of reading, driving, hobbies and independence
- Disfigurement when the injury changes the appearance of the eye or face. See our scarring and disfigurement page.
We do not quote values; every case depends on its facts. Virginia does not cap compensatory damages in ordinary personal injury cases, though a total damages cap applies to medical malpractice claims under Va. Code § 8.01-581.15.
Virginia law for eye injury claims
- Deadline. Personal injury suits generally must be filed within two years of the injury, under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A).
- Contributory negligence. A defense lawyer may argue you should have worn eye protection or stood farther away. In Virginia, being found even slightly at fault generally bars recovery, so how the injury happened needs careful documentation. See our contributory negligence guide.
- Products. Virginia does not allow strict product liability claims, so a claim against the maker of a defective product relies on negligence and breach of the implied warranty of merchantability under Va. Code § 8.2-314. Privity is not required for a personal injury warranty claim under Va. Code § 8.2-318.
- Work injuries. Report the injury to your employer within 30 days and file with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years. A third party, such as the maker of a defective tool, can be sued separately under Va. Code § 65.2-309. See our workers’ compensation page.
- Medical errors. A malpractice suit requires a qualified expert witness’s written opinion supporting the claim before it is served, under Va. Code § 8.01-20.1.
