Suffolk County Blindness Injury

Blindness can be because of a genetic disorder or disease. However, loss of sight can also be caused by an accident that involves a serious head injury such as in a motorcycle accident, auto accident, or an accident at work, such as a slip and fall or construction accident. A blindness injury is life changing. Your quality of life may be greatly diminished, you may no longer be able to work, and it affects your relationships with family and friends. If you believe that your eye injury and vision loss was the result of the negligent or reckless actions of another person, contact an experienced Suffolk County blindness injury lawyer, as you may be eligible for compensation and benefits based on the losses you suffered. You should do so quickly, as there are time limits that you must follow when you file a personal injury claim.

Common causes of blindness

Vision loss can be caused by a serious injury to the eye itself such as an ocular motor injury, retinal detachment, abrasions or lacerations, glaucoma and cataracts. These injuries can come about through a severe brain injury, head trauma, skull fracture or other head Injury, exposure to industrial chemicals, direct, severe trauma to the eye and even medical malpractice. Some of the most common causes of blindness include:

• Assaults. Assaults that cause an injury to the head, face or eye can cause the victim a partial or complete loss of sight.
• Bright lights. Bright lights can cause damage to the eyes and either temporary or permanent blindness as extreme bright light can burn your retina. Dangerously bright lights can come from an explosion, lasers, searchlights or defective electrical objects.
• Chemicals. Dangerous chemicals that splash in your eyes can cause a burn that permanently impairs your vision.
• Grit or other particles. Foreign objects in your eye can cause damage that leads to a loss of vision.
• Head trauma. One of the most common causes of congenital cortical blindness is an injury to the head. In fact vision problems are fairly common after even a mild brain injury.
• Sharp objects. Sharp objects such as scissors, knives, nails and pens can lead to blindness by puncturing the eye.

Pursuing compensation for a loss of sight injury

When a person's vision is measured as 20/200, they are considered legally blind. At this level of impairment, visual aids are warranted. It is important to note that individuals who suffer from vision loss also may need psychological support as well. Depression is often a component of such a serious injury. These injuries create high medical costs, loss of income, and serious emotional and physical suffering.

As a blindness injury attorney in Suffolk County will explain, by filing a personal injury claim against the person responsible for the accident that led to your blindness, you may be able to recover compensation. For example, the defendant may be ordered to pay for medical expenses including expenses related to emergency room treatment, your hospital stay, surgery, visits to your doctors, and medications. In addition to the medical expenses associated with your care immediately following the accident, you may also incur substantial expenses associated with adjusting to life without sight. A person who loses sight would have to purchase and be trained on tools such as special computer programs, a service dog, a cane, magnifiers, glasses, large format or Braille books, and other tactile systems. A personal injury lawsuit may also result in you receiving compensation for the wages he or she lost, as well as for loss of future earning capacity as a result of the accident and loss of sight. Losing one's sight is a physically, emotionally and psychologically painful experience. Therefore, you may also receive substantial compensation for pain and suffering.

If your burn injury happened in a work-related accident, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits. New York's workers' compensation laws state that injured parties are entitled to compensation if they sustain a work-related injury. Compensation often comes in the form of medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of ability to earn, and more. However, it is important to note that worker's compensation benefits are limited. Just because the accident occurred at work does not necessarily mean that you are limited to the benefit available through workers' compensation.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident that left you with a loss of vision, you should contact an experienced blindness injury attorney serving Suffolk County who understands the legal issues associated with personal injury cases. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury cases stemming from auto, truck, motorcycle, boat, and construction accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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