While car crash eye injuries do not get as much attention as spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, they are quite common. These injuries could result in temporary or even permanent loss of vision, which would be devastating on multiple levels.

Below, TSR Injury Law’s experienced attorneys discuss common eye injuries that occur in motor vehicle collisions, including how they occur, their symptoms and their long-term effects.

Did you suffer an eye injury in a collision? Our Minneapolis auto accident attorneys are here to help and there are no upfront fees charged with our services.

Call us to set up your free legal consultation: (612) TSR-TIME.

How Could a Car Crash Cause an Eye Injury?

There are many ways crash victims could suffer damage to one or both of their eyes in a crash. Common causes of car crash eye injuries include:

What Types of Eye Injuries Can Happen in Vehicle Collisions?

Car crashes could cause vehicle occupants to suffer various eye injuries, including:

Detached Retina

This is an injury that needs to be treated as soon as possible, otherwise, you might suffer permanent loss of vision in the eye.

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue in the back of your eye. Blunt force trauma to the head during a car crash could damage the tissue or cause it to detach. That said, retinal detachment can occur even without your head getting hit during the crash. If the crash shakes your head around violently enough, your retina could detach.

Orbital Bone Fractures

Blunt trauma to your face could cause the portion of your skull surrounding your eyes to fracture. For example, this might happen if you hit your face on your steering wheel or dashboard. It is also possible for the airbag to cause orbital bone fractures when it deploys.

Car crash orbital fractures are an indication of the force generated during a car crash. The orbital bones are some of the strongest bones in your body, which means it takes significant force to cause them to break.

If you suffer an orbital bone fracture, doctors should evaluate you for a brain injury and determine the severity of your eye injury.

Hyphema

This occurs when blood leaks into the anterior chamber of one of your eyes. The anterior chamber is the space between your iris and cornea. Referred to as hyphema by medical professionals, the collection of blood in the font of the eye is often a symptom of serious damage to one of your eyes.

Corneal Abrasion

This injury is also referred to as a scratched eye. This is often caused by a sharp object, such as glass or debris, hitting your eye and scratching it.

One of the dangers of a corneal abrasion is that your eye is more susceptible to becoming infected by fungus or bacteria. It can take just one day for bacteria or fungi to damage your eye after entering through a corneal abrasion. Victims may also become temporarily blinded.

Vitreous Hemorrhage

The gel between your lens and retina is known as the vitreous humor. If blood gets into this area, you could experience blurry vision, floaters and flashes of light.

Optic Nerve Injury

Bleeding in your eye is dangerous because it could put pressure on your optic nerve. This nerve sends signals from your retina back to your brain. If there is too much pressure, circulation could get cut off, potentially causing permanent or temporary blindness.

Globe Rupture

A blunt object, such as a shard of glass or some other type of debris could penetrate your eye during the collision. This is a serious injury that may result in long-term or permanent damage to your eye, which might include blindness.

Chemical Burns

Car crashes could cause the release of hazardous chemicals that could get into your eyes. For example, defective airbags might release toxic chemicals when they deploy. You need to be careful after the crash not to rub a harmful chemical in your eyes with your hands.

Sometimes harmful substances merely cause eye irritation, leaving your eyes red for a time. However, the damage could be more severe.

Eye Lacerations

While some sharp objects might not enter the eye, they may slash it, causing a laceration, which is a severe cut. Often lacerations may heal on their own. But in the eye, it could cause more serious damage and should therefore not be taken lightly.

Black Eye

If you hit your face during the crash, you may develop a black eye. This happens when there is bleeding under the skin, resulting in discoloration of the skin around the eyes.

You might dismiss this injury as something that will heal on its own. While you may be right about the black eye, it may also be a symptom of a more serious underlying eye injury.

How Do You Know if You Suffered an Eye Injury in a Crash?

Eye pain and vision issues are common signs of an eye injury after a car crash. Here is a list of some of the common symptoms of serious eye injuries:

Symptoms of Eye Damage

How a Car Crash Eye Injury Could Impact Your Life

The ability to see is essential for many activities. Impaired vision can have a devastating impact on your ability to do these activities and can inhibit many other facets of your life as well.

Effect on Your Career

If you suffer permanent vision loss or impairment, you may be unable to return to the same job you had before the crash. You may need to start a new career that does not rely as much on vision.

At the very least, you may need to take days or weeks off work, which causes you to lose income. This makes it harder to pay your bills and support yourself and your family. In addition, you will likely need expensive medical care to give your injury the best chance to heal.

Non-Economic Effects of an Eye Injury

The non-economic damage resulting from an eye injury should not be underestimated. Victims may not be able to play with their children in the way they did before. The injury could also affect your relationship with your spouse, coworkers, and other family members. You may be unable to take part in the types of hobbies and leisure activities you once enjoyed which is why it is so important to get representation that will fight to get you the compensation you deserve, allowing you to focus on family and recovery.

Brain Injuries

Sometimes an eye injury accompanies a brain injury and traumatic brain injuries could result in long-term problems. These injuries could change the rest of your life, meaning you may need more help with daily activities because of cognitive deficits.

Compensation For Your Eye Injuries

If you suffer an eye injury in a car crash, you may be eligible to recover significant compensation. This may include compensation for:

Why You Need an Attorney to Help You Recover Full Compensation

One of the most important things to do after a car crash besides getting medical treatment is to contact an attorney. You may need significant compensation and you should not rely on insurance companies to settle your claim for what they believe it is worth.

By hiring an experienced attorney, you can rest assured knowing your case is in good hands and the appropriate steps are being taken to fight for your rights. The licensed attorneys at TSR Injury Law have been advocating for crash victims for decades and have secured significant compensation on their behalf.

Our firm knows how to build a strong case, and we have the resources to take the appropriate steps to do just that.

Did You Suffer an Eye Injury? Contact TSR Today

If your eyes were damaged in the crash, or you suffered another serious injury, we may be able to help you secure compensation so you can obtain the medical treatment you need. When we take a car crash case, our focus is on getting you full and fair compensation to help you deal with the effects of your injuries.

At TSR Injury Law, we have been securing millions for vehicle crash victims for decades. In total, our firm has recovered more than $1 billion on behalf of injured victims in Minnesota.

TSR Injury Law: No fees unless we win. Call us at (612) TSR-TIME.