Eye Injuries: Causes, Prevention & Workers’ Comp.

There are many work environments that come with injury risks, and threats to the eyes rank among the most frightening. California workers that face potential injuries to the eyes may want to brush up on safety practices and procedures. If you work in construction, manufacturing, industrial, or chemical industries you may discover there are potential threats to your eyes.

Workplace eye injuries can range from minor eye strain to severe trauma that results in permanent vision loss or blindness. Common causes for work eye injuries include:

• Metal, glass, and dust particles that are ejected by tools or blown by the wind and scratch the eye

• Nails, staples, or wood that can penetrate through the eyeball and cause permanent vision loss

• Chemical splashes from cleaning products or industrial solvents that can cause permanent damage to one or both eyes

• Thermal burns from welding equipment that can damage workers’ eyes and surrounding tissues

• Trauma to the face surrounding the eye due to a worker running into or otherwise coming into contact with a blunt object

• Exposure to diseases and blood-borne pathogens in a healthcare setting through blood splashes, vomit, and other bodily fluids

• Exposure to smoke or poisonous gases that can cause irritation, burning, and vision loss

• Constantly looking at a computer screen without taking breaks can fatigue the eyes and lead to eye strain

Thankfully there are effective ways that exist to protect the eyes in these dangerous work environments. Wearing appropriate protection could reduce the chances of an injury significantly. Unfortunately, not everyone wears eye protection as suggested. Sometimes, defects exist that undermine the sought-after protection.

Getting into the appropriate habit of always wearing safety equipment will support risk prevention. Management should not assume that everyone knows the right way to wear eye protection, and it might be necessary to institute appropriate training measures.

Wearing eye protection doesn’t always guarantee safety, though. An explosion sending shrapnel or sparks may breach even the best-made product. This is why having an awareness of potential danger that could occur in the workplace is important. 

Unfortunately, not all protective equipment is appropriate for a specific environment. Management should take steps to determine whether eye goggles suit the tasks and locations in question.

Taking legal steps after an incident

As long as your eye injury happened at work performing duties related to your job, you can file a workers’ compensation claim to collect benefits for your loss. Workers’ comp for an eye injury includes payments for all related medical expenses and temporary disability benefits that will cover a portion of your lost income while you’re off the job. If you suffer permanent vision loss that will impact your future earning potential, you can collect additional compensation in the form of permanent disability benefits.

Unfortunately, many claims adjusters try to deny cases related to workplace eye injuries. They may argue that your eye injury was not caused by your job duties, or that you were behaving recklessly on the job. It’s not uncommon for an insurance company to assert that your eye injury was caused by a pre-existing condition, heredity, age, or another reason unrelated to work. Since claims adjusters can make it difficult for an injured employee to collect workers’ comp for an eye injury, it’s smart to involve a workers’ comp attorney who can help you build a strong case and fight on your behalf.

Workers could suffer injuries even when they try to be as careful as possible. Injuries may result in time off from work, which has financial consequences. California remains a no-fault workers’ comp state, and that could make it less challenging to file a claim.

An injured worker might have a third-party liability case if safety equipment doesn’t work as intended. Liability suits could occur when deliberate actions or gross negligence contributed to the eye injury.

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Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.