Causes of corneal abrasion injury
Corneal abrasions are commonly caused by foreign objects entering the eye and scratching the surface of the cornea, for example:
- Chemical burns to the eye as a result of exposure to substances hazardous to health in the workplace or chemical cleaning product faults
- Debris such as metal particles entering the eye in workplaces where machinery is not fitted with adequate safety guards, or where the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has not been provided by the employer
- Foreign objects entering the eye in a road traffic accident
- Optician negligence
- Sporting incidents
The symptoms
The most common symptom of a corneal abrasion injury is the feeling of a sharp scratch in the eye when blinking. Many of our claimants report a feeling as if grit or sand is within the eye, which can become increasingly irritated until medical attention has been sought. Other symptoms include:
- Redness and swelling to the eye area
- Bloodshot eyes
- Blood visible within the eye
- Pain and increased irritation when opening the eye
- Watering of the eye
- Blurred and double vision
- Headaches and dizziness
In many cases, the foreign object causing the corneal abrasion can be seen and will need to be removed, either in hospital or by use of an eye irrigation product found within first aid kits.
Compensation amounts for eye injuries
The level of compensation you can expect for a corneal abrasion will depend on the extent it affects your sight. Total blindness in both eyes, for example, can see settlements of over £200,000. For minor eye injuries, where there is no long-term damage to sight, the amount would likely be between £2,000 and £10,000.
The following is a guide to compensation amounts for eye injuries based on their severity. These amounts are for the injury itself, but you can also claim for special damages, which can include your expenses and rehabilitation therapies, for example. Once your specialist solicitor has obtained your medical report they will be able to give you an idea of how much compensation to expect.
| Severity of injury | Compensation amount |
|---|---|
| Total blindness | £252k |
| Loss of sight in one eye with reduced vision in the other eye | £60k - £169k |
| Total loss of one eye | £51k - £62k |
| Complete loss of sight in one eye | £46k - £51k |
| Serious, but incomplete loss of vision in one eye | £22k - £37k |
| Minor but permanent impairment of vision in one eye | £9k - £20k |
| Minor eye injuries, e.g being struck in the eye, exposure to fumes, smoke or liquid causing pain and temporary interference with vision | £4k - £8k |
| Transient eye injuries with recovery within a few weeks | £2k - £4k |
Who can claim corneal abrasion injury compensation?
Any person who has suffered damage to the cornea as a result of the negligence of another person, business or organisation, has the right to make a no win no fee claim for compensation.
Injuries suffered at work
Many corneal abrasion injuries are as a result of an accident at work. Particularly at risk are those working within the manufacturing sector, construction or outdoor work such as tree surgery, farming and gardening.
If workers are not afforded the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles, or if the machinery that they are tasked with using does not have the correct safety guard fitted, foreign objects such as a shard of metal, a splinter of wood, dust or similar can easily enter the eye.
All employers have a duty of care to ensure that staff at risk of corneal abrasion injury are adequately trained with regards to the correct use of machinery and protective equipment. Any employer who has failed in this duty of care, and therefore failed to minimise the risk of injury to their workers, may face a claim for corneal abrasion injury compensation.
Injuries in public or on the road
Corneal abrasion injuries can also be sustained in road traffic accidents when broken glass or other foreign objects enter the eye. Similarly, by pedestrians walking past construction sites that are not adequately cordoned off with protection from dust or debris.
What you need for a successful claim
To give your claim for corneal abrasion compensation the best prospect of success, it is important to make sure that the details of the injury and cause are recorded correctly with the right people.
In cases of an accident at work, the details should be recorded in the employer’s accident book, noting any lack of protective eye wear or inadequate safety guards.
If your corneal abrasion injury was sustained anywhere other than your workplace, you should ensure that the details are recorded with the organisation responsible for the location you were in.
In addition, you should seek medical attention so that evidence will be available to support your claim.
Don’t worry if you haven’t been able to do all of this yet, just contact us at the earliest opportunity and we’ll be able to help.
What to do next
With Direct2Compensation, starting your claim for corneal abrasion injury compensation couldn’t be easier.
We appreciate that you may have questions about the claims process and will be concerned as to how a claim could affect your relationship with your employer. We’ll be able to put your mind at rest about these and any other queries in simple, layman’s terms.
Our specialist team understand your rights, and we’ll only need a couple of minutes of your time to ascertain whether or not the cause of your corneal abrasion injury will merit a successful claim for compensation.
Simply call our offices on 01225 430285 or we can .
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