We all know that no matter how safe we drive or no matter how defensive a driver we try to be, there is always the chance of getting into a car accident. With all of the traffic on the roads and highways of Delaware, getting into a car crash is bound to happen. Most of the time, the injuries people suffer from in car accidents aren’t very serious. Most of the time the injuries require several weeks of treatment and healing, but then they heal and are back to full health. But there are accidents that are very violent and cause serious injuries and sometimes even deaths. One type of serious injury that does not happen often in car crashes, but can happen, is loss of one’s vision. The loss of one’s vision due to injuries sustained in a car accident can be life-altering.
There are many types of eye injuries and damage to one’s vision that can happen from a car accident. Often, due to the force of the crash, people are thrown about the inside of their vehicle, where broken glass, loose personal objects, and other debris may possibly impact them. A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) caused by impact to the head can also cause vision loss. Any injury to the eye or head can cause several types of serious damage to one’s vision.
Blindness
The physical injuries that one suffers can be to such an extent that victims completely lose the ability to see. This can be caused by physical injuries to their eyes, face, and head. This can also be caused by third degree burns to the head or face, which are possible in the event that a car crash causes a fire. If the physical injuries to the eyes are severe enough, the eye will not be able to be repaired and the victim will have lost their vision permanently. When someone loses their eyesight, it can completely upend their lives, making them unable to work in a job that requires healthy eyesight, which can have life-changing effects on a person and their family.
Blurred Vision
There are many injuries to one’s eyes from a car crash that causes temporary or permanent blurriness in one eye or both. Obviously, if the vision of one eye or both are blurry on a constant basis and it cannot be repaired or remedied by treatment or glasses, then it can permanently disable them from specific kinds of work. Optic nerve damage from a car crash can sometimes be repaired or sometimes will heal over time, but the medical procedures to repair the optic nerve and recovery from said procedures are difficult, and optic nerves rarely if ever heal on their own.
Loss of Depth Perception
The loss of depth perception can occur when one eye is damaged to the point of blindness, but the other eye is still healthy. There are many people that have only one working eye, whether caused by an accident, a birth defect, or a medical condition, and they still live full and fruitful lives. When it happens from a car accident, it could take a survivor a long time to be able to get used to not having vision in one eye. It can affect their job and their ability to drive or do other technical tasks.
Sensitivity to Light and Glare
Injuries to the eye from a car crash affects someone’s vision by causing sensitivity to light. This can be especially difficult with driving at night due to the headlights from oncoming vehicles or the glare from street signs or lights. The sensitivity to light can be so great that it prevents someone from driving at night altogether. This could significantly affect someone’s quality of life, resulting in feeling like the survivor lost their independence.
Loss of Peripheral Vision
Most people do not realize how often they use their peripheral vision on a daily basis. It is especially important when driving: when driving a car, we are constantly scanning the area in front of us using our direct vision, but also unconsciously using our peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is how most people can quickly react to a vehicle approaching from a side road or neighboring lane. We first see it or sense the object with our peripheral vision, then we react to it. Once this type of vision is removed or hindered in some way, it can seriously affect how safe someone can drive. Without peripheral vision, it becomes very difficult to drive defensively and quickly react when a sudden emergency presents itself. The loss of one’s peripheral vision may even preclude them from working in certain industries and sectors where a full field of vision is a safety necessity.
Compensation for Loss of Vision
If you have had your vision impaired by injuries sustained in a car crash, you may be entitled to compensation for that injury. Trying to place a value on the loss of someone’s vision, either one eye or both, can be very difficult: first, these types of injuries do not often happen; and secondly, in many cases, there are not many options for medical treatment or surgeries related to the loss of vision. The best course of action is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney.
The Milford Car Accident Lawyers at Rhoades & Morrow Have Been Helping Seriously Injured Delaware Car Accident Victims for Decades
If your eyes have been seriously injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, call one of our experienced Milford car accident lawyers at Rhoades & Morrow. Our knowledgeable team can answer all of your questions to help you through this tough time and seek compensation and justice on your behalf. Call us at (302) 422-6705 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Wilmington, Bear, Milford, and Lewes, Delaware. With offices in all three counties of Delaware, we serve clients throughout the state.
