Eye injury
compensation claims

If an eye injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Eye injuries can be catastrophic and life-altering, affecting your vision and independence. If you have sustained an eye injury, you may be entitled to compensation. We can help you determine your eligibility to make a claim, and if your injury was a result of another party's actions or negligence, we can help you get the compensation you need.

Compensation can be awarded to cover the cost of medical treatments, potential vision loss, and the wide-ranging effects on your personal autonomy and future prospects.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

With 3/4 of a million eye injury admissions each year, you are not alone

Eye injuries are common, especially in environments with potential hazards like workplaces with machinery, chemicals, or airborne particles. They also occur in everyday accidents, sports activities, or exposure to harmful substances.

Common types of eye injuries include scratches, foreign bodies in the eye, chemical burns, or more severe traumas potentially leading to vision impairment.

760,000 patients were admitted to hospital in 2021-22 with eye injuries and eye conditions, according to the NHS (digital.nhs.uk).

Reports to RIDDOR indicate that around 1,000 cases of blinding and vision loss from injuries at work occur annually.

If you decide to start an eye injury claim, your personal injury solicitor will assist you every step of the way. Your solicitor will remain with you until your claim is successful and you receive the compensation you need to move forward.

If you are looking for information on eye injuries symptoms and treatment, see: eye injuries (nhs.uk).

Am I entitled to make an eye injury claim?

In general, you can claim compensation if you were hurt:

• in the last 3 years, and;
• another person or organisation was to blame, and;
• they owed you duty of care.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

Claiming when you're partially at fault

Personal injury claims often involve circumstances where there is some degree of blame on each side.

We found that, in our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents were unsure as to which party was legally liable for their injuries.

The legal term for cases where an injured person was (to some extent) responsible for their injuries is 'contributory negligence'. If there is fault on both sides of a claim, it is possible to pay reduced compensation on a split liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long after an eye injury do I have to claim compensation?

An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.

For injured children, a claim can be started by a parent or guardian at any time before they turn 18. Thereafter, the injured individual has until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own.

How much compensation can I claim for an eye injury?

Recognising the impact that these injuries can have, both on an affected individual's daily life and their ability to work, the courts tend to award comparatively high compensation.

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include lost earnings, or any other out of pocket expenses.

Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your eye injury, including artificial tears, antibiotic eye drops, pain medication and surgical repair.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Average eye injury general damages compensation

The following eye injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Sixteenth Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?

If you have experienced psychological issues in addition to physical symptoms, you are not alone.

Our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey found that 29.03% of claimants reported a psychological injury, with 70.97% of these relating to a physical injury.

Eye injuries can lead to significant distress about potential vision loss (scotomaphobia) and its impact on an individual's mobility independence. These fears can become self-fulfilling, leading to depression and social isolation.

Your solicitor will help ensure that any psychological harm you have suffered as the result of another party's negligence is recognised and included in the calculation of your compensation award or settlement. In addition, you can also claim for mental health treatment costs that may not be readily available on the NHS.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

What qualifies as an eye injury?

Any injury that disrupts the normal functioning of your eyes, causes pain, or has a cosmetic impact, is considered an eye injury. Typical eye injuries resulting in compensation claims include:

Blunt force eye trauma

Eye injuries from blunt force trauma can be severe and include injuries such as black eyes, swollen eyelids, and bleeding in the eye. These injuries typically occur from a direct hit to the eye or the surrounding area.

Fractures or breaks of the facial bones

These injuries typically occur in the orbital bone, also known as the eye socket, and can lead to eye displacement, double vision, and other vision problems.

Scratches and abrasions

These types of injuries can range from minor scratches on the surface of the eye to more severe abrasions that can lead to infections or long-term vision problems.

Lacerations or cuts

These injuries can be caused by sharp objects and can lead to bleeding, swelling, and long-term vision problems.

Foreign bodies in the eye

These injuries can be caused by a variety of objects such as grit, wood splinters or metal shavings, which can cause damage to the cornea and other structures in the eye.

Chemical burns

These injuries can be caused by contact with eye irritant chemicals and can lead to severe pain, redness, and vision problems.

Radiation burns

These injuries occur from exposure to UV light, typically from tanning beds and can lead to severe sunburn of the eye and the surrounding skin, leading to vision problems.

Medical negligence injury

This type of injury can occur from negligence during medical diagnosis, treatment, surgical procedures or post-surgery care, and can lead to ongoing vision problems or even blindness.

Laser eye surgery (LASIK) negligence

This type of injury can happen when LASIK surgery, a laser procedure that corrects vision, is not performed correctly, resulting in permanent eye damage or vision problems.

See also:

Laser eye surgery (nhs.uk)

Eye injury case study - £35,000 compensation awarded

£35,195 was awarded by Middlesbrough County Court to a 29-year old man who suffered a penetrating injury to his left eye caused when a piece of metal entered his eye at work.

The claimant was a mechanical fitter employed in an engineering works. In the course of his duties he was required to hammer out a piece of metal using a chisel. A piece of the metal flew up and hit him in the left eye.

He suffered immediate pain. He washed his eye at work and went home. During the rest of the day, his eye became so painful that he went to A&E in the evening.

On examination, he was found to have a star shaped tear right through the centre of his cornea. He was admitted to the hospital and stayed overnight. The following day he had complicated and delicate surgery to stitch the wound.

His wound healed and after 2 months the stitches were removed. He was off work for 32 weeks.

The claimant suffered considerable scarring to his cornea. His eyesight gradually improved a little but after 10 months, his vision in the left eye was still well below that of his other undamaged eye.

After 2 years the claimant had a second surgical procedure to transplant a full-thickness cornea to replace the scarred portion of his own cornea. The transplant was not a great success and didn't provide the claimant with much improvement. He had to wear glasses with plain glass in the right eye.

Allegation

It was alleged that the defendant was negligent insofar as they failed to maintain provide the claimant with a safe place to work and/or safe working practices.

The claimant alleged that he had suffered loss of eyesight in his left eye and needed complicated surgery due to the defendant's negligence.

Settlement

The matter progressed to a court hearing.

After three and a half years the claimant still had a considerable astigmatism, and the transplant area remained a weakness in the eye which had to be protected during sporting activities.

The court awarded £18,500 for pain suffering and loss of amenity. The remainder of the compensation was made up of loss of past and future earnings and past and future care.

Who is liable?

Your lawyer will assist you in gathering evidence to determine who is legally responsible for your injury. In addition to the medical report, this evidence may include witness statements or CCTV footage of the accident.

Liability for eye Injury sustained in accidents

The party responsible for the accident will usually be held liable to pay compensation. In the case of a road traffic accident claim, the driver who caused the accident will be the party that the claim is made against. In these cases, the defendant's insurance company will effectively be handling the case on their behalf.

If the accident was the result of a trip or slip claim on someone else's property, such as a supermarket accident, the owner or operator of the premises may be held liable.

You may start your claim even if you are not sure who is liable. Your lawyer will support you by gathering evidence to establish liability for your claim.

Liability for employee eye Injury in the workplace

Your employer may be liable if your eye injury accident occurred in your workplace. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your employer has a legal duty of care to protect your health and safety at work.

One of the most significant cases in personal injury law, Paris v Stepney Borough Council [1950] UKHL, concerned an employee who sustained an eye injury after their employer supplied inadequate personal protective equipment. The House of Lords decision significantly affected the law relating to the duty of care an employer owes to employees.

If your employer breaches the duty of care they owe, such as by failing to provide protective goggles, your employer may be held liable.

Further reading:

What are your employer’s legal obligations for eye safety? (wellbeingnews.co.uk)

How did your injury happen?

The process for an eye injury claim depends the circumstances of the accident. To learn more, click the icons below:

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

Citations

Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher

About the author

Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.