Common Motorcycle Accident Eye Injuries: Causes, Effects & Compensation

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There is a good reason the best motorcycle helmets come with a full face shield. Eye injuries are a common, and scary, result of motorcycle accidents. If you suffered motorcycle accident eye injuries due to another person’s negligence, Max Meyers Law is here to help you understand your rights to recovery and seek injury compensation.

Common Types of Eye Injuries

Burns

Direct contact between the eye and a chemical (e.g., gasoline), or even chemical fumes, can cause burns. Sources of radiation, such as bright UV headlights, can also cause a flash burn.

Corneal Scratch

A corneal scratch occurs when an object cuts the surface of the eye. Debris or solid irritants stuck to the cornea or small sharp objects that strike the eye can cause this type of injury.

Laceration of the Eyelid

When the eyelid tears or suffers a cut, it can interfere with the structures that help drain tears from the eye and aid in lubrication. This injury can also reduce the protection the eyelid offers and allow further injury to come to the eyeball.

Hyphema

Blunt force trauma to the eye can cause hyphema, or bleeding inside the eyeball. This bleeding can cause increased ocular pressure, pain, swelling of the eyelid, and watery discharge.

Facial Bone Fracture

Blunt force trauma can fracture the facial bones surrounding the eye socket. Fractured bones can trap the tissues surrounding the eye and cause swelling and further complications.

Retinal Detachment

A retinal detachment occurs when the retina (the tissue at the back of the eyeball) separates from tissues connecting it to the wall of the eye. A detached retina can occur if the victim experiences head trauma, whiplash, or injuries from a sudden acceleration or deceleration.

How do eye injuries occur in accidents?

For motorcyclists, debris in the eye is one of the most common types of eye injuries. Dust, gravel, and even insects can strike the eye and cause minor irritation or corneal scratches. (For this reason, Washington law requires riders wear eye protection.)

A face shield, sunglasses, or goggles can help prevent irritants from entering the eye. Eye protection with UV protection can also help reduce the risk of light burns.

Accidents resulting in a face-first fall against a hard surface or object can cause blunt force trauma to the eye. Not only will this typically cause a bruise to form around the eye (black eye), but it can also lead to facial bone fractures, lacerations, and hyphema.

Short- and Long-term Effects of Eye Injuries

You can usually treat minor injuries such as dust or sand in the eye by flushing with water; once treated, they will likely resolve on their own. However, every other eye injury mentioned above often requires treatment by an eye doctor to prevent vision damage or loss.

A severe puncture or bleeding in the eye can permanently damage eyesight or even cause complete blindness. Even small lacerations or embedded irritants can threaten your vision if you or a doctor does not treat them and ward off infection early enough. In rare cases, an eye infection can lead to sepsis and could become life-threatening.

If a doctor does not treat a retinal detachment soon, a victim may lose sight completely. 

The damage done by an eye injury extends beyond medical issues. In some cases, you may need expensive surgeries to fix the problem.

Even if you treat the injury, if your occupation requires strong vision, any reduction in your eye's ability to function could mean the end of your career. Loss of sight also leads to a loss of enjoyment of life, especially if you experience total vision loss.

While you may be able to recover compensation for your motorcycle accident eye injuries, gathering evidence and establish your claim can be difficult, especially when recovering from a serious injury.

Max Meyers Law helps Seattle residents understand their rights and calculate the value of damages after a motorcycle accident. Max, through a detailed investigation of your accident, can gather evidence and determine the best way to use it to prove the other party’s liability and establish your right to recover damages.

Contact Max today to schedule a free consultation regarding your right to recovering damages from a serious motorcycle accident: 425-399-7000.

Max Meyers
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Max is a Kirkland personal injury attorney handling cases in Seattle, King County & surrounding in WA State.