Eye injuries in construction accidents are a serious and often overlooked consequence of working in such a high-risk environment. Workers are constantly exposed to various dangers that can result in severe eye trauma. From flying debris and falling objects to exposure to harmful chemicals and intense light, the eyes are vulnerable to a multitude of potential hazards.
These injuries can have devastating effects on an individual’s quality of life, causing pain, vision impairment, and in severe cases, permanent disability. Moreover, the financial burden associated with medical treatment, rehabilitation, and lost wages adds to the impact of these injuries on victims and their families. This is why it is critical that workers are provided with protective gear and equipment, job and safety training and receive competent supervision to help prevent these types of injuries that have potentially life-changing consequences.
Construction Activity Related Eye Injuries
Common types of eye injuries in construction accidents include:
- Foreign object injuries: Debris, dust, or foreign objects entering the eye can cause irritation, abrasions, or corneal scratches.
- Chemical burns: Exposure to hazardous chemicals such as acids, alkalis, or solvents can result in severe burns to the eye, leading to vision loss or permanent damage.
- Blunt force trauma: Impact from flying objects, tools, or machinery can cause contusions, lacerations, or fractures to the eye socket, resulting in internal bleeding or damage to the eye structures.
- Penetrating injuries: Sharp objects or projectiles can penetrate the eye, causing puncture wounds, ruptured globes, or intraocular foreign bodies, posing a significant risk of vision loss or blindness.
- Thermal injuries: Exposure to extreme heat or intense light sources, such as welding arcs or lasers, can cause thermal burns to the eye, leading to tissue damage and vision impairment.
The Number One Cause of Construction Site Eye Injuries
The number one cause of construction eye injuries is the penetration or impact of foreign objects. Construction sites are dynamic environments where workers are exposed to various hazards, including flying debris, dust, particles, and tools. These objects can inadvertently enter the eye during tasks such as drilling, cutting, grinding, or demolition work. The high-speed movement of materials, machinery, and equipment increases the risk of objects becoming airborne and striking the eye with significant force.
Even seemingly minor incidents, such as a small particle of dust or a woodchip, can cause substantial damage, resulting in corneal abrasions, lacerations, or puncture wounds. Therefore, wearing appropriate eye protection, such as safety goggles or face shields, is imperative to avoid these types of serious injuries.
What Steps Can You Take?
Here is a list of important steps to take if you have experienced such an injury:
- Seek immediate medical attention:Â Even if the injury seems minor, seek medical attention promptly. Eye injuries can worsen rapidly without proper treatment. Call emergency services or go to the nearest hospital’s emergency room.
- Protect the injured eye:Â Avoid rubbing or applying pressure to the injured eye, as this can exacerbate the damage. Do not attempt to remove any foreign objects embedded in the eye. If possible, cover the injured eye with a clean, sterile bandage or cloth to prevent further contamination.
- Report and document the incident: Inform your supervisor or the appropriate authority on the construction site about the accident and your injury. They should document the incident and initiate an investigation to prevent similar accidents in the future. Document the details of the accident, including the cause, location, and contact information for any witnesses present. Take photographs of the scene and your injuries. Save all medical bills and evidence you have from the scene.
- Â Seek legal advice:Â If the injury occurred due to negligence (carelessness) or unsafe working conditions, seek prompt legal advice from a personal injury lawyer experienced in construction accidents. They can assess your case and help you pursue compensation for damages such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earning capacity.
Compensation for Injured Workers
Injured workers in New York City may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of who was at fault for the incident. Workers’ compensation provides medical treatment, wage replacement, and other benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses.
If a worker is injured in a construction accident, they can file a workers’ compensation claim with their employer’s insurance carrier. In addition, workers may also be able to file a third-party claim against a negligent (careless) party other than the employer or co-employees for significant monetary damages and have two sources of compensation available for their losses. Examples of third parties include, but are not limited to, general contractors, construction companies, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents etc. In cases where a worker dies from injuries suffered on the job, surviving family members may seek death benefits through workers’ compensation and/or file a wrongful death claim against a third party who may be held liable for the fatal incident.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses.
Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job — one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year. Our law firm also recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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