Eye Injuries At Work – How To Claim Compensation

By Marlon Alvarado. Last Updated 14th September 2022. In this guide, we will look at the process of claiming compensation for eye injuries at work. This guide will explain when these kinds of claims might be justified, what damages you could receive and the benefits of using a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel to work on your claim. 

Eye injuries at work guide

Eye injuries at work guide

If you have any questions or queries regarding serious eye injury accidents, you can also contact our advisors for free legal advice. They’re available 24/7 and can tell you in just one phone call if you’re able to claim. Furthermore, they can also connect you to a solicitor from our panel who could work your claim. 

However, please remember that you’re under no obligation to use our services should you contact us. Do so at a time that suits you using the below details. 

  • Call us using the phone number above. 
  • Claim online using this website. 
  • Use the Live Chat window. 

Please read on to learn more about workplace eye accidents and the relevance of third-party negligence when claiming. 

Select A Section:

  1. What Are The Different Types Of Eye Injuries At Work?
  2. Explaining The Criteria Necessary For A Personal Injury Claim
  3. How Could Eye Injuries At Work Happen?
  4. Gathering Evidence For Your Personal Injury Claim
  5. Compensation Payouts For Eye Injuries At Work
  6. Using No Win No Fee Agreements For Your Eye Injury Claim
  7. Further Resources Regarding Eye Injury Claims

What Are The Different Types Of Eye Injuries At Work?

There are many different eye injuries at work that you could experience. Typical eye injuries you may be able to claim for include:

  • Your eyelid being cut or scratched.
  • Bruising of the eyelids. 
  • Corneal abrasions, which are scratches on the clear part of your eye. 
  • A punctured eyeball. 
  • Acute hyphema. This is where there’s a tear to the iris or pupil. 

Below we will describe how you could suffer these types of injuries while in the workplace. For now, the important thing to remember is that you would only successfully claim for any eye injury accidents at work if you can prove they were caused by employer negligence. 

For more information about this, please get in touch with our advisors for free legal advice 24/7. They can evaluate your situation and inform you if you’re eligible to claim. You can contact them using the above details. 

Explaining The Criteria Necessary For A Personal Injury Claim

You would need to prove that your accident was caused by third-party negligence to receive compensation. Employers have a duty of care to their staff to ensure that the workplace, facilities and equipment can be used safely and securely. 

In Great Britain, an employer’s duty of care is established in The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. You would need to prove that the negligence of your employer explicitly caused your injury to receive any payouts for eye injuries. 

Compensation For An Eye Injury – How Long Do I Have To Claim?

In order to be able to successfully claim compensation for your eye injury, you will need to have started your claim within the set time limit listed in the Limitation Act 1980. To claim for an injury caused by negligence, you need to start your claim within:

  • Three years from the date of the accident or;
  • Three years from the date of knowledge

The date of knowledge is commonly taken as the date you receive a medical diagnosis for your injury.

However, exceptions can be made in some cases. For example, for those who are unable to mentally or physically start their claim within the time limit. Their time limit can be suspended – starting again only when/if they regain their physical or mental capacity. However, people who are unable to represent themselves in a claim can also have a litigation friend appointed to claim within the suspended period.

This can also apply to people who are injured under the age of 18, as they are unable to represent themselves in legal proceedings. The three year time limit will only begin on the date of their 18th birthday – but a litigation friend can similarly act on their behalf while they are unable to represent themselves.

You can reach out to a member of our team to see if you are still eligible to start a claim. Outside of this, they can answer any further questions you have about eye injury claims and your eye injury compensation value.

How Could Eye Injuries At Work Happen?

This section will now highlight how work-related eye injuries can occur to give you a greater understanding of your situation. This will also help you understand what is meant by negligence. 

You may be able to receive compensation for:

  • Suffering a cut eyelid due to wearing unsafe work goggles. 
  • Hitting your eye on the corner of a table after you slip and fall on a wet floor.
  • Having a bruised eyelid because you fell from a faulty ladder. 
  • A corneal abrasion caused by the complete lack of safety equipment. For example, a small piece of metal could fall into your eye. 
  • Suffering multiple injuries due to being struck by a moving object. A conveyor belt could malfunction, causing you to have workplace eye injuries due to objects striking you. 

As you can see from the examples above, it’s essential that work equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) are of an acceptable standard. The employer’s duty of care regarding this is highlighted in The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. 

Where Might I Suffer An Eye Injury?

You could suffer common eye injuries at work in many different workplaces. These include: 

  • Construction sites
  • Factories
  • Forest and agriculture sites
  • Manufacturing plants
  • Power stations

The most crucial aspect to claiming compensation for injuries at work is proving that they were caused by employer negligence. If you prove this, you could receive compensation.

To learn more about building a successful claim, please contact our helpful team for free legal advice using the contact details above. 

Building The Evidence For Your Personal Injury Claim

To claim for eye injuries in the workplace, you need to provide evidence proving the validity of your claim. As the person claiming, the onus is on you to show that employer negligence caused your injury.

Evidence that could help prove your personal injury claim includes:

  • Witness statements- you can collect their details so that a statement can be taken later on
  • CCTV footage
  • Photographs of your injury and the scene of the accident

You can also refer to training procedures, or the absence of them, concerning wearing safety goggles, for instance. A report from the accident book could also be used to support your claim. 

Eye Injury Statistics

eye injuries at work statistics graph

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guides employers in Great Britain to ensure they adhere to their required duty of care by outlining factors, such as health and safety regulations. Furthermore, they also provide useful data to highlight the risks of the workplace. This includes accident site statistics. 

Above is a pie chart showing the different types of non-fatal head injuries reported in workplaces in 2020/21. As you can see, 2,542 head injuries didn’t involve the face, 595 involved the eyes and 98 occurred to several head locations. 

In total, there were 4,263 reported non-fatal head injuries across this time. While we don’t know how many of these accidents led to payouts for eye injuries, these figures do show the frequency with which eye injuries at work can happen. 

You can contact us to see if you can claim for different types of eye injuries in the workplace at any time that works for you. Our team offer free legal advice and can tell you quickly and clearly if you’re eligible. They can also put you through to our panel of experienced and professional personal injury solicitors who could help you receive compensation. 

Contact us at a time that works for you using the details above. 

Compensation For Eye Injuries At Work

When claiming compensation for an accident at work, there are two potential heads of claim. General damages relate to the physical and psychological damage caused by the injury. 

As such, the extent of your injury, the severity of its effects and whether permanent health issues were caused will determine how much general damages compensation you receive. 

The Judicial College provides you with a better idea of what you could receive for a range of different injuries. They analyse previous payouts, comparing them to the extent of the injury. By doing this, they’ve created compensation brackets which you can see below. 

Injury TypeSeverityCompensation AmountDescription
EyeLoss of SightIn the region of £252,180This injury has resulted in the victim suffering from total blindness - loss of sight in both eyes.
EyeN/A£90,100 to £168,730This bracket is for injuries that lead to loss of sight in one eye with there being reduced vision in the remaining one. Specifically, in this bracket, there is a serious risk of further deterioration in the remaining eye, meaning that there is more than some risk of sympathetic ophthalmia.
EyeN/A£60,010 to £99,440This bracket is also for injuries that lead to loss of sight in one eye with there being reduced vision in the remaining one. However, the issues in the remaining eye are less serious and include reduced sight with additional problems, such as double vision.
EyeLoss£51,460 to £61,690Injuries in this bracket have led to the total loss of one eye.
EyeLoss of Sight£46,240 to £51,460This bracket is for injuries that cause loss of sight in one eye. This compensation amount takes into account the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia.
EyeSerious£22,230 to £36,960Cases in this bracket have caused serious but incomplete vision loss in one eye without significant risk of loss or reduction of vision in the remaining eye.
EyeMinor£8,550 to £19,690This bracket is for injuries that lead to minor but permanent vision impairment in one or both eyes. This includes cases that cause double vision or ones that lead to sensitivity to bright light.
EyeMinor£3,710 to £8,200This bracket is for minor eye injuries caused by being struck in the eye or being exposured to fumes, such as smoke.
EyeTransient£2,070 to £3,710Injuries in this bracket are transient meaning the person will have fully recovered within a few weeks.

As part of your claim, you will be invited to an independent medical assessment with an expert. They will assess your injuries, and the report they produce will be used to value the general damages head of your claim.

Special Damages For Eye Injury Claims

The second potential head of claim is special damages. This relates to the losses you’ve suffered financially from the injury. Therefore, things you could claim for include:

  • Loss of earnings
  • Travel costs
  • Loss of future earnings
  • Adjustments to your home due to the injury

Could I Include A Care Claim?

Special damages can also relate to making a claim for the cost of care. This is because, as mentioned above, this head of the claim relates to any financial losses you’ve suffered from the injury. If, for example, you’ve suffered total blindness, you may need permanent care. 

Even partial blindness or typical eye injuries, such as double vision, for instance, could require you to have some form of professional care. If your claim is successful and you can prove the value of the financial losses, you could also receive compensation for special damages. 

When claiming for financial losses caused by eye injuries at work, you will need receipts, invoices or bank statements. This is because it’s important to keep records of the costs you have incurred. 

Using No Win No Fee Agreements For Your Eye Injury Claim

You may be wondering, “what are the benefits of using a No Win No Fee agreement when claiming for eye injuries at work?”. The advantages include:

  • Not paying your solicitor’s legal fees either upfront or throughout the claims process
  • No hidden fees or costs. When using a Conditional Fee Agreement, your solicitor will inform you of all potential fees or costs before agreeing to use their services. 
  • Only paying your solicitor’s legal costs at the end of the claim. This will be in the event that a settlement has been agreed upon. They will take a small, legally capped compensation amount to cover their fees. 

Having a No Win No Fee agreement takes away the financial risk that’s usually associated with starting a claim with a solicitor. For more information on the benefits that this can offer, get in touch with our team today.

Speak To PICC About Filing An Eye Injury Claim

If you’re unsure how to claim for an eye injury at work in the UK, please get in touch with us at a time that works for you. Our advisors offer free legal advice, are available 24/7 and can tell you in just one phone call if you’re able to claim. Furthermore, they can transfer you to a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel to help you receive compensation. 

However, please don’t think you need to use our services to contact us about eye injuries at work. You’re under no obligation to claim with us should you contact us. 

  • Call us using the phone number above. 
  • Claim online using this website. 
  • Use the Live Chat window. 

Further Resources Regarding Eye Injury Claims

Please use the links below to learn more about claiming for eye accidents at work. 

Would you like medical guidance after suffering from a corneal abrasion? If so, please read this guide on the NHS website. 

To learn more about preventing injuries at work, please read about risk assessments on the HSE website. 

Moorfields Eye Charity can also provide you with guidance and support if you’ve suffered an eye injury. 

We also have a bunch of guides on accident at work claims which you can read below:

Do you still have queries about receiving compensation for eye injuries at work? If so, please contact our team for free legal advice 24/7 using the above details.