Monroe workers’ compensation eye injury settlements may include medical benefits, lost wages, and disability compensation. A Monroe workers’ compensation lawyer can value your case and pursue your benefits. Call or message Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, to discuss your eye injury at work and workers’ compensation benefits.
Settlement for Workers’ Compensation Eye Injury in Monroe, NC
If you’ve been injured on the job, here’s what you should know.
- Eye injuries that arise out of and in the course of employment may qualify for workers’ compensation.
- A settlement may pay compensation in a lump sum amount.
- To receive a settlement, you must report your workplace injury to your employer and seek workers’ compensation benefits.
- The rules for eye injuries in Monroe fall under North Carolina workers’ compensation laws.
- You can have a lawyer represent you at any stage of your case.
Eye injury settlement amounts differ significantly from one case to another. Unfortunately, insurance companies often deny legitimate claims. You cannot rely on them to assess the value of your case. They may undervalue your situation or look for reasons to deny payment. Hiring an experienced lawyer can help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Workplace Eye Injuries in Monroe
Each year in the US, approximately 20,000 people suffer eye injuries on the job. Eye injuries at work occur at a rate of 1.7 per 10,000 workers in the United States.
Contact with objects or equipment is the leading cause of eye injury on the job. Most injuries resulting from contact involve foreign matter in the eye (59.6%), which may scrape, penetrate, or rub against the eye.
The second leading cause of eye injuries on the job is the worker being struck by an object, which can result in damage to the eye and its socket.
Exposure to harmful substances or environments, violence, injury by animals, slips, trips, and falls are additional common causes of workplace eye injuries in Monroe, NC.
Types of Eye Injuries Covered by NC Workers’ Compensation
The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates an annual cost of $300 million for eye injuries at work. These costs include medical care, workers’ compensation financial benefits, and lost work productivity. Eye injuries can vary widely.
Blunt eye trauma
Blunt trauma to the eye can result in bone fractures or detachment of the soft tissues of the eye. Bleeding may occur. A full-thickness tear in the eye wall is a medical emergency, as vision loss could result.
Burns
Harmful chemicals may burn the surface of the eye. Ocular burn may be thermal or chemical, resulting from erosive chemicals, fumes, UV light, or heat. Complications may include infection, glaucoma, cornea damage, vision loss, pain, and other harm.
Eye scratch
An eye scratch is a corneal abrasion and may cause pain, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and vision loss. There may also be a risk of infection.
Penetrating or foreign body injury
If an object enters or punctures the eye, it can impair vision, cause disfigurement, and damage the eye’s structure. The foreign body may become lodged in the eye and may deform the globe; structural damage due to a foreign body may cause serious, life-threatening complications. Ocular trauma is classified by zone.
A worker may be eligible for a workers’ compensation eye injury settlement. It’s crucial to identify the full extent of the injury and the prognosis to determine the payable benefits.
How Eye Injury Settlements Are Valued in North Carolina
Eye injury settlements in North Carolina are valued based on several criteria:
- How much the person earned before the injury
- Medical care to diagnose or treat the injury or limit the period of disability
- Vocational disability
- Remaining impairment or disfigurement after medical care (impairment rating)
Calculating an eye injury settlement amount involves determining the person’s average weekly wage before injury and the number of weeks of temporary disability during recovery. The person’s disability following maximum medical improvement is also factored in.
The timing of the settlement is important. The medical care needed in the future, and when the person returns to work, can factor into a final settlement calculation. Our attorneys can assist you with the timing of your settlement.
Vision Loss and Permanent Disability Considerations
When vision loss is permanent, the worker may qualify for disability compensation, including total disability compensation.
Permanent and total disability compensation
When a person suffers loss of both eyes, they may qualify for permanent and total disability compensation (N.C.G.S. § 97-29(d)). If the worker qualifies, they may receive an exception to the usual 500-week limit for temporary total disability benefits.
Weekly payments may continue indefinitely, unless the person returns to work. Medical benefits may continue for a lifetime. Permanent disability may be claimed by special application after 425 weeks of disability. The person must prove total earnings loss.
Vision loss
When a person suffers permanent impairment due to a workplace eye injury, they may claim compensation. Payment is proportional to the extent of disability; for eye injuries, 85% impairment or more is considered total loss of the eye. Disability compensation may be paid in a Monroe workers’ compensation eye injury settlement.
Medical Documentation Required for Eye Injury Claims
Medical documentation for an eye injury claim should explain the following:
- Diagnosis
- How it resulted from the accident
- Future medical care needed
- Permanent disfigurement
- Permanent vision loss
- Work restrictions, both temporary and permanent
Medical documentation may include evaluation, diagnostic tests, and expert opinion.
Challenges in Eye Injury Workers’ Comp Cases
Common challenges in eye injury workers’ compensation cases focus on proving the injury is work-related. In addition, the insurance company may challenge the need for surgery or the extent of impairment.
In some cases, an individual may delay seeking medical care, making a claim more complex.
How a Monroe Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help
If you’ve suffered an eye injury at work, your settlement amount is critical. Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, can assist you in making your claim and pursuing your settlement. Our lawyers identify key issues, build the evidence, and determine the value of your case.
To talk to a lawyer and get legal help, call or message us now.
Free Case Evaluation
"*" indicates required fields
