Eye injuries can drastically affect your everyday life, limiting your ability to work and perform daily tasks. Visual impairment or sight loss not only disrupts your routine but can also increase the likelihood of further accidents. If you’ve suffered an eye injury, you may be entitled to make eye injury compensation claims, no matter where or how the injury occurred.
Thousands of Australians experience serious eye injuries each year, most commonly due to workplace incidents, car accidents, or slip and fall accidents. In fact, workplace and slip and fall injuries are leading causes of eye injuries across the country. Understanding your rights and knowing how to file a claim can help you secure the compensation you deserve.
What Can I Claim in Eye Injury Compensation Claims?
The compensation you can claim depends on the cause of your eye injury. Whether it resulted from a workplace incident, slip and fall, motor vehicle accident, or medical negligence, your entitlements may include medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. Understanding the type of accident that led to your injury is key to maximizing your claim:
- Medical expenses – necessary healthcare expenses such as surgery, medicine, and equipment
- Weekly payments – depending on your capacity for work and average income
- Lump sum payment – if your whole person impairment meets the 11% permanent impairment threshold. For non-exempt workers, the threshold is greater than 0%.
- Domestic assistance – if your whole person impairment meets the 15% whole person impairment threshold
- Common law – if your whole person impairment meets the 15% threshold and your employer was negligent.
If you slipped, tripped or fell due to negligence in a public or private place, you may be entitled to claim
- Medical expenses
- Loss of past and future earnings
- Domestic assistance
- Pain and suffering
Please access our Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Claim page if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident
Please access our Medical Negligence Claim page if you are injured due to a healthcare professional’s negligence.
How to Make Eye Injury Compensation Claims
If you’ve suffered an eye injury, you may be entitled to claim compensation through various schemes such as Workers Compensation, Public Liability, or Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation. Follow these steps to ensure your eye injury compensation claim is handled correctly:
Notify the relevant party, such as your employer, property owner, or involved parties, depending on where the injury occurred.
Visit your GP for treatment and obtain medical documentation, including detailed medical reports. These reports are crucial as evidence to support your compensation claim, outlining the severity of your injury and its impact on your ability to work and carry out daily activities.
Complete and submit the relevant claim forms based on the type of incident, whether it’s a motor vehicle accident, workplace injury, or public liability claim. Be sure to include medical reports and any other necessary documentation to support your case.
The responsible party’s insurer will review your claim and contact you regarding the outcome.
What is the Time Limit for Eye Injury Compensation Claims?
For work-related injuries, you must submit a Work Injury Claim Form within 6 months from the date of injury. If pursuing a work injury damages claim under common law, the time limit is 3 years.
Some exceptions may apply to the time limit depending on the circumstances and when you were able to make the claim. It’s important to act quickly to avoid missing critical deadlines.
When Can I Claim Eye Injury Compensation?
You can begin the compensation claim process as soon as you discover your eye injury. For a free initial claim assessment, contact Withstand Lawyers. Getting professional legal assistance early on can help speed up the process and maximize the lump sum payout you receive.
How Much Compensation Do I Get for an Eye Injury?
The amount of compensation for an eye injury depends on several factors, including your permanent impairment rate, capacity to work, age, and more. While work injury damages for eye injuries can range from $100,000 to $300,000, each case is unique, and your payout may vary. To get an estimate of your potential lump sum, contact one of our personal injury lawyers or fill out the form below for a personalized assessment.
Frequently asked questions
According to Safe Work Australia, the cases below cause the majority of eye injuries in the workplace:
- Foreign body in the eye
- Burn of eye
- Penetrating wound
- Contusion of eyeball
- Fracture of orbital floor
- Use an eye protector gear
- Be sure that machinery and protective gears are in good condition
- Get a PPR training
- Follow the workplace safety rules
- Mind other people around when using dangerous machinery
Why Withstand Lawyers?
The team at Withstand Lawyers has helped thousands of injured people in New South Wales. We will first listen to you and then thoroughly explain your entitlements. You will be fully informed about the progress of your eye injury claim while you concentrate on your recovery. Call us on 1800 952 898 or fill out the form to maximise your compensation payout.
Issa Rabaya
• Bachelor of Laws
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Approved Legal Service Provider to the Independent Review Office
• Member of the Law Society
Issa Rabaya
• Bachelor of Laws
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Approved Legal Service Provider to the Independent Review Office
• Member of the Law Society
