Indianapolis Construction Site Eye Injury Attorney

Although managers and superiors at construction sites are required by law to provide eye protection for their workers, this does not always happen. Without eye protection, construction workers are at risk of suffering a severe eye injury that can result in blindness. The attorneys at Golitko & Daly, P.C., in Indianapolis, Indiana, can represent you if you have received an eye injury at a construction site and fight to seek damages for your losses. We have been successfully representing workers who have been hurt on construction sites for decades, helping them recover from their accident.

Construction Site Eye Injuries

Since workplace eye injuries can lead to permanent vision impairment or blindness, employers are required to follow strict eye protection guidelines, per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Workers must be provided eye and face protection if exposed to harmful or toxic substances, acids, molten metal, radiation, flying objects, or chemicals in liquid, gaseous or vapor form. Despite these requirements, a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study found that more than 10,600 construction workers miss work each year due to eye injury.

As if this statistic were not shocking enough, another study has found that most of these injuries were a direct result of the employer’s inadequate safety measures. Specifically, employers or managers do not offer proper training on eye safety or provide the correct protective devices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 60% of workers who endure on-the-job eye injuries were either not wearing protective eyewear or wearing the wrong type of eye protection at the time of injury.

Every year, about 10,600 workers in construction endure eye injuries that force them to miss work, and many of these accidents are due to management’s failures to provide safety measures and protections.

Causes Of Eye Injuries In The Workplace

Any number of situations on construction sites can pose a risk for eye injury for workers. The more common construction site eye injuries include exposure to:

• Chemicals or toxic substances
• Radiation from welding torches, lasers or ultraviolet light
• Projectiled small particles, such as sawdust, wood chips, metal shavings, glass or dust
• Medical waste or biological contaminants
• Falling objects
• Hazardous conditions, such as wind

Seeking Medical Treatment

If you have suffered an eye injury at a construction site, you should seek medical attention immediately. Delays in receiving care can make symptoms worse or cause permanent eye damage. Being seen quickly by a health care provider also makes it easier to prove that your injury is a result of an on-the-job accident. The longer you wait between the accident and receiving medical attention, the more difficult it may be to substantiate your claim.

Be sure to see a doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Pupils that are uneven or irregular in shape
• Severe pain in one or both eyes
• Blood in the eye, especially the clear part
• The eyes no longer move together
• One eye protrudes
• A change in the shape of the eye
• A cut on the eyelid
• An object stuck in the eye
• Loss of vision

How Legal Representation Can Help

Eye injuries can lead to vision problems or blindness, possibly creating a lifelong disability. Costs can quickly add up between medical treatment and time off from work. Accident victims with extended or lifelong vision impairments also face reduced earning power as they may be unable to return to their profession. All of this can create considerable emotional distress for a worker and their family. An experienced construction accident attorney will gather all of the necessary evidence to make a persuasive case for maximum compensation. They will know how to calculate the upper limit of damages based on past and future expenses and suffering, ensuring you receive the full amount you are due. Attempting to navigate personal injury laws and matters specific to construction accidents without the help of attorneys with proven success can mean reduced damages or being denied compensation altogether.

If you have received an eye injury at a construction site, do not take a chance with your future. Call us today at 317-566-9600 or book your free consultation online.