How To Make Sure You Are Fully Compensated For Your Eye Injury At Work

If you work in construction or welding, there is a chance that you may suffer an eye injury on the job. Eye injuries can result from flying debris and hazardous chemicals. The effect that an eye injury can have on your life can be substantial, and it is therefore important to make sure that you receive workers' compensation.

Getting an Eye Injury at Work

There are several reasons why you might end up with an eye injury at work. Flying debris might strike your eyes and damage them or your eye might be scratched by an object. Chemicals might be splashed on your eyes and burn them. Your eye might be impaled or experience blunt force trauma. 

Receiving Treatment After the Injury

When you suffer an eye injury at work, you will need to receive immediate attention. By being treated quickly, you may experience no loss of your eyesight. Even if your eyes are permanently damaged, you will be able to recover more quickly if you receive prompt treatment. 

If you suffer total blindness from your injury, you will be qualified for a catastrophic designation under some state laws. However, many states do not have clear designations for what is considered total blindness and you will need to work closely with a workers' compensation lawyer to make a solid case that you are legally blind.

Obtaining the Catastrophic Injury Designation

One of the reasons why the catastrophic injury designation is so important is that those types of injuries usually require ongoing medical treatments. However, you will also normally be limited in how many weeks you will be able to continue to receive benefits. If you are completely blind, you may find it impossible to work for the rest of your life, and you will need to receive benefits for as long as possible. 

Understanding Rating Guidelines

In many states, there are multiple rating guidelines that will affect how much you will be entitled to if you lose your vision in one eye, for example. You will want to consult with a workers' compensation lawyer to make sure that you will go by the highest rating. 

While it might seem like an extra expense to hire an attorney, the amount of money on the line makes it worthwhile to hire an attorney. The workers' compensation insurance provider will do everything they can to reduce your benefits, but an attorney can help you fight back.