Loss Of Sight Or Blindness Claims Guide

By Joanne Jeffries. Last Updated 15th October 2021. Welcome to our loss of sight claims guide where we’ll explain how to make a loss of sight claim.

According to the Royal National Institute for the Blind, each day 250 begin to suffer some form of loss of sight. The charities figures also showed that in 2015 there were approximately two million people suffering from visual impairments of some level. 360,000 of these people were registered as partially sighted or suffering total blindness. If you have suffered an accident or injury which has affected your vision you could be entitled to make a claim.

Workplace eye injuries

The Health and Safety Executive (also known as the HSE) is the body responsible for tracking accidents and injuries in the workplace. Whilst all accidents resulting in an injury should be reported to the body, it is especially important to report accidents or injuries caused by negligence that result in the partial or complete loss of sight in one eye or both eyes. When anyone (be they an employee or member of the public) suffers an accident that leads to them losing some degree of vision they could be entitled to seek sight loss compensation. Depending on the cause of and circumstances leading to the loss of vision, the victim may also be able to make a claim against insurance at the same time. Any accident which affects your sight can be life-changing for you. As such, you could be entitled to claim compensation.

Interested in making a loss of sight claim? Contact Accident Claims UK today by calling our team on 0800 073 8801 when you are ready to start your blindness claim. Read the rest of our guide below for further information on claiming compensation for loss of sight.

Select A Section

Blindness, Loss Of Vision And Eye Injury Compensation Guide

A blind person with a walking stick moving across a road

Any loss of vision, whether full or partial, can be life-changing. Losing your sight can make you have to change the way you live and work. It may force you to give up certain levels of personal freedom and require care and assistance from family, friends, or carers. It could mean that you are not able to go out by yourself or become socially isolated. As such, it is easy to see why a person should seek compensation through a loss of sight claim.

Through our eye injury compensation guide below we look at the steps you need to take in order to make a successful sight loss claim. You could claim whether the effect has been partial or complete. We will ensure that you are familiar with the legal definitions involved as well as some of the common causes of blindness. We also take you through the help and advice that we can provide you when you are ready to make a claim. Our team have helped people such as yourself make a variety of personal injury and blindness claims.

What Is Blindness And Loss Of Vision?

Have you suffered loss of sight because of a no-fault accident? If so, you could make a loss of sight claim for compensation. Your compensation payout could include an award for pain and suffering as well as financial expenses such as loss of earnings. 

If you are seeking compensation for loss of sight by making a claim, you may first wonder what qualifies as loss of sight or loss of vision in terms of making a compensation claim. An eye injury claim for sight loss compensation can be for a variety of reasons. You can start to lose your vision as a result of an accident, through an injury, or simply through ageing. If your sight loss was caused by an accident or injury, you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim. Accidents and injuries which can cause damage to the vision can happen for a variety of reasons. These can include any of the following situations:

Could you make a blindness claim? No matter the circumstances of the accident, injury, or medical negligence which caused you to lose your vision, you could be able to claim compensation for blindness or partial loss of sight.

Statistics For Loss Of Vision And Blindness

in this section, we’ll look at some statistics related to loss of sight claims.

Vision and blindness charities, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People, produce various reports each year into statistics for the number of people living with some form of sight loss. Previously released statistics show that an estimated two million people in the UK are partially sighted or blind. A report produced in 2017 estimated that by 2050 loss of vision will affect as many as 4.1 million people across the country. Other headline statistics show that:

Loss of sight is (as can be seen) more common than is generally thought. If you have been affected by sight loss due to an accident that was not your fault, talk to our personal injury claims team today. You may be able to make a claim.

Common Causes Of Loss Of Vision

In the eye injury compensation guide below, we will look at some of the most common causes of people losing their eyesight. These can include;

    • Being exposed to light that is dangerously bright, such as in industrial workplaces,
    • Sporting head and eye injuries,
    • Outdoor work with exposure to very bright sunlight,
    • Working with explosives.

In these situations, and those looked at in more detail below, you could make a sight loss compensation claim or blindness claim if it can be shown that someone else was negligent.

Compensation For Loss Of Vision After A Head Injury

A common question we are asked in relation to these types of claims is “can head trauma cause loss of eyesight?” Head injuries can be caused in a variety of different ways. The simplest answer is that yes, a blow to the head caused by a fall, road traffic accident or in another way could cause damage to your vision. If you have suffered from vision loss after a head injury, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Your claim can be made against the person who was responsible for your head injury. Using a personal injury solicitor, such as those which we can provide, is the best way to make a successful loss of sight claim.

Claiming Compensation For Loss Of Vision After A Chemical Injury

If you work with substances that are hazardous to health, such as chemicals, your employer should have taken the necessary safety precautions to ensure that you are kept safe. This could include providing you with the correct and necessary training and equipment. If your eyes do come into contact with harsh chemicals, you could experience loss of sight in one eye, or both eyes. If you were not provided with the correct equipment or the right training, the risk of this happening can be greatly increased.

All employers in the UK have a legal duty to care for their workers and protect them from substances hazardous to health, such as chemicals. If splashed chemicals or a chemical burn has caused you to suffer vision loss after an eye injury, contact our team to find out whether you can make a loss of sight claim.

Compensation For Loss Of Vision In A Workplace Accident

If you need to make an eye injury claim for an accident in the workplace, we can help you to bring a compensation claim against your employers. As we have previously mentioned, all workplaces should be kept safe and employers are legally obligated to reduce risks and get rid of hazards. Employers also need to be compliant with industry-specific health and safety legislation. These laws cover areas such as:

  • How to stay safe when handling chemicals.
  • Ensuring that all employees are provided with the tools and equipment necessary to carry out their job in a safe way. This may include goggles and gloves, or protective equipment for heads.
  • How to use any equipment or machinery in a safe way.

If your employer has not observed these steps, they could be liable for you to make a loss of vision lawsuit with a personal injury lawyer. To be able to make a claim for compensation for blindness or loss of vision, you need to determine who is responsible for your accident. Your personal injury lawyer will establish that the employer did owe you a duty of care, that they breached this in some way, and that this breach was the cause of your injuries. If they can do so, you could make a loss of sight claim.

Medical Negligence Eye Claims

Medical negligence eye claims can be made in cases where the medical practitioner has either performed a procedure on your eye wrongly or poorly, or has in some way not provided you with the right type of treatment, and where this negligent treatment has lead you to suffer loss of vision in some way. The case could be brought against practitioners such as a nurse, doctor, or even a pharmacist or any other healthcare practitioner. Losing your eyesight because of negligent medical treatment can have a very serious effect on your life. To find out how much your eye injury claim or blindness claim is worth, talk to our team today.

Accidents And Injuries Leading To A Loss Of Vision In A Public Place

Accidents and injuries which happen in a public place and which lead to you losing your eyesight (to some degree) are eligible for compensation claims. You can seek compensation for loss of sight if your injury happened in an area such as a shopping centre, the cinema, leisure centres, and other places with large numbers of visitors. The 1984 Occupiers Liability Act obliges the owners and operators of any public space to have a duty of care to the people using their facility, even if the people on the property were not authorised to be there. If your eye injury happened in a public place, talk to our team today to make a loss of sight claim.

What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Sight Loss And How Severe Are They?

In order to diagnose the severity of an eye injury before making a claim for compensation for loss of sight, you will need to see a specialist doctor. The doctor who assesses the severity of your injury and visual impairment will also be able to assess whether you should also be certified as legally visually-impaired. If you are certified as such, you may then be eligible for benefits. The doctor assessing you will look at things such as your overall vision and how it has been effected both up close and for distances. Based on your individual results, we will have a better understanding of what level of compensation you could be eligible for, as well as whether you could qualify for benefits.

In England, you may be issued with a Certificate of Vision Impairment entitling you to access benefits and support. Having this certificate will also help your personal injury lawyer to build a stronger case and claim a higher eye injury compensation value. It should be noted that if the effect is only to one eye, or is different in the two eyes. This will be taken into account when calculating the value of your claim.

What are the effects of losing your sight?

Losing your eyesight can have serious and long-term effects on your overall quality of life and your ability to continue to lead an independent life. These effects (and any future progression) need to be taken into account when claiming compensation for loss of sight. These long-term effects can include things such as losing your employment and having to find a new job or even changing your career.

It could also mean remaining with the same employer but changing your job role. It may also mean having to make alterations and adaptations to your home (and vehicle if you are still able to drive). You may also have to learn braille or need to buy things for your home, such as a special phone. You may also require a guide dog now, or in the future. As someone who has lost their sight or become visually impaired through an accident and injury, you may also find you have lost some social status or have experienced mental health issues as a result of the injury itself, or the effect it has had upon you. These are all things you could claim for as part of making a loss of sight claim.

Long-term effects which are taken into account in blindness claims

These long-term effects will also be taken into account when your solicitor looks at a personal injury claims calculator to work out how much you should be owed. To find out more about living with the long-term effects of blindness, visit the RNIB website here.

What Should You Do If You Lose Your Sight In An Accident?

If you have experienced any degree of loss of sight due to an accident or injury, there are steps that you should take in order to make a successful claim for compensation for loss of sight. Losing your sight could leave you in a state of devastation and confusion. It may also leave you with difficulties in your everyday life. This is where using a specialist solicitor to make a personal injury claim can help. We can provide you with the guidance and compassion you need to navigate this difficult time. There are several steps which we recommend you take, whether you wish to make a loss of sight claim or not.

Step one

Firstly you should ensure that you are getting any medical treatment and advice you need. When you contact us we may also be able to organise for you to see a specialist doctor who can provide you with an impartial assessment of your condition.

Step two

Next, you should gather together any evidence or documentation relating to your accident and eye injuries. Did you experience head injury loss of vision or post-traumatic visual loss? Whatever happened to you the circumstances of it can affect the level of compensation you are owed.

Step three

Note down and keep receipts for any expenses you have had to meet as a direct result of your accident and injuries. You may be able to include these in your loss of sight claim.

How To Begin Your Sight Loss Compensation Claim

The best way to begin any claim is to reach out and talk to an experienced personal injury solicitor or legal service, such as Accident Claims UK. Our team can explain everything you need to know from personal injury claim time limits to how to make a claim for compensation for loss of an eye at work. When you are ready to make a loss of sight claim, our team will be on hand to help you start your claim.

Blindness And Loss Of Sight Compensation Claims Calculator – Updated July 2021

If you would like to find out how much you could claim in compensation for loss of sight, you can refer to the table below. Whilst it will be difficult for us to be able to accurately estimate how much compensation you could be entitled to claim, we can give you a broad idea of how much your injuries could be entitled to. Each blindness claim is assessed based on its own merits and as such, the figures provided below are only illustrative.

Edit
Type of eye injury Severity Settlement Notes
Eye injuries Loss of sight in one eye and reduced vision in the other. £90,100 to £168,730 Sight loss in one eye. Second eye may deteriorate as well.
Eye injuries Loss of sight in one eye £51,460 to £61,690 Total loss of one eye.
Eye injuries F £22,230 to £36,960 Serious eye injuries where there is an incomplete loss of vision.
Eye injuries G £8,550 to £19,690 Minor but with impaired vision in one or both eyes.
Eye injuries Minor £3,710 to £8,200 Minor eye injuries.
Eye injuries Transient £2,070 to £3,710 Recovery within a few weeks.
Mental Anguish £4,380 Fear of impending death.
Minor Brain or Head Injury £2,070 to £11,980 Usually a full recovery is made within a few weeks.
Total Blindness In the region of £252,180

No Win No Fee Compensation For Loss Of Sight Or Blindness

If you have had an accident that has caused your vision to be impaired or which has caused your blindness, you may be struggling financially and a claim could help you recover necessary costs. The financial effects of becoming blind could be as distressing as the accident and injury itself.

The last thing you need to think about is the added financial pressure that taking legal action could bring. This is where our no win, no fee blindness claim service comes in. No win, no fee agreements mean that you will not have to make any payments to us unless the solicitor we provide you with wins your case. If your case is not successful, you will not have to pay anything for it. If you do win your loss of sight claim, our fees will be deducted from this.

How Our Team Can Help Secure You Compensation For Loss Of Sight

The team at Accident Claims UK are highly experienced in helping people who have suffered an injury or illness as a result of an accident that was not their fault. We can advise you on how much compensation for loss of sight you could be owed as well as provide you with more information on how to deal with post-traumatic visual loss. Our team will treat you with the compassion and care that you deserve and assist you with a blindness claim. The solicitors we could provide you with are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Start Your Claim Today

How do you start a blindness claim? You talk to the dedicated team at Accident Claims UK today by contacting us on 0800 073 8801.

Alternatively, contact us by email at office@accidentclaims.co.uk and send the details of your loss of sight claim. We will then contact you about your loss of sight claim. You can view the full range of ways to get in touch with us here.

Helpful Resources

Royal National Institute of Blind People
If you have experienced sight loss or a visual impairment, find out further information by visiting the RNIB website.

Accidents At Work
Find out what your rights are after an accident at work with our guide to making an accident at work claims guide.

Medical Negligence
Check if you could claim if your eye injury was caused by medical negligence.

Assault At Work Claims
If you have lost your sight because of an assault at work you could claim compensation.

Blindness Claim FAQs

When are you considered legally blind?

To be considered legally blind you will need your sight or ‘visual acuity’ assessed. This is done using the Snellen scale test. The test consists of rows of letters. Each row is smaller than the last. Normal visual acuity is called 6/6. This means you can read to the last or second to last line of the chart.

To be certified as blind, your visual acuity has to fall into one of the following categories

  • An acuity score below 3 / 60. The person still has a full visual field.
  • A score between 6 / 60 and 3 / 60. The personal also has a severely reduced field of vision.
  • An acuity score which is above 6 / 60, but where the person’s field of vision is severely reduced.

Can you drive if considered legally blind?

If you have been assessed as having a visual impairment you are obliged to inform the DVLA. Failing to notify the DVLA is a crime and you could be fined up to £1,000. If you have registered yourself as visually impaired your driving licence will no longer be considered valid. You can appeal this if you believe you could still drive. You will need a doctor to fill in a DVLA form explaining any limitations on your sight, for example if you have issues with bright light.

What is negligence?

  • A third party had a duty of care to you
  • Which they failed to uphold
  • And you suffered as a result

What is medical negligence?

Medical negligence is where the standard of care upheld by medical professionals is dropped well below that of what’s expected. For example, your doctor may have misdiagnosed you due to a failure to carry-out proper testing. The NHS paid out huge sums in compensation during 2020/21, as you can see below.

Pie chart which shows the total amount paid out for clinical negligence by different organisations

How can I prove my suffering?

This is usually done through a medical assessment with an independent expert, where they’ll report on everything from your physical and mental health to how your overall quality of life has been impacted.

Do I need a lawyer to make a claim?

Not by law, no. However, the expertise of a lawyer can guide you through the claims process towards the maximum compensation that you deserve.

Where can I find a lawyer or law firm?

Look no further than our panel of personal injury lawyers to handle your claim. They have more than 30 years of experience and always work on a No Win No Fee basis.

How can I contact Accident Claims?

Please call us on the number at the top of the page or refer to our contact section earlier in this loss of sight claims guide.

Could I include psychological damage compensation in a loss of sight claim?

As well as claiming compensation for the suffering and pain of your eye injury that has led to loss of sight, or for any other injuries that has caused you to lose your vision, you could also claim for the mental and emotional effects. Losing your sight could be significantly traumatic, and you could suffer a range of psychological injuries. You might become depressed or anxious, and this may impinge on your ability to cope with life. In some cases, you could suffer PTSD from the accident or injury. You would need to collect medical evidence for these injuries as well as the specific physical injuries you’d sustained that led to your loss of sight. During your claim, you’d attend an appointment with an independent medical expert. They would look at any relevant past medical notes and examine you. Once they had finished gathering information, they would put together a report that could be used to evidence your physical and psychological injuries. Your personal injury solicitor and the courts could use this medical evidence to arrive at an appropriate value for your claim.

Keeping an injury diary – is it worth it?

You might find it useful to keep an injury diary, detailing how you’ve suffered both physically and emotionally. This could include details of what you haven’t been able to do because of your injury, and how you’ve felt. You could also include details in the diary of appointments you’ve had regarding your injury, and costs you’ve incurred. You could refer back to this when asked to provide information on how your injury affects you.

Would I definitely need to use a personal injury lawyer to make a loss of sight claim?

Whether you are considering making a lot of site claim for medical negligence, or because you were injured in a workplace accident or road traffic accident you may be surprised to learn that you don’t, in fact, need a lawyer to make your claim. However, many people across the UK choose lawyers to help them with their claims, because they believe that a lawyer could give them the best chance of getting the compensation they deserve. After all, not many of us have much experience with the law, and we may not understand what it would take to build a solid case, and how much compensation we could negotiate for ourselves. This is why many people turned to legal professionals to help them. Solicitors, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority could fight for the maximum compensation possible for your case.

Would I need to use a lawyer local to my area to make a loss of sight claim?

Again, some claimants labour under the misapprehension that they would need to use a lawyer logistical to their area to make a claim for loss of sight. However, due to the advances in technology, many claims can be handled over the Internet, email or by video chat or phone call. There is no longer a need for you to use a local lawyer to make your claim. Instead, you could use a solicitor that is based anywhere in the UK. While this opens up your choices to you further, it can also make selecting a solicitor more difficult. We would urge you to investigate whether they’ve handled claims like yours before and whether they could handle your claim on a nowhere no fee basis before selecting a solicitor. We could help you connect with a personal injury solicitor that could be appropriate for your claim.

Thank you for reading our guide on how to make a loss of sight claim. For free legal advice please get in touch.