Vision loss eye injury accident attorney

Loss of vision in one eye is frequently described as a partial loss, which understates it considerably. Binocular vision provides depth perception and a wide field of view, and losing an eye removes both — with consequences for driving, for many occupations, and for the everyday judgment of distance. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles catastrophic injury claims in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York.

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How the loss is documented

Formal ophthalmological assessment: measured visual acuity in each eye separately and together, formal visual field testing mapping any area of lost vision, assessment of depth perception, and examination for the specific injury — retinal detachment, traumatic cataract, damage to the optic nerve, globe rupture, or bleeding within the eye. Imaging identifies orbital fracture and any retained foreign body. Field testing in particular produces an objective map that a general statement about blurred vision cannot.

Why this meets any threshold

Measured loss of acuity or a mapped field defect is objective, quantified injury. Loss of stereoscopic depth perception is objectively testable. Where an eye has been lost or a prosthesis fitted, the injury is self-evident. These are among the more readily provable catastrophic injuries once formal testing is obtained.

Treatment and prognosis

Depends entirely on the injury: surgical repair of a ruptured globe, retinal reattachment, cataract removal, treatment of bleeding or raised pressure within the eye. Some injuries recover substantially; optic nerve damage generally does not. Recognized long-term issues include glare and light sensitivity, difficulty adapting between light levels, an increased risk of glaucoma or retinal problems in the injured eye, and the loss of depth perception where one eye is affected. Protecting the remaining eye becomes a lifelong priority.

How these claims are contested

By pointing to preserved vision in the other eye as though the loss were halved. By attributing reduced acuity to pre-existing refractive error or age-related change. By characterizing glare sensitivity and adaptation difficulty as subjective. By resisting the occupational consequence where the person can still see. The response is formal field testing, documented depth perception assessment, and specific evidence of the occupational and driving consequences.

Building the claim properly

Obtain complete ophthalmological documentation rather than an emergency department note. Establish any prior eye records for baseline acuity. Map the field defect formally. Document depth perception. Where the person’s occupation or license depends on vision standards, obtain evidence of the specific requirement and whether it is now met. And address the ongoing risk to the remaining eye, which is a genuine lifelong consequence rather than a speculative one.

Available insurance coverage

What can be recovered is limited by what coverage exists. The at-fault party’s policy is the starting point, but it is frequently not the only source: the injured person’s own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, household policies, employer coverage where a vehicle was used for work, umbrella and excess layers, and the coverage of any additional responsible party can all apply. Underinsured coverage typically requires notice and consent before any settlement with the at-fault party — settling first can forfeit it. Identifying every available layer is early work, not closing work.

How damages are categorised and proven

Damages are not a single number that gets negotiated. They are separate categories, each proven by different evidence. Past medical expense is proven by billing records and the reasonableness of the charges. Future medical expense requires a physician’s opinion that the care is reasonably certain to be needed. Lost income is proven by employment and tax records; lost earning capacity is a different and larger question requiring vocational and economic analysis. Non-economic loss — pain, limitation, and the effect on daily life — is proven through the medical record and through testimony from people who can describe specific changes rather than general decline. No one can responsibly tell you what a case is worth before that evidence exists, and any figure offered at the outset is a guess.

Filing deadlines

Every injury claim is governed by a statute of limitations, and the periods differ by state and by claim type. For personal injury actions the period is two years in Virginia under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A), accruing at the date of injury; three years in Maryland under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101; three years in the District of Columbia under D.C. Code § 12-301(8); two years in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2; and three years in New York under N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5). These are general periods. Discovery rules, tolling for minors and incapacity, claims against government entities — the District imposes a six-month notice-of-claim requirement for claims against the District government — and claim-specific statutes can shorten or extend them. Do not rely on a general period for your own case; have the deadline confirmed on your facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

I still have one good eye. Is the loss really serious?

Yes. Two eyes provide depth perception and a much wider field of view, and losing one removes both. The practical consequences are substantial — judging distance when driving, pouring, reaching, going down stairs, and working with tools or machinery. Describing it as losing half your vision misunderstands how vision works.

Can I still drive?

That depends on the licensing standards in your state, which set minimum requirements for acuity and field of vision. Some people with vision in one eye can be licensed, sometimes with conditions; others cannot. It is a specific requirement to check rather than assume, and any restriction is a real and compensable consequence.

What is visual field testing?

A formal assessment mapping which parts of your field of vision you can and cannot see. It produces an objective chart rather than a description, which makes it valuable evidence — particularly where the loss is a defect in part of the field rather than a general reduction in sharpness.

My vision is blurry but I can see. Does that count?

Yes, if it is measurable. Reduced acuity, distortion, double vision and loss of contrast sensitivity are all documentable through formal testing. What matters is that the assessment is done properly by an ophthalmologist rather than recorded as a general complaint of blurred vision in a chart.

Will my other eye be affected?

Not directly by the injury, but protecting it becomes considerably more important, because a person with one functioning eye has no reserve. Protective eyewear is generally recommended for many activities. That ongoing need, and the anxiety that accompanies it, is a genuine consequence.

What about glare and light sensitivity?

Difficulty with glare, and with adapting between bright and dim conditions, are recognized consequences of many eye injuries. They affect night driving in particular. They should be documented by the ophthalmologist rather than described generally, because otherwise they are easy to characterize as subjective.

Could I lose vision later from this injury?

There is an increased long-term risk of complications such as glaucoma, cataract and retinal problems in an eye that has sustained significant trauma, sometimes years afterward. Where that risk exists it should be documented, along with the monitoring it requires, before the claim resolves.

How long do I have to bring a claim?

Two years in Virginia and New Jersey, three years in Maryland, the District of Columbia and New York for personal injury actions, subject to tolling and to shorter notice requirements where a government entity is involved. Confirm the deadline on your own facts.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris is the owner and founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., which has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor and is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York. Of Counsel attorneys contract directly with the firm and handle matters alongside him. In 2019 Mr. Sris testified before the Virginia House Courts of Justice Committee on House Bill 635.

Speak with Mr. Sris

Injury claims are governed by filing deadlines that vary by state and by claim type, and evidence degrades quickly. Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Consultations are by appointment.

Last reviewed: August 22, 2026.

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