Eye Socket Injury Lawyer

What is an Eye Socket Injury?

Described as the bony cup that surrounds and protects the eye, they eye socket is often susceptible to injury because it is the first area of the skull that protrudes furthest from the face. Although the rim of the socket is reasonable thick, in some places around the eyes, the bone is extremely thin and can be easily broken.

Nearly 2.5 million traumatic eye injuries occur each year. Many of them involve eye socket fractures. The majority of these injuries are as the result of an automobile accident or a sports-related injury, but home accidents are also a major cause – often by fixing, repairing or cleaning household items. Men suffer from traumatic eye injuries far more than women, and the most frequent place of injury is in or near the home.

Three types of eye fracture:

• Orbital rim fracture
• Orbital floor fracture
• Direct Orbital Floor Fracture

Orbital Rim Fracture

An orbital rim fracture occurs when an object directly impacts the face. Since this type of injury assumes tremendous force, other areas of the head are also typically present in an accident or other trauma. The optic nerve (responsible for vision) may be affected. Eye muscles as well as nerves that serve the forehead and cheek may be damaged. The sinuses, tear ducts and other areas may also suffer damage – not to mention the possibility of brain damage.

Two types of orbital rim fractures exist: Frontal Bone Fracture and Zygomatic fracture. A frontal bone fracture – also known as a frontal sinus fracture – is a trauma to the upper edge of the eye rim, usually affecting the bones in the forehead, called the skull frontal bone. A zygomatic fracture is a trauma to the lower edge of the eye rim. Since it’s part of the cheekbone, it has other complication, not the least of which is sinus injury.

Indirect orbital floor fracture

Also known as a ‘blowout fracture, an indirect orbital floor fracture occurs when the bony rim of the eye remains intact, but the thin floor of the eye socket is cracked or broken. The break may then entangle muscles of the eyes and surrounding nerves or structures, stopping the eye from moving normally. Indirect orbital floor fractures are typically caused by an impact to the front of the eye from something much broader than the eye opening itself. Car crashes – where the victim strikes the dashboard – often produce indirect orbital floor fractures.

Direct orbital floor fracture

If an injury victim suffers an orbital rim fracture that is severe enough to cause a fracture in the eye socket floor, the resulting injury is then called a direct orbital floor fracture. This is the most threatening and the most sever type of eye socket injury.

Symptoms or Eye Socket Injury

Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, symptoms include:

• Double vision, decreased vision or blurry vision
• Black eye or eyes
• Bleeding in the whites of the eyes
• Difficulty looking up, down, right or left
• Bulging eyes
• Abnormal eye position
• Numbness in the eyelids, cheek, forehead, upper lip or upper teeth
• Puffiness caused by air under the skin
• Deformity of the forehead or cheek

Dealing With Eye Socket Injury

Often the symptoms of eye-socket injury will begin to subside within a week or so. But fractured bones take much longer to heal. And if your symptoms are not getting better, it may be a worse condition than originally suspected.

The treatment of an eye socket injury depends on the exactly where and how sever it is. For example, a small, uncomplicated, blowout fracture that does not affect the movement of your eye, your doctor may simply give you orders to ice the affected area. Often the doctor can even adjust your eye in his office.

But if the fracture is more severe, you may have to call in a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in treating eye injuries. You may have to have bone fragments removed; or trapped muscles may have to be surgically untangled. These, among other fixes, will possibly restore normal vision, restore the normal structure of the eye socket, and fix any deformities caused by other fractures.

Obviously, some of these may problems may be not be medically corrected. And financially, you may have a hard road ahead. Fortunately, you may have recourse. Having an attorney with a focus inhead injury litigation is critical in providing you the opportunity to get the financial compensation you deserve. You will not pay a thing unless you win your lawsuit. If you win or settle your lawsuit, The Doan Law Firm will charge a percentage of the compensation amount, leaving you free from the costs of the actual court case.

The Doan Law Firm can assist in determining damages owed you after a head injury. The Doan Law Firm knows that although accidents don’t wait for daylight hours to happen. However, we’re available to answer your phone call any time, day or night, at (800) 349-0000. Contact our offices today for a free case evaluation.