One of the most sensitive and vulnerable parts of our body is the eye. It can easily be damaged, and this damage can be so extensive that a person actually loses sight in the injured eye. This can significantly change a person’s life and prove to be disabling.
This is important to keep in mind now that we are heading into the time of year that many people are getting outside to play baseball, soccer and other sports, as many eye injuries are suffered while playing sports.
According to reports, there are 100,000 people who suffer a sports-related eye injury every year. For more than 13,000 of these victims, the injury leaves them legally blind. People can easily be injured by balls, rackets, golf clubs, Frisbees, baseball bats and even other players’ fingers and hands.
As this article notes, avoiding these injuries could be as simple as wearing protective goggles, but the fact is that not everyone has or is willing to wear eye protection, particularly when they are only casually playing a game and don’t think it will be very aggressive or dangerous. This means that there will likely be another several thousand people who suffer an eye injury while playing sports this year.
If an eye injury results in loss of vision, it could be considered a disabling injury (even if it is only temporary) and a person may qualify for Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income. Discussing the options with an attorney can be crucial for people in this situation who can no longer work and earn an income to support themselves and their families due to a serious eye injury.