Compensation for Loss of Sight

How can I claim compensation for loss of sight? I was blinded by bleach when I collided with a stationary cleaning trolley in a shop.

Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor

Editor in Chief

Eoin P. Campbell

Your mother would be eligible to claim compensation for loss of sight if it can be shown that the shop owner or manager was negligent and responsible for her injury. The shop owner has a duty of care towards their customers to provide them with a safe shopping environment and should it be breached in any way, leading to an accident, they can be named as the party to blame for the victim’s injury. However, this duty of care is not “absolute”, meaning that if the accident could not have been prevented by shop staff in a “reasonable” amount of time, they would not be deemed responsible for your mother’s injury.

A case like this can be distressing and overwhelming for the victim and your mother would be well advised to seek the assistance of an experienced solicitor with her compensation for loss of sight claim, to help in gathering evidence and assembling the necessary documents.

In general, some procedures are expected to have been carried out by the victim after the accident, such as collecting witness statements and reporting the accident in the shop’s Accident Report Book. However, it is likely that this would have been impossible in your mother’s case, and her solicitor would be able to complete these procedures on her behalf. Her solicitor could also access CCTV footage of the accident from the shop to further support your mother’s claim.

An important aspect of claiming compensation for loss of sight is ensuring that the victim sought medical treatment from a professional immediately following the accident. No amount of compensation can make up for a life-long disability that could have been avoided by prompt medical attention and it should be noted that the amount of compensation that your mother should be entitled to may be significantly reduced if there is a substantial gap between the date her injury was sustained and the date her injury was recorded in her medical history.

An experienced solicitor would be in a good position to guide your mother through her compensation for loss of sight claim as soon as he or she establishes that her claim is viable. Her solicitor would also be able to complete the application for assessment to the Injuries Board Ireland on her behalf, along with the other relevant documents.