Hurt in a Crash That Affected Your Eyes? Talk to Our Lawyers Today

Eye Injury Car Accident Lawyer | El Gringo Law

If a car crash left you with blurred, double or lost vision, you may have a claim for the harm it caused. This page explains the eye injuries involved, what a claim can cover, how the process works, and why to speak with El Gringo Law early. It is written for anyone looking for an eye injury vision loss car accident lawyer in Albuquerque or elsewhere in New Mexico.

Eye Injuries and Vision Loss After a Car Crash

Car crashes can injure the eye itself, the bones around it, or the nerve that carries sight to the brain. These are the injuries that matter most in these cases:

• Corneal abrasions and lacerations: scratches or cuts on the clear front surface of the eye.
• Orbital fractures: broken bones in the eye socket.
• Retinal tears and detachment: damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
• Traumatic cataract: clouding of the eye’s lens after a blow.
• Optic nerve injury: damage to the nerve linking the eye and the brain.
• Globe rupture: a tear in the eyeball itself.

Vision loss can be partial or total. Drivers and passengers may notice blurred or double vision, light sensitivity, or trouble judging depth or seeing to the side. Pedestrians and motorcyclists can face the same harm. Family members who care for someone whose sight changed after a crash can also use this guide. Tell every treating doctor about any change in your vision, and keep those notes. Whether the change is temporary or lasting is a question for your treating doctors, and their records shape the claim.

What a Vision Loss Claim Can Cover

A claim can seek money for the losses the crash caused, as the facts and records support. Losses usually fall into a few groups:

• Medical costs: emergency care, eye doctor and retina visits, imaging, surgery, medicine, and follow-up care.
• Future care: more surgery, low-vision aids, new prescription lenses, and rehabilitation when a treating doctor documents the need.
• Lost income: time off work and lower earning ability if vision limits driving, reading, screen work, or the job you did before.
• Pain and daily life: pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of hobbies and routines.
• Loss of consortium: a close family member may have a separate claim for harm to the relationship. That claim belongs to the family member, not the injured person (Thompson v. City of Albuquerque).

The value of any claim turns on the crash, the injuries, and how treating providers document them. Truck and commercial vehicle crashes can add parties and records. Our team reviews those as part of the case.

How the Process Works With El Gringo Law

The process starts with a first conversation and moves through evidence, medical records, insurer talks, and, when needed, a lawsuit.

1. First consultation. Call the firm, submit the contact form, or start a chat. This is a free, confidential first consultation with no obligation to continue.
2. Notify law enforcement, then keep your documents. New Mexico’s Section 66-7-206 requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to or death of any person, or property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500) or more, to give notice of the accident immediately, by the quickest means of communication, to the police department when the accident occurs within a municipality; otherwise, notice goes to the office of the county sheriff or the nearest office of the New Mexico state police. After that, hold on to the accident report, scene pictures, information about the cars involved, the names of anyone who saw what happened, and the names of all the eye doctors who treat you. Where an autonomous motor vehicle or autonomous commercial motor vehicle operates without a human driver, the owner of that vehicle or a person working on behalf of the vehicle owner is responsible for giving the required notice (NMSA § 66-7-206). The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to or death of any person, or total property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500) or more, shall, within five days after the accident, forward a written report of the accident to the department of transportation (NMSA § 66-7-207).
3. Medical records. Gather emergency, eye, and imaging records. Track each follow-up visit and any new symptom.
4. Insurance statements. Speak with the firm before giving a recorded statement or signing any release.
5. Demand and negotiation. The firm presents the documented injuries and losses to the responsible insurer.
6. Lawsuit, if needed. If a fair resolution isn’t reached, the firm discusses filing suit. Timing varies with the medical course and the court schedule.

Deadlines, Fault and Who May Be Responsible

New Mexico generally allows three years to sue for injury to a person, and a partly at-fault person can still recover.

• Three-year deadline: Under NMSA § 37-1-8, an action for an injury to the person or reputation of any person must be brought within three years (NMSA § 37-1-8). Other deadlines can apply in some cases.
• Government defendants: Claims against a state or local government entity or public employee move faster. Actions against a governmental entity or a public employee for torts are forever barred unless commenced within two years after the date of occurrence resulting in loss, injury or death; a minor under the full age of seven years has until his ninth birthday to file (NMSA § 41-4-15).
• Shared fault: New Mexico follows pure comparative negligence. A plaintiff is no longer totally barred from recovery because of their own negligence (Scott v. Rizzo). Total damages are reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of negligence (UJI 13-2218 NMRA).
• Several liability: In a cause of action to which comparative fault applies, a defendant who establishes that another’s fault is a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury is liable only for the portion of the damages equal to the ratio of its fault to the total fault attributed to all persons, with joint and several liability still applying in situations the statute lists, such as intentional injury (NMSA § 41-3A-1). The statute lists exceptions.
• Cause: The crash must be a proximate cause of the injury. It need not be the only cause (Herrera v. Quality Pontiac).
• Commercial trucks: Under 49 C.F.R. § 395.3, except as otherwise provided in § 395.1, a driver may not drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty, and may not drive after a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty (49 CFR § 395.3).

Why Choose El Gringo Law for an Eye Injury Claim

For an eye injury vision loss car accident lawyer, El Gringo Law represents people hurt in car, truck, and other crashes. Josh Wood is the responsible lawyer for this page.

• Responsible lawyer: Josh Wood, licensed in New Mexico and Arizona.
• Team support: Our team helps gather records and track dates while you focus on treatment.
• Other practice areas: The firm also handles catastrophic injury, trucking, and premises liability matters.
• Where to reach us: Call El Gringo Law or submit the contact form to discuss your accident.

Every case is different, and past results do not predict a similar outcome.

Common Questions About Eye Injury and Vision Loss Claims

Most readers ask about eye exams, fault, court, and insurers. Short answers follow.

Talk With Our Team About Your Vision Loss Today

If you are still adjusting to changes in your sight, or waiting on eye treatment after a crash, the choices you make now can shape your claim. If a crash has left you with blurred, double or lost vision, you may have a claim worth reviewing. Call the firm, use the contact form, or start a chat today, and our team will review it with you.

Responsible lawyer: Josh Wood, El Gringo Law, elgringolaw.com.