Verdicts for eye socket injury can originate from a variety of cases. Accidental work-related injury, slip and fall resulting from negligence, and inadvertent surgical trauma are some of the most common cases associated with eye socket injuries. A blow-out fracture of the orbit is a form of eye socket injury.
The value of eye socket injuries can range from a few hundred dollars to many millions of dollars. In 2012, a jury awarded $6 million to a school bus driver from Compton, California, who sued three Los Angeles county sheriff’s for claims of false arrest, malicious prosecution, and conspiracy (Case number CV-08-05214). The plaintiff, Deon Richard Dirks, said that the deputies forced him from his vehicle after a routine traffic stop and beat him. Dirks has been pulled over for speeding. The severe beating resulted in a broken left eye socket, also known as a blow-out fracture of the orbit.
Dirks has been driving his mother’s Buick Park Avenue sedan. When asked to get out of the vehicle, Dirks replied that the driver’s side of his car was jammed. Dirks said that after getting out of the car, a deputy placed his gun against Dirks’ back while his arm as pulled behind his back. Deputies then used pepper spray to subdue Dirks and punched him in the face. The deputies argued that it was Dirks was belligerent and that they had probable cause to arrest Dirks for committing a moving violation.
The trial revealed that Dirks did not produce his license, delayed getting out of his car, and resisted handcuffing by pulling his arm away. A spokesman from the sheriff’s office described the force used by the deputies to subdue Dirks as appropriate. However, the jury thought otherwise. The jury awarded Dirks $6 million.
Eye socket injuries can result in significant medical and vision problems. A significant injury to the eye socket that causes bones of the socket (orbit) to break can displace the eye and cause double vision. A broken bone adjacent to a sinus can result in infection.
Eye socket injuries from whatever cause need to be properly evaluated and treated appropriately. The presence of an eye socket injury can be indicative of significant trauma. Juries often consider the significance of an eye socket injury or blow-out orbital fracture when rendering their verdict.
Reference: Faturechi, Robert. Beating Victim Gets Award. AA3: Los Angeles Times, April 14, 2012
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