A former solder is pursuing a £400,000 accident claim for an injury he received during a paintball game where he lost the ability to see in one of his eyes after being shot in the face, personal injury compensation experts recently reported.
Allan Weir took a paintball pellet to the face from less than 6 feet away. The pellet, which was travelling at a speed of about 280 feet per second, caused his right eyeball to burst in its socket, according to the Edinburgh native. Mr Weir, a father of two, still suffers intense pain from the incident, according to his personal injury claims, and has found it a struggle to find work in the aftermath of the event.
A former member of the Scots Guards, the 28-year-old had been working at a paintball company as a marshal when he was shot by a fellow worker in 2008. His colleague, Calvin Blyth, had not realised the paintball gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger, experts say, and as a result he was sentenced to carry out 150 hours of community service following his conviction in 2009 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on a charge of culpable and reckless conduct.
However, Mr Weir has now brought an accident claim against Ratho, Edinburgh-based APE Paintball for personal injury compensation. The injured man’s allegations include the failure of the firm to provide its marshals with training on how to handle paintball weapons properly. The firm strongly denies Mr Weir’s claims, alleging that the injured man instigated the incident by firing a shot of compressed air at Mr Blyth.
Mr Weir, who said that since the shooting he has fallen heavily into debt, remarked that he has encountered many problems adjusting to the loss of his eye, including not being able to drive or work. He faces other serious consequences from the shooting, as he can not do much with his right eye except make out vague shapes.