Burnett & Williams

Air Gun Injuries to Children’s Eyes Increasing

Air Gun Injuries to Children’s Eyes Increasing

Every year over 19,000 children are treated for eye injuries in the U.S., and over 2,000 of those injuries are caused by air guns.  This article  from CNN takes a close look at childhood eye injuries and offers some interesting information, including the fact that in 89% of the air gun incidents, there is no adult present.

Air guns include BB guns, pellet guns, and paintball guns. The National Rifle Association recommends treating air guns with the “same respect and safety consideration given all guns.”  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents permit paintball gun use only at insured commercial paintball fields so that clear rules and safety guidelines govern the activity.

From our perspective as Personal Injury lawyers, we know that a childhood eye injury can cause a lifetime of medical expenses and personal hardships that will impact the victim’s life in many ways. Proper insurance can help defray some of the economic impact, but the best solution is recommended by the doctor quoted at the end of the CNN article: prevention of injury through adult supervision and proper eye protection.