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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    3

    Default Shot in the Eye with a Paintball

    My question involves injury or loss that occurred in the state of: PA

    Date of occurrence= October 31'st, 2008.

    A little over a year ago I had been shot in the eye with a paintball gun. It was Halloween night, many people were up to no good. Some guys truck had been hit with some corn and he went to the nearest group of people. He and his nephew were dressed in camouflage with their paintball guns. They parked there vehicle over the hill and snuck up behind me and my friends (we were sitting on a hillside). I heard someone behind us and stood up, at that point, they opened fire on me, hitting me in the eye and two other kids.

    I went home and got a ride to the hospital. I was blinde, could not see anything out of my right eye. The first hospital i was at did not have the specialists on hand so i had to be transported to another hospital. I eventually got out of the ER with the diagnosis of an eye hyphema with possible retna damage. I was ordered to have visits for a week every other day to the hospital. The specialists said i could not move around except to use the restroom. I had to stay in bedrest at an incline to allow the blood floating around in my eye to settle to the bottom and to be re absorbed into my blood stream. I did file a police report, they guy did get a fine so it is on record he is at fault. During this time I could not attend school (Penn State for Electrical Mechanical Engineering). I missed 6 weeks of school. In the end i was forced to medically withdrawl because i could not attend many required labs. In short, I am not attending a community college. I still owe penn state several grand for nothing. During my down time I also went from 150lbs down to 118 lbs due to me being inactive (Not weight lifting, was into bodybuilding).

    I am 21 years old and this is a very new area to me. I need some kind of compensation to get me out of this rut. Two weeks ago i went to a fallow up appointment at an eye specialists. I still have "gremlins" in my right eye which explains my current right eye "eye floaters" (random blobs of blurriness floating across my vision) I am also at a high risk for glaucoma and cataracts, i have go to an eye specialist every 6 months for the rest of my life.

    I have until october to file something and I need to do something about it. I am in a deficit from this event not to mention future life problems down the road. I really have no idea what to do. I have contacted some lawyers with very little luck. They said this is on a smaller scale (small claims) and not worth THEIR time.

    Please help point me in the right direction. All help is very appreciated.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    38,867

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    your best best would be to continue to try to find an attorney to represent you. This is not a DIY thing without considerable training and being able to understand the medical portion of things as well.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    Arg, so it looks like my search continues.

    Any more suggestions?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    38,867

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    Quote Quoting The450Man
    View Post
    Arg, so it looks like my search continues.

    Any more suggestions?
    not really. I do find it amazing you cannot find an attorney though. I have known people that have sued for much less that I would expect you to seek yet had no problem finding an attorney.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    I suspect that the issue is the fact that this was an intentional, criminal act - intentional torts aren't generally covered by insurance, and the shooter is probably a deadbeat.

    There's a decent chance that if you were to bring a lawsuit, the defendant would default, you would get a judgment, then you would find out that he has no assets or income to speak of and thus cannot pay the judgment.

    You say "he and his nephew" - both over the age of 18?

    Did you apply for restitution through the criminal case, or to see if you qualify for assistance through the Crime Victim Compensation Fund?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    38,867

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    very good points Mr.K.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Shot in the Eye with a Paintball (Not Playing, Ambush/Driveby)

    Sorry for the massive delay in response.

    Yes im assuming it would go under "intentional" as he was aiming at me; pushing me to a judgment.

    His nephew i believe was 16 at the time.

    I am trying to get some assistance through the link your provided.

    Will report back in a few days.

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