Citation

Delannoy Y, Houssaye C, Desurmont M, Pollard J, Tournel G, Bécart-Robert A, Delaporte E, Hedouin V, Gosset D. Rev. Med. Leg. 2011; 2(2): 72-79.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.medleg.2011.04.004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The practice of paintball is now growing steadily as shown by the increasing number of federations licensees. In 2000 in the United States, 1200 eye lesions were identified mainly affecting teenagers. Recent works of paintball sports federations and the proliferation of American publications about these lesions have permitted a generalization of masks and protective equipments in the practice. Nevertheless, some cases of wilful violence out of the sport have been reported by the media, highlighting the ease of obtaining a paintball launcher. This work aims to describe the characteristic lesions of injuries paintball weapons, through two cases relating for one a shooting made in the direction of a teenager causing eye injuries, and for the other a facial skin injury. From these cases, elements of ballistics paintball launchers will be detailed, to be a diagnostic aid for the forensic pathologist.