The incident occurred on Ben Smith’s 13th birthday during a design technology lesson at Kingsway School’s Foxland Campus. Ben, now 21, was using a coping saw to cut acrylic secured in a vice. 

Despite the nature of the task, Ben and his classmates were not provided with any protective eyewear. As he pulled the saw back, a shard snapped off and pierced his right eye, causing a puncture wound that would change his life forever. 

Following his ordeal in 2016, Ben’s family instructed Thompsons Solicitors to investigate the circumstances surrounding the injury and to bring a claim against the school.  

Liability was admitted early in the process, but as Ben was only 13 at the time of the incident, it was necessary to monitor the long-term effects of the injury as he matured before compensation could be calculated, as the extent of his injury over his lifetime would need to be assessed accurately.  

Subsequent medical assessments showed that the impact caused a deep cut to the surface of his eye (called a full-thickness corneal laceration) and also led to a traumatic cataract.  

Ben needed two operations—one to repair the damage to the eye itself, and another to remove the damaged lens and replace it with an artificial one. Unfortunately, his vision in his right eye continued to get worse over time.  

The injury significantly affected Ben’s daily life and future career plans. He had hoped to join the army but was told he was no longer eligible due to his vision loss. Physical activities and sports also became limited following the accident. 

The case has now settled out of court for a six-figure sum, reflecting the severity and lasting impact of his injuries, and with legal proceedings now concluded, Ben has chosen to speak publicly in the hope that his experience will help prevent similar incidents from happening to others. 

While he did receive an apology from the school and believes some lessons have since been learned, he hopes his story will encourage schools to take a more proactive approach to health and safety. He is particularly concerned about how the incident was handled at the time. 

“I knew straight away something was seriously wrong,” Ben said. “But instead of getting help straight away, I was just told to sit down and wait. By the time the nurse saw me, I’d already fainted from the pain.” 

He was initially treated with a bandage before being taken to the hospital—something Ben believes contributed to a worse outcome. 

The injury led to months of medical treatment, recurring infections, and significant disruption to Ben’s teenage years. He now lives with permanent vision loss in one eye and has had to adapt to long-term changes in his daily life. 

Now working with cranes, Ben reflects on the contrast between school and workplace safety: “If this had happened on a construction site, there would’ve been serious consequences. But I was a kid in school.” 

Ben believes changes at his old school have since been made, including the use of protective goggles in similar classes, but he hopes that by speaking out, he can help emphasise the importance of safety in schools. 

He added: “Schools must not take safety for granted—especially when children are involved. It only takes a second for something to go seriously wrong. If my story helps protect someone else, it’s worth telling.” 

 

Helen Templeton from Thompsons Solicitors, who represented Ben in his legal case, said: 

“This was a preventable injury, highlighting the importance of proper safety procedures in school environments. We hope Ben’s case encourages others to take those extra steps to protect children from future harm.” 

 

Commenting on the support he has received since the incident, Ben added: “I want to thank my family and friends who’ve stood by me through everything, and Thompsons for helping me access the therapy and care I needed to move forward. Nothing will ever undo the harm caused that day, but now that the case has settled, I look forward to moving forward with my life.”