If you have suffered a finger injury at work, in public, or as a child that wasn’t your fault, then you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injury. An injury to your finger, from a finger caught in a door to an amputation, can leave you with life-long pain, and it can even affect how well you can use your hand for the rest of your life.
One of the most common causes of finger injuries is having them trapped or crushed in a door or hinge. Crushing injuries can lead to broken bones, damaged joints and ligaments or potentially cause part or all of the finger to be severed.
Legal Expert can help you begin a No Win No Fee finger injury claim so that you can claim monetary compensation if your hand has been damaged in an accident that was not your fault. Compensation can help to fund treatment and cope with any loss of earnings you may have suffered as a result of your injury.
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Contents
- My Finger Was Trapped In A Door, Can I Claim?
- What To Do If Your Finger Gets Trapped In A Door
- Fingers Got Trapped In A Door At Work, Could I Claim?
- Could I Claim If A Shop Door Crushed My Fingers?
- How Much Compensation Could I Receive For Getting My Finger Trapped In A Door?
- No Win No Fee Finger Injury Claims
- Helpful Links
My Finger Was Trapped In A Door, Can I Claim?
Having your fingers trapped in a door frame or hinge is a painful experience. Once the finger is freed, you may have been left with lasting damage to the bones, joints, or tendons on your finger and hand.
Your basis for a compensation claim must be that your accident was either not your fault or could have been prevented. If someone else shut a door on your finger or a door slammed shut on your finger due to the mechanisms keeping it open failing, then they are legally responsible for the injury you sustained. As the accident which caused your injury was not your fault, you have the foundations for a compensation claim for your finger injury.
What To Do If Your Finger Gets Trapped In A Door
If you trapped your fingers in a door and would like to claim, you will need to prove that a breach in a duty of care owed to you caused your injury. If duty of care is breached and an injury is caused, this is known as negligence. We look at different scenarios where you could be owed a duty of care later on in this guide.
As part of the claiming process, you must have evidence that shows third-party negligence caused your trapped finger in a door, and you suffered an injury as a result.
Examples of evidence that could help your claim include:
- Photographs of the accident scene. For example, you could take a picture of the door that caused the injury.
- Witness contact information. If anyone saw what happened, you could note their contact details so they can provide a statement later in legal proceedings.
- Medical records. In addition to these, you might be asked to attend an independent medical exam as part of the claiming process. This can help establish the severity and the expected impact of your injury.
- Accident footage. For example, you can request CCTV footage of yourself.
Call our advisors if negligence caused you to suffer injuries from a trapped finger. They can give you free advice about what evidence could support your claim.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Finger Injury Claim?
If you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, you must start the legal process within the time limit set out in the Limitation Act 1980. This is generally 3 years from the date that your finger was trapped in a door.
However, in some circumstances, there are exceptions to the time limit. These could apply to:
- Those under the age of 18 at the time their trapped finger in a door caused an injury. The limitation period is paused until they turn 18, giving them 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday to file a claim if one was not already made for them. Prior to turning 18, a court-appointed litigation friend can start legal proceedings on their behalf.
- Those who lack the mental capacity to initiate proceedings themselves. The time limit is suspended unless they recover this capacity. During this time, a litigation friend can file a claim on their behalf. Should the injured party regain this capacity, and if a litigation friend did not act for them, they would have 3 years from the date their capacity was regained to claim for their trapped finger.
If you have any questions about the time limit for personal injury claims, please contact one of our advisors.
Fingers Got Trapped In A Door At Work, Could I Claim?
There are two types of claims you could be able to make if you suffered a crushed finger because of a colleague’s actions.
To make an accident at work claim, you would have to prove that your employer failed to provide a practically safe working environment. This is their responsibility under workplace health and safety laws such as Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 – they have to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure a safe working environment, or they can be found liable for any injuries they cause.
A trapped finger in a door could be caused by hazards such as:
- Faulty or broken doors
- Lack of proper lighting
In cases such as these, where there was a hazard your employer should have addressed, you could be eligible to claim against your employer if a colleague crushed your finger.
If a colleague intentionally crushed your finger, you could be eligible to claim compensation through a criminal injury claim. If either of these situations happens to you, please reach out to one of our advisers to discuss eligibility and how to make a claim for a trapped finger injury.
Could I Claim If A Shop Door Crushed My Fingers?
If you have suffered an injury to your finger following them being caught or crushed in a shop door, then you should be entitled to begin a claim for compensation. The shop and owner have a duty to ensure that their doors are safe for use by the public. They should have anti-slam mechanisms to ensure they do not shut unexpectedly, and so if one of their doors has slammed shut on your fingers, then you have the right to begin a claim for compensation.
All shops should have their public liability insurance and that insurer will be the one who pays out any compensation you are awarded. Therefore, no matter how big or small the shop or franchise is, you can still make a claim in the knowledge that any compensation you are awarded will be paid out.
How Much Compensation Could I Receive For Getting My Finger Trapped In A Door?
Those eligible to make personal injury claims for a finger trapped in a door can seek compensation for one or two types of damages. In successful claims, compensation will always include general damages and sometimes special damages.
General damages provide compensation for the mental and physical effects you are suffering because your finger got trapped in a door due to a breach of duty. Some factors that can play a role in how much your general damages could be worth include:
- Loss of amenity.
- The length of recovery, if a full recovery can be made.
- Your injury’s pain severity.
An independent medical assessment and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can also play a role in how much your general damages could be worth.
The JCG publishes guideline compensation values for all sorts of illnesses and injuries.
Guideline Compensation Table
We have taken some finger injuries from the JCG that you may have suffered, such as a trapped finger in a car or other door. This is except for the top figure, which has not been taken from the JCG.
However, it is important to note that this table should be used strictly as guidance only, as all claims have unique circumstances.
| Injury | Severity | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries with special damages | Serious | Up to £150,000+ |
| Hand | Loss of thumb (r) | £43,350 to £66,920 |
| Very serious injury to thumb (s) | £23,920 to £42,720 | |
| Amputation of the terminal phalanges of the middle and index fingers (q) | In the region of £30,500 | |
| Amputation or little and ring fingers (p) | In the region of £26,620 | |
| Complete or partial loss of the index finger (i) | £14,850 to £22,870 | |
| Serious injury to ring or middle fingers (k) | £12,590 to £19,940 | |
| Amputation of little finger (m) | £10,550 to £14,940 | |
| Fracture of the index finger (j) | £11,120 to £14,930 |
Special Damages
Special damages provide compensation for the financial effects you are suffering because your finger got trapped in a door due to a breach of duty. Some financial losses which can be directly linked to your injury and, therefore, you could be reimbursed for include:
- The cost of certain medical treatment or therapy.
- Loss of earnings.
- Travel costs to appointments.
Since special damages are only sometimes awarded in successful finger injury claims, it is vital to keep any receipts, payslips, invoices, and bank statements that can support your special damages claim.
You can contact our advisors today if you have any further questions about finger injury compensation amounts.
No Win No Fee Finger Injury Claims
Some people are put off trying to claim compensation for finger injuries because they are unsure whether or not they have a case and fear they may be left with a large legal bill should their claim be unsuccessful. The thought of additional costs on top of those incurred through their injury and the financial strain of any loss of earnings puts many people off, even trying to gain the compensation that is so rightfully theirs.
Claiming compensation on a No Win No Fee basis means that there are no financial elements to worry about. Should your claim be unsuccessful then you won’t have to pay a penny. That’s it. There is nothing to pay if you do not receive any compensation for your accident.
If your claim is successful, then often your solicitor’s legal fees will be recovered from the defendant or your compensation amount before you receive your final payout. The amount that your solicitor receives is usually agreed upon as a percentage before your claim is submitted, so you are fully aware of how your solicitor will be paid.
Essentially this means that you have nothing to lose by submitting a claim for compensation. If you are not successful, then you walk away, not out of pocket at all. If you are successful, however, you could greatly ease the financial burden the injury has caused you. It’s a win-win situation.
Contact Us Today
Call us today on 0800 073 8804 to speak to one of our team members. They can help you begin the process of filing your compensation claim and put you in touch with one of our dedicated solicitors, who will handle your case.
If you need more information or would like one of our team members to contact you, please feel free to fill out a contact form.
Helpful Links
How Much Compensation For A Finger Injury?
Find out how much compensation you can claim for a finger injury and calculate the compensation amounts.
Hand Accident Claims and Compensation Amounts
Calculate the compensation amounts for a hand injury claim.
The NHS advise on fractures to fingers, which could happen if caught in a door. It may prove useful advice.
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