When Could You Claim For Fingers Trapped In A Door At Work?

This is a guide on whether you could make a personal injury claim if your fingers were trapped in a door at work. We will discuss eligibility criteria, evidence you could gather to support your claim, compensation you could be awarded following a successful claim and how a solicitor could help you with the different stages of the claims process.

fingers trapped in a door at work

When Could You Claim For Fingers Trapped In A Door At Work?

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) sets out the duty of care employers owe their employees. They must take steps considered reasonable and practicable to prevent the risk of harm in the workplace. We discuss the steps they can take in more detail throughout this guide.

Additionally, we will look at how this duty can be breached leading to you sustaining a finger injury.

Whilst we have aimed to provide the information you need to put forward a valid accident at work claim, we understand you might have questions after reading. If so, you can get in touch with our team of helpful advisors. They can offer free legal advice 24/7 and answer any questions you might have relating to your potential claim.

To reach an advisor, you can:

Browse Our Guide

  1. When Could You Claim For Fingers Trapped In A Door At Work?
  2. Proving How You Were Injured At Work
  3. What Injuries Could You Suffer If Your Fingers Are Trapped In A Door At Work?
  4. How Much Could You Claim For An Accident At Work?
  5. How No Win No Fee Injury Claim Solicitors Could Help You
  6. Learn More About Finger Injury Claims

When Could You Claim For Fingers Trapped In A Door At Work?

In order to make a personal injury claim against your employer, you must meet the eligibility requirements. These include establishing that:

  • Your employer had a duty of care to you at the time and place of your accident.
  • They breached that duty of care.
  • You experienced an injury as a result of the breach. These three criteria amount to negligence, for which you could make a claim.

Section 2 of HASAWA outline the steps an employer can take as part of their duty of care. Examples of these include:

  • Conducting regular risk assessments
  • Arranging the safe use, handling, storage and transportation of all materials
  • Providing adequate training
  • Addressing any hazards found
  • Ensuring equipment is safe to use for it’s intended purpose.

A failure to uphold their duty of care could lead to accidents in which your fingers are injured. If you have evidence that a breach of their duty contributed to the accident in which you sustained harm, you could be eligible to make a claim.

Time Limitation Period

There is also a three-year time limit for personal injury claims to be aware of. The Limitation Act 1980 states that this time frame typically starts from either the date of the accident or the date you connected a breach of duty with your injuries. However, exceptions can apply to this standard time limit so please feel free to get in touch for further information.

Proving How You Were Injured At Work

There are certain types of evidence that can help support your claim and show that a breach of duty was the cause of injury in the workplace. For example, you can:

  • Obtain a copy of the incident report in the accident book at work
  • Request a copy of your medical records, such as X-rays or prescriptions
  • Get CCTV footage of the accident
  • Collect the contact details of any witnesses
  • Take photos of your injuries

In addition to gathering evidence, you can consider seeking legal representation. A solicitor from our panel could assist with collecting all the appropriate and relevant evidence to support your case. They have experience handling claims similar to your own and could help you through the different stages of the claims process.

For more information on whether you could work with a solicitor from our panel, get in touch using the number provided above.

What Injuries Could You Suffer If Your Fingers Are Trapped In A Door At Work?

If your fingers were trapped in a door at work, you could have sustained injuries such as:

  • Bruising
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Fractured and broken bones
  • Dislocation
  • Nerve damage
  • Crush injuries that cause a loss of fingers

If you sustain a more severe injury, such as an amputation, it could lead to you experiencing a psychological impact. For example, you could become stressed or distressed because you need to make adjustments to your daily routine. Furthermore, you may require time off work while recovering which could cause you to experience a loss of income.

The compensation you could be awarded can take into consideration the different ways you have been affected by your injuries. Read on to learn more about how much you could receive following a successful claim.

How Much Could You Claim For An Accident At Work?

You could be awarded an accident at work settlement that comprises general and special damages. Each of these seek to compensate for the different ways in which your injuries have impacted you. General damages compensates for the emotional and physical pain and suffering caused by your injuries.

To assess this head of claim, solicitors refer to a document called the Judicial College Guidelines. It lists guideline award brackets that correspond to different injuries. The table below contains some of these figures. However, you should only use them as a guide because your settlement will vary depending on the specific circumstances of your case.

Injury SeverityCompensation BracketNotes
Hand Injuriesd) Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers£61,910 to £90,750The hand may be left of little use and the person will experience exceedingly weakened grip.
Hand Injuries(f) Severe Fractures to FingersUp to £36,740Partial amputations may be required and the resulting injury may cause deformity, impaired grip and disturbed sensation.
Hand Injuries(q) Amputation of the Terminal Phalanges of the Index and Middle FingersIn the region of £24,990Injury involves scarring, restricted movement and impaired grip.
Hand Injuries(p) AmputationIn the region of £21,810The ring and middle fingers are amputated.
Hand Injuries(s) Very Serious Thumb Injury£19,600 to £35,010The thumb is severed at the base and grafted back. However, it is left mostly useless and deformed.
Hand Injuries(i) Total and Partial Loss of Index Finger£12,170 to £18,740Injuries that give rise to disfigurement and impaired grip.
Hand Injuries(k) Serious Injury to Ring or Middle Fingers£10,320 to £16,340Fractures and tendon damage, creating stiffness, deformity, and a permanent loss of grip or dexterity.
Hand Injuries(m) Amputation£8,640 to £12,240Little finger is amputated.
Hand Injuries(w) Minor Hand, Finger and Thumb InjuriesUp to £4,750This bracket includes fractures that typically recover within 6 months.

Could I Receive Special Damages?

If you experienced financial losses due to your injuries, you could claim these back under the special damages head of claim. Other financial losses you could claim include:

You should provide evidence of these losses in the form of payslips and invoices.

For more information on the accident at work compensation you could receive for your hand injury, get in touch using the number at the top of the page.

How No Win No Fee Injury Claim Solicitors Could Help You

If you are considering working with a solicitor but have concerns about the cost of their services, you may benefit from working with an accident at work solicitor from our panel. They can offer you a No Win No Fee agreement of which there are different types. One in particular is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Typically, under this type of arrangement:

  • There are no ongoing fees to pay or upfront payments to be made for your solicitor’s services.
  • You won’t need to pay for the work they have completed on your claim if it does not succeed.

If your claim is a success, you will pay a success fee from your compensation. This is subject to a legal cap.

Get In Touch With Our Expert Team

For more information on how a solicitor from our panel could help and whether you’re eligible to have them work on your case on a No Win No Fee basis, please get in touch with an advisor. They can answer any questions you might have and help you understand whether you’re eligible to seek accident at work compensation.

To get in touch, you can:

Learn More About Finger Injury Claims

For more of our guides on personal injury claims:

For more external resources:

Thank you for reading this guide on whether you could claim compensation if your fingers were trapped in a door at work. Call our team if you have any other questions.

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