Faulty Automatic Door Injuries, How Much Compensation Could I Claim?

People walking into a faulty automatic door

By Brett Williams. Last updated 11th August 2021. Entering a building or vehicle where an automatic door is in use can be really helpful if your hands are full. In general, automatic doors are very safe most people use them without any problems occurring. However, on occasion, they can go wrong, and if they do, they can cause serious injuries to anybody passing through them. In this guide, we’re going to look at when you could claim for a faulty automatic door injury. We’ll look at what injuries could be sustained, the type of automatic door accidents that can occur, and when you could receive compensation for a faulty automatic door claim.

Accident Claims UK could help you begin a personal injury claim. We provide free advice and a no-obligation assessment of your case. Should your claim be strong enough, you could be introduced to one of our specialist personal injury lawyers. If they take your claim on, it’ll be on a No Win No Fee basis.

If you’re ready to begin your claim today, please call an advisor on 0800 073 8801 today. If you’d rather find out more about claiming for faulty automatic door injuries before calling, please continue reading.

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A Guide On Faulty Automatic Door Injury Claims

Automatic doors can be found almost anywhere these days. That includes offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, doctor’s surgeries, hospitals, gyms and train stations amongst many other places. They’re usually installed to provide convenience and, in some cases, energy saving.

As automatic doors are often in constant use, they can develop faults if they’re not maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. If a fault results in you being trapped by the door, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim. To be eligible, you’ll need to show that:

  • You were owed a duty of care by the building owner. This is usually the case as most businesses will owe visitors, staff and customers a duty of care.
  • That the accident happened because the company had been negligent.
  • And that you suffered an injury as a result of the accident.

If you believe you’re eligible to claim, then our advice would be to start as soon as possible. There is a personal injury claims time limit which, in normal circumstances, is 3-years from the date of the accident. Although that might seem a long time, a solicitor will need to complete a number of tasks like evidence gathering before submitting the claim.

As we progress through this guide, we’ll look at a number of different injuries that can be caused by automatic doors. We’ll also review the types of injury that could be sustained, when compensation might be possible and how much you might receive.

Once you’ve finished reading, you can begin a faulty automatic door claim by contacting the number at the top of the screen. We’re also here to answer any questions that might still remain. Our advice is free even if you decide not to claim, so please call to discuss your options.

What Are Accidents Caused By Faulty Automatic Doors?

The types of accidents we’re talking about in this guide are those caused by automatic door faults. They can be caused by sliding doors, rotating doors or even garage doors in some cases. The main point is that the accident has been caused by a fault which might’ve been caused because the business owner hadn’t maintained the door correctly or where they failed to fix a fault.

If it can be shown that the business owner is liable for the accident, you’ll need to show that you’ve been injured as a result. You could also claim if a pre-existing injury was made worse by the fault.

To support a claim, you’ll need evidence. Here are some examples of what you could supply:

  • CCTV footage of the accident if the area was covered.
  • Details of any witnesses who saw the accident occur.
  • Medical records from a doctor who treated you.
  • An accident report from the business where the accident happened (remember to let them know as soon as possible).
  • Photographs of any visible injuries.

Who Is Liable For An Accident Caused By An Automatic Door?

A business owner has a duty of care to customers, staff and visitors to try and ensure their safety wherever possible. This means taking steps to reduce any dangers they identify during risk assessments. They are responsible for any machinery in their building including automatic doors. Therefore, they should be regularly maintained, in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines, and repaired as soon as possible if a fault occurs. Failure to do so could make them liable for any injury that happens as a consequence.

If you’d like free advice on making a faulty automatic door claim, please call today.

European And UK Standards For Automatic Doors

The European standards for automatic doors are provided by articles BS EN 16005 and BS 7036. They are not legally binding but are seen as best practice and are often used by companies as part of the rules that they follow.

The Machinery Directive For Automatic Doors

The Machinery Directive is used to try and ensure the safety of machinery, including automatic doors at work. Although Britain has left the EU, the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) website states that the health and safety responsibilities for companies, in accordance with the directive, have not changed.

Safety Standards For Automatic Doors

As part of their responsibility for health and safety, the HSE has provided a set of FAQs regarding powered doors and gates. A lot of the guidance is about ensuring the doors are designed, constructed and maintained properly by a competent person or company.

Here is more information from the HSE.

Faulty Automatic Door Foot Injuries

If your foot becomes stuck in a faulty automatic door, it’s possible that you could suffer injuries such as bruising, soft tissue damage or even fractures. Some of these injuries could require surgery and may result in some form of permanent disability like a limp.

If you’ve suffered a foot injury due to becoming trapped by a faulty automatic door, please contact an advisor for further advice today.

Faulty Automatic Door Spinal And Back Injuries

If an automatic door slams shut abruptly, the force could knock you off your feet and cause you to hit the ground hard. Depending on the severity of the fall you could suffer back injuries including strains, bruising and other soft tissue damage. In more serious cases, it’s possible to sustain a fractured spinal cord or dislocated discs.

As well as injuries from a fall, the impact of an automatic door hitting the back could lead to serious injures too. In some cases, more serious back injuries can result in life-changing injuries which leave the victim requiring walking aids, wheelchairs or modifications to the home. It’s therefore important that the right level of compensation is sought to help cover the costs of those changes. Please feel free to call if you’ve suffered back injuries and would like to make a faulty automatic door claim.

Faulty Automatic Door Wrist Or Hand Injuries

A common injury related to automatic doors is those to the hands or wrists. As with other types of injury, you could end up with pain, swelling, bruising, soft tissue damage and even fractures.

Importantly, if you put your hand into a door that was nearly closed to try and force it to open, you are unlikely to be able to claim compensation for your injuries. However, if the door trapped you unexpectedly and caused wrist or hand injuries, you could be entitled to make a claim.

As discussed earlier, reporting the accident and seeking medical treatment can provide evidence of what happened and the injuries you sustained. You could also take photographs of your injuries. Finally, if there is any obvious damage to the door, you should try to photograph this before it is repaired.

For free advice on whether you have a valid claim, please contact a member of our team.

Faulty Automatic Door Brain Or Head Injuries

One of the most vulnerable parts of the body is the head. Although the skull is designed to protect the brain, a blow from a faulty automatic door could cause a head injury or even lead to brain damage.

Concussion is a common injury that can happen following a blow to the head. According to the NHS, symptoms of concussion can include:

  • Headaches that won’t go away even after painkillers are taken.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
  • Not remembering what happened before or after the accident.
  • Balance problems or clumsiness.
  • Feeling confused, dazed or stunned.
  • Being knocked out and struggling to stay awake and focussed.

If you do suffer a concussion, the NHS advice is to call 111 if you’re not sure whether you need treatment or not. You should attend A&E if you’ve vomited, been knocked out, have memory problems, have a persistent headache, have drunk alcohol or taken drugs, are on warfarin or there are changes in your behaviour.

If you’ve suffered any form of head injury as a result of a faulty automatic door, please let a member of our team know what happened. They’ll provide free advice and let you know if you could be entitled to compensation in a faulty automatic door claim.

Faulty Automatic Door Accidents Causing Traumatic Amputations

The final type of injury we’re going to look at relating to automatic doors is traumatic amputations. Depending on the limb involved, the victim’s life can be changed forever as a result of the amputation.

Traumatic amputations occur when a limb, or part of the limb, become detached from the body. A common type of injury associated with automatic doors is the amputation of a finger or multiple fingers. However, it’s less likely but it is possible for arms or legs to suffer the same fate.

Crushing injuries can also lead to surgical amputations if the surgeon believes there is no way to save the limb involved.

When claiming for an amputation, there are lot of considerations to make before submitting the claim. Your solicitor will need to look at the impact the amputation has had on your life. For instance, if you’re a computer operator who’s lost some fingers on your dominant hand, the compensation claim might include loss of future earnings if you’re unable to complete the same type of work.

Calculating Compensation For An Faulty Automatic Door Injury – Updated August 2021

So far, this guide has concentrated on the types of accident that could lead to a claim. We’re now going to concentrate on how much compensation you could receive. That said, every claim is unique, so we’d advise you to call for a specific estimate in your case. Rather than providing a personal injury claims calculator, which some people find difficult to use, we’ve provided the table below.

It contains example compensation figures for some injuries you could sustain in an automatic door accident.

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Injury Severity Compensation Further Information
Head Minor £2,070 to £11,980 Head injuries where brain damage, if any, will have been minimal.
Head Very Severe Brain Damage £264,650 to £379,100 There will be little, if any, evidence of meaningful response to environment.
Back Moderate £26,050 to £36,390 This bracket covers injuries such as crush or compression fractures of the lumbar vertebrae.
Back Minor £2,300 to £7,410 A soft tissue injury of the back which recovers fully, without surgery, between 3 months to two years.
Hand Serious £27,220 to £58,100 These types of injury are so serious that they leave the hand with only 50% capacity even after treatment.
Finger Serious £11,420 to £17,590 The top of this bracket will usually cover the total loss of an index finger.
Wrist Less Severe £11,820 to £22,990 An injury which results in permanent disability like persisting pain and stiffness.
Leg Moderate £26,050 to £36,790 The category includes complicated or multiple fractures and also severe crushing injuries.
Leg Injuries Amputations £225,960 to £264,650 Loss of Both Legs

As you’ll see, the figures paid for different injuries are based on the severity of your injuries. That means your solicitor will need to provide enough evidence to try and ensure you’re compensated properly. As part of your claim, our solicitors will arrange for a local medical specialist to assess you. They’ll look at the injuries you sustained, how you’ve been affected and if there will be any long-term symptoms. Their report will then be provided to your solicitor and used in your faulty automatic door claim.

Compensation You Could Claim For Losses And Expenses

When you hire a solicitor to help you claim for a sliding door injury, they can base the claim on different heads of loss: general damages and special damages. The figures listed in the table from the previous section are examples of general damages payments. They’re designed to compensate you for any pain, suffering or loss of amenity.

Special damages on the other hand are used to try and ensure you don’t lose out financially as a result of your accident. Here are some examples of what can be claimed as special damages:

  • Travel-related Expenses.
    If you visit a GP surgery, hospital or pharmacy during your recovery, you may incur costs like fuel and car parking fees. If that’s the case, you could include these in your claim.
  • Medication Costs.
    While treatment for your injuries will usually come free on the NHS, you may still have to pay for prescriptions, over the counter medicines and other treatments. These could also be claimed back.
  • Care Expenses.
    If your injuries mean you require support while you’re recovering, then you could claim back any related costs. For instance, you could claim a professional carer’s fees. If the person who cared for you was a friend, you could work out an hourly rate for their time.
  • Lost Earnings.
    When you take time off work for a medical appointment or to recover at home, you could lose some or all of your income. If that happens, you could ask to include the loss in your claim. For long-term injuries, you could also ask for any future lost income to be considered too.

Finally, you could also ask for the cost of replacing items of personal property damaged during the accident. Please try to retain receipts or bank statements to help prove your special damages claim. If you’d like to know what expenses could be included in your faulty automatic door claim, please call our team today.

How Accident Claims UK Could Help You

We hope that now you’ve read this guide, you are considering using Accident Claims UK help you with your case. Here are some details about the way we could help you:

  • Our advice is free and there’s no obligation to make a claim.
  • The claims line is open 7-days a week, 24-hours a day.
  • Our advisors are friendly, professional and ready to answer any questions.
  • If we take your claim on, our solicitors will provide you with regular updates as it progresses.
  • Our specialist solicitors always try to ensure you receive the right level of compensation for your suffering. They’ll be on hand throughout your claim to answer any queries and advise on any complex legal jargon.
  • Finally, our team and our solicitors will always try to work as swiftly as possible to try and ensure your claim is settled as soon as possible.

If you need to know any more about how we could help with your claim, please get in touch today.

No Win No Fee Claims For Faulty Automatic Door Injuries

Claiming for an injury caused by an automatic sliding door can be stressful, especially when you think about the costs involved. To reduce the financial risks involved, and to give you the confidence to pursue compensation, our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis.

You’ll receive a No Win No Fee agreement, sometimes called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), once a solicitor is happy that your case has good grounds.

The CFA will explain the process of claiming and also state that:

  • Your claim can begin with no upfront payment.
  • You won’t have to pay solicitor’s fees during the course of the claim.
  • There are no solicitor’s fees to pay if they are unsuccessful and compensation isn’t awarded.

When your solicitor wins your case, they can ask for a success fee to be paid. This is a percentage of your compensation that’s deducted at the end of the claim and used as a small contribution towards the solicitor’s costs. Don’t worry too much though as success fees are capped by law. You’ll know the size of the success fee right from the start as it’ll be listed in the CFA.

Call Accident Claims UK today to find out if you can use our No Win No Fee service in a faulty automatic door claim.

Begin An Automatic Door Accident Claim

Thanks for reading our guide about claiming for an automatic door injury. If you’re ready to begin, there are a number of ways to reach us. These are:

  • Calling 0800 073 8801 to receive free claims advice from a member of our team.
  • Emailing details of your claim to office@accidentclaims.co.uk.
  • Chatting to an online advisor using our live chat facility.
  • Or by asking for a call back. To arrange this, please complete our claims form.

The claims process will begin with a no-obligation assessment of your case. An advisor will listen to what happened, how you were injured and who you believe caused the accident. Then, if they believe your claim has merit, they’ll refer you to one of our specialist personal injury solicitors. They’ll work on a No Win No Fee basis to make the whole process less stressful.

FAQS for a faulty automatic door claim

When could I make a faulty automatic door claim?
If you have been injured because a faulty automatic door trapped you, for example, you could claim for your suffering. The claim will be against the building owner or occupier if it can be shown that they were negligent.

How do I prove what happened in a faulty automatic door claim?
All personal injury claims require evidence. To show how you were injured by a faulty door you should try to provide photographs, details of any witnesses, medical records, CCTV footage and accident report forms. Don’t worry if you don’t have these to hand, a personal injury solicitor could help you obtain them.

Can I claim for a faulty automatic door at work?
If you suffer an injury at work because your employer has been negligent, then you could claim for your suffering. That’s because they have a legal duty to keep staff as safe as possible at work. Therefore, if they haven’t maintained the door or fixed a fault that they were aware of, you could be compensated for any subsequent injuries.

How long do I have to make my claim?
Whether you’re claiming for an accident in a public place or a workplace accident, you’ll have a 3-year limitation period. That will begin, usually, from the date the accident took place and you were injured.

 

 

Resources

You’ve now come to the end of this guide about claiming after being hit by an automatic door. In this final section, we’ve provided some further information by way of additional guides and some relevant external links. Please let us know if there’s anything else you’d like to know.

Powered Gates and Doors Safety – Information from the Health and Safety Executive regarding the safety of powered doors.

The Health And Safety At Work Act 1974 – If you’re involved in an accident involving automatic doors at work, this legislation could support your claim.

Fingers Caught In A Door Claims – Advice on personal injury claims for injuries sustained after your fingers became trapped in a door.

Shop Accident Claims – This guide looks at when you could receive compensation following an accident in a shop.

Thanks for reading our guide on how to make a faulty automatic door claim.

Article by BH

Edited by MM.