Claiming For Injuries When Fingers Are Caught In A Door

By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 3rd January 2024. In this guide, we discuss claiming compensation for a fingers caught in a door accident or similar injuries. If you’ve suffered a crushed finger, have had a finger trapped in a door at work, or want to claim for a trapped thumb in a car door, legal advice is included in this guide.

We also give guidance on the question ‘I slammed my finger in a car door, is it broken?’ Plus, we offer guidance on what injuries you could claim for if someone shut your finger in a car door on purpose. We discuss what could be included in a dominant hand injury settlement, and provide an alternative to a finger injury claim calculator.

To speak to an advisor about claiming compensation for a finger injury, then you could contact us through the following methods:

Close up of two crushed fingers in a cast after they were caught in a door

Choose a section

  1. Can You Claim If Your Fingers Have Been Caught In A Door?
  2. Time Limits When Claiming For Your Fingers Being Caught In A Door
  3. Steps To Take Once Your Finger Has Been Caught In The Door
  4. Common Symptoms Of A Smashed Finger
  5. Finger Injury Compensation Amounts
  6. Claiming For Finger Injuries With No Win No Fee Solicitors

Can You Claim If Your Fingers Have Been Caught In A Door?

If you have trapped your finger in a door, you may be wondering whether you could claim compensation. To have a valid personal injury claim, you would need to prove that a relevant third party breached a duty of care that they owed to you, causing your injury.

Your employer owes you a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). They must take reasonable steps to prevent you from coming to harm while at work and performing work-related duties. For example, if they failed to fix the hinges on a heavy slow-stopping door, this could cause the door to shut very fast and trap your fingers, and you may be able to make a claim.

Those in control of public places also have a duty of care towards members of the public. This is per the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. Per their duty of care, they must take the necessary steps and measures to ensure your reasonable safety while you are visiting that public space for its intended purpose. For example, if a supermarket failed to regularly maintain its automatic entrance door, it could malfunction and trap your fingers, and you may be able to make a claim.

If you trapped your fingers in a door and would like to check whether you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim, you can contact a member of our advisory team today.

Time Limits When Claiming For Your Fingers Being Caught In A Door

If you have had your hand slammed in a door and have suffered a crushed thumb or other finger injury, you may be eligible for compensation. However, you only have a certain amount of time to start a claim. The time limits for starting a personal injury claim can be found in the Limitation Act 1980 and generally are:

  • 3 years from the date you were injured.
  • 3 years from the date you realised your injury was caused by negligence.

There are certain exceptions to these time limits. For example:

  • If your child had their finger slammed in a door, they will have 3 years to start a claim from their 18th. Alternatively, a court appointed litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf before this time. In this instance, the time limit is suspended.
  • For someone who lacks the mental capacity to make a claim, they will have 3 years if they regain this capacity. Or a litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf.

Contact our advisors today if you would like more information on how to sue for a finger injury.

Steps To Take Once Your Finger Has Been Caught In The Door

An important part of making a personal injury claim after you’ve trapped your finger in a door is collecting evidence. There are multiple areas of your claim that require evidence, and the right kinds can help illustrate who is liable for your injury, how it occurred, and how your injury will affect your life going forward.

Some examples of evidence that may help your claim if your finger was trapped in a door could include:

  • Medical records: Your medical records can offer more insight into your injuries and the treatment you have needed and will need in the future.
  • Photographs: Taking pictures of both your injuries and the site of the accident, such as a broken hinge on the door, could help your claim.
  • Witness statements: Taking the contact details of those who may have witnessed your accident allows their statements to be taken by a professional at a later date.
  • CCTV footage: If your accident was recorded on a CCTV system, you may be able to request the footage, as this can help prove how your accident occurred.
  • Accident book logs: If you were injured at work, you should log your injuries in the accident book. All workplaces with ten or more employees are legally obligated to have an accident book.

For more information on the kind of evidence that you could collect to help support a claim for a trapped finger, contact our friendly advisors today.

Common Symptoms Of A Smashed Finger

When it comes to a crushed finger, NHS guidance shows that a smashed finger that occurs through injury or trauma can be very painful. Some of the most common symptoms for someone who closed a finger in a car door or shop door are as follows:

  • Severe finger pain, especially throbbing and aching pain
  • Stiffness in your finger
  • Colour change and bruising of the skin and fingernail
  • Loss of sensation in the fingertip
  • Difficulty using the fingertip
  • Inflammation – pain, swelling, and redness

Finger Injury Compensation Amounts

Finger injury claims could be made when an injury was caused by another road user’s negligence.

Your finger injury claim may consist of both general damages and special damages. General damages compensates for the pain and suffering caused by your finger injury. On the other hand, special damages will compensate for the financial losses you incurred because of your injury. The financial losses could include loss of earnings, prescription costs, transportation costs and other out-of-pocket costs directly related to your injury.

The finger injury compensation amounts UK solicitors calculate is determined by various factors. Your finger injury compensation will depend on the severity and impact of your injury. Solicitors also use compensation amounts from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to value your claim. The table below contains compensation amounts from the April 2022 edition of the JCG. These amounts are used as guides and may not be the same as the finger injury compensation you may receive.

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Injury Notes Amount
Multiple serious injuries with financial expenses. A combination of injuries which result in pain, suffering and financial costs, such as medical expenses and loss of pay. Up to £100,000+
Amputation of Middle and Index and/or Ring Fingers The injury means that the hand is deemed to be of little use. £61,910 to £90,750
Loss of Thumb The thumb is amputated. £35,520 to £54,830
Severe Fractures to Fingers This could potentially lead to a partial amputations with grip impairment and a deformity. Up to £36,740
Total and Partial Loss of Index Finger The higher end of this bracket is applicable where the finger has been amputated. £12,170 to £18,740
Serious Injury to the Thumb The tip of the thumb may need to be amputated. Injuries also include fractures and nerve damage. £12,590 to £16,760
Serious Injury to Ring or Middle Fingers Serious tendon injuries or fractures that result in deformity and cause stiffness. £10,320 to £16,340
Moderate Injuries to the Thumb Damage to the tendons or nerves that may lead to a cosmetic or functional deformity. £9,670 to £12,590
Fracture of Index Finger The fracture will have mended quickly but the person experiences pain and grip impairment. £9,110 to £12,240
Amputation of Little Finger The little finger is lost. £8,640 to £12,240
Serious Injury to Little Finger The finger may require time in plaster due to a fracture. In the region of £6,000

Claiming For Finger Injuries With No Win No Fee Solicitors

If you lose your claim, you won’t pay anything when you work with us. This is because our claims are 100 per cent No Win No Fee. This means you receive legal representation without any ongoing or upfront costs to pay to your solicitor, and you will only pay their success fee if you win.

Our No Win No Fee approach under a Conditional Fee Agreement ensures you are able to get legal representation with reduced financial risk. Not only this, but it ensures our solicitors are accountable, so you know they are always committed to your case. Plus, you know we won’t waste your valuable time. If your case isn’t strong, we will tell you!

For more advice on claiming for finger injuries, you can contact our advisors by:

Helpful links Relating To A Fingers Caught In A Door Accident

Broken Fingers – NHS Guide

This link will take you to the NHS page for broken fingers, where you will read information on symptoms of a broken finger, treatment, aftercare, where to get medical help, and what to do.

Self Diagnosis – NHS

You can use this page to check your symptoms in an effort to try and diagnose the injury you have sustained. For example, if you’re asking ‘I slammed a finger in a car door, is it broken’ this site could provide useful advice.

More Helpful Guides