Compensation for Injury from Walking into Glass Door

Can I claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door? I had my accident last week and broke my nose and sprained my wrist when I fell.

Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor

Editor in Chief

Eoin P. Campbell

You should be able to claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door if it can be proven that the door you walked into was faulty or was not adequately marked. Additionally, it must be shown that the people responsible for the door’s maintenance failed in their “duty of care” to you by not making the glass door conspicuous or by not repairing the fault in a reasonable length of time.

There are some procedures that are recommended that should be taken immediately after such an accident. You should have sought treatment to your injuries from a professional medical practitioner, even if you received first aid on the scene. A medical professional would make a note of your injuries in your medical history which could be used to support your claim. It is important that you are treated at the first possible moment after your injury as any delay in professional medical attention could prevent you from getting the highest amount of compensation that you should be entitled to.

Another beneficial procedure to take when making a compensation for injury from a walking into glass door claim would be to have the details of your injury recorded in the business’s “Accident Report Book”, if you have not already done so. If it was possible, you should have gathered details from witnesses and taken photographs of the scene.

If you have not completed all of the procedures mentioned above, it would still be worth your while to engage with a solicitor if you believe you may be able to claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door. He or she can assist you with the gathering of evidence and collection of documents. You should not hesitate to initiate action, however, for as soon as the door operators and business owner becomes aware of the accident, they could effectively remove liability by erecting signs and making sure the door is functional.

You may also be approached by the business’s insurance company with an unsolicited offer of compensation. Without a solicitor’s assistance, if would be difficult to gauge whether or not the offer they make is worth accepting. Most solicitors offer a preliminary consultation without charge where any questions you have regarding your potential case may be answered and your solicitor can assess the details of your potential claim.