In a recent case settlement, our client, a young child, received compensation after suffering a serious finger injury when their hand became trapped in a heavy door at a health centre.

The accident

Our client was just five years old when he attended a health centre with his family. During the visit, his right middle finger became caught in the hinge side of a heavy door fitted with a self-closing mechanism.

Due to the force of the door, his hand was trapped and caused a significant crush injury to the fingertip on his dominant hand. As a young child, this caused much pain and trauma for the young boy.

The injuries

The accident resulted in immediate medical attention.

Our client suffered a near-total amputation of the tip of the right middle finger with a displaced tuft fracture of the distal phalanx. The injury was extremely painful and traumatic for both the child and his family. For a simple visit to the health centre, the impact was long-lasting.

Treatment and recovery

Following the accident, our client required surgery to repair the fingertip injury. The recovery period involved medical appointments, wound care and time away from school while the finger healed. Understandably, the incident had significant impact on the child and his family during the months after the injury.

Although the young child made good recovery overall, he has been left with a minor permanent deformity to the finger and the fingernail.

The claim

Our serious injury team was instructed to pursue a claim on the child’s behalf in relation to the circumstances of the accident and the injuries he sustained.

Medical evidence was obtained to assess the nature of the injury, the treatment required and long-term prognosis. Experts obtained and reviewed evidence relating to the incident, including details of the mechanism of the injury and the circumstances in which the finger became trapped.

Throughout the claim, solicitor, Rosie Dodds, worked closely with the family, guiding them through the legal process and ensuring that the child’s best interests remained at the centre of the case. Particular attention was given to the pain and distress caused by the injury and the surgery. The evidence then confirmed that while the child had recovered well functionally, some permanent cosmetic changes remained.

The outcome

As a result of the evidence gathered and the work undertaken on the claim, a successful settlement has been secured on behalf of our client.

The compensation reflects the seriousness of the fingertip injury, the surgical treatment required, the period of recovery and the permanent deformity to the finger and fingernail. The settlement also recognise the physical pain and emotional impact our young client has experienced.

While our client thankfully made a good recovery, the settlement will ensure that he and his family receive compensation for the lasting effects of the injury and the difficulties they experienced as a result of the accident.