An automatic door injury can put you out of commission for several weeks or even months – the potential damages may include debilitating broken bones and brain injuries that take an extended time to heal. Many people opt to not pursue legal action in the wake of an automatic door injury; they would prefer to spend the time recovering and not worrying about legal fees, insurance companies, and lawyer depositions. Our team of skilled attorneys at the top-rated Normandie Law Firm is here to help you take legal action and make sure you are not stressed in the process. You can leave everything to us and we will handle all of the legwork for you. We have handled claims from clients in Modesto and Palmdale, and we are willing to help you through the whole process. Clients often ask us about automatic door injuries and how we can help them receive compensation in as painless a way as possible. Examples of some other questions include:
- Where can I find an automatic door accident attorney with experience handling door injuries?
- I want to file an automatic door accident lawsuit. Who can I call?
- I was injured by an automatic sliding door. What law firm should I contact?
- Can a lawyer with expertise in automatic door injuries help me file a lawsuit?
Automatic Door Locations
Automatic doors are found in all types of businesses; they are usually installed to make the flow of customers transitioning through the store in a more efficient manner. Stores in malls and shopping centers often have these kinds of doors at their entrances; the amount of customers who enter and leave with many bags would need to fumble with the doors, causing holdups and raising the risk of people getting trapped in an emergency. This idea of efficient exit strategies is also present in any school or office building, as these locations feature numerous people who would need to quickly leave, and a stuck door would make it extremely difficult to do so, if not outright impossible.
Grocery stores also have automatic doors to allow patrons with shopping carts an easy exit. Automatic doors may also be put in to ease the burden of the workers, as in those who work in a hospital – wheeling a gurney allows the door to open of its own will without wasting precious seconds opening and holding a door.
Automatic doors operate on sensors that dictate when to open based on the proximity of a person to the door; however, these sensors can be overridden, and the doors can be forced to stay open, especially in the event of an emergency. Further, even if there is a malfunction, the glass windows can be broken, thus allowing people to leave.
Malfunctions of the Doors
An automatic glass sliding door can malfunction in numerous ways. The sensors, for instance, may become dirty or overused over time, resulting in the doors not opening and closing when they should. They may close when people are walking through them, which can catch people off guard and cause injuries. These doors are electronically controlled, and if the internal wiring short circuits in some way, the speed at which the door closes may no longer be regulated. It may occur that your hand is trapped between the door and the wall, which can cause crushing injuries, breaks, and fractures. Similarly, if your hand is near the door when it opens, it can get caught and dragged into the recess, leading to torn flesh.
There is always the chance that the doors themselves have broken parts that were not noticed by the property owner. A failure to properly inspect these doors is a common downfall of business owners and management; some parts may need to be replaced, and if they aren’t, the door may malfunction and cause injuries to customers.
A sliding door with a faulty track can also cause injuries if it breaks. Doors that were improperly installed may not rest flush on the track; they can wobble when they open and unsteadily close. This can lead to the door falling off and landing on someone; the glass may shatter, causing dozens of lacerations and cuts, while the weight of the door can cause broken bones and internal bleeding. This type of accident is especially dangerous for young children, as the heavy impact can cause much more severe damages to their smaller bodies.
Assigning Liability
Liability can be hard to determine. An experienced lawyer can help you figure out who is responsible for your injuries.
In cases where an automatic door has injured you due to a malfunctioning part, damaged sensor, or sudden closing, you may have the ability to sue the property owner for damages. The property owner has a duty of care that he must adhere to when it comes to those on his property, especially those who are considered invitees (people who enter the property for mutual benefit, such as customers or house guests). Licensees are afforded a slightly lessened duty of care, while trespassers are given even less than that.
In essence, the owner of the property must give ample warning to the licensee that there are dangerous materials or locations on the premises. He also has a responsibility to fix any potentially dangerous situations. If it comes about that he was aware of the potential for injury from the door, or if he should have known because of how obvious the problem was, he could be held wholly responsible for the accident.
A victim can thus sue the property owner for neglecting to maintain a safe environment for his patrons. A premises liability claim would be filed against the owner and damages would be settled based on the amount of fault each party had. For example, if there is a clear warning outside of a building that the automatic door at the front entrance has been malfunctioning and closing too fast and you should watch your step, the property owner has done a due diligence to his customers. They cannot claim they were not warned of the dangers. Further, if the person chooses to stand in the doorway and winds up getting trapped between the wall and the door, he may very well not be able to collect any damages – he can be seen as totally liable for his own injuries due to his refusal to comply with or acknowledge the warning.
If, however, the door were improperly installed or manufactured, the victim may very well be able to sue the distributor and manufacturer of the door, citing the dangers and injuries that came about from their negligence. The door may have been designed with flaws that were not caught by manufacturers. More than that, doors that were improperly manufactured could have operative flaws that would prevent them from being used. You may be able to file a claim against the company responsible creating the doors, but if the business owner did not catch these issues, he may also be partially responsible as well.
Attorneys that are experienced in door injury lawsuits can help you file a claim against the business owner or company responsible for causing your injuries.
What You May Earn
If you have been hurt by an automatic door, an attorney in Modesto or Palmdale can help bring you compensation for your damages. It is best to tackle these kinds of claims with an expert lawyer present, as lawyers are much more qualified to negotiate with insurance companies and have more ways of arguing for a settlement than a regular individual does. You have the opportunity to earn different kinds of compensation, including:
- Coverage of medical bills, such as surgery, hospitalization, medication, ambulance fees, and physical therapy. You may also be covered for both past expenses and future bills if you require further treatments.
- Lost wages, which can be recovered from the past and future as well. This lost income from your job may come about due to the injury, the healing process, or future missed days because of medical treatment.
- Property damage, which covers any belongings you had at the time of the accident that were lost or broken. The replacement or repair costs can be reimbursed.
- Pain and suffering, or emotional damages after the injury. You can earn compensation for psychological troubles, mental scarring, fear, anxiety, and PTSD.
Contact one of our expert attorneys today to learn more.
A Team that Works for You
Our law firm in California, Normandie Law Firm, is proud to serve all victims of automatic door accidents. We have taken on many cases from people in Palmdale, California, and Modesto, California; our reach stretches far and wide. Other law firms are content to sign on many cases at once and pay the least amount of attention to them in the hopes that they will be able to earn fast money. Our group of attorneys pays careful attention to each and every case we take on. We dedicate ourselves to working for you, and will aggressively fight for your rights in court and tirelessly strive to bring you a fair settlement.
Call us today to speak to an experienced attorney about your automatic door injury. All of our legal consultations are totally free and offered to you with the intention of providing you with information. You are invited to ask any questions you want and we will discuss your case, your injury, and what we believe you can earn if you pursue legal action. We believe all of our clients should have the most information available to them so that they can make educated decisions about the next step forward
Additionally, our law firm offers you a zero fee guarantee on your case. You are not required to pay any money out of pocket for our services – our fees are paid only if we win, and they are taken from the settlement we’ve earned for you. In that way, the defendant is paying for your legal bills as well as other expenses you have. If we lose your case, you do not owe us a dime at all.
If you need an attorney to sue for injuries by an automatic door, contact Normandie Law Firm today.
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Automatic Door Personal Injury in San Diego, CA
