There are loads of ways that a defective chair can lead to an injury being suffered by an innocent victim. Those in charge of a premises or an area have a duty to ensure that chairs are safe to use and are not liable to cause people an injury.
We are pleased to have recently settled a claim for just under £3,000 for a client who trapped his finger in a defective chair.
Whilst most broken chair claims are caused by chairs breaking and causing the victim to fall to the ground, in this instance, our client was injured when his finger became trapped between the frame and the seat as he attempted to move the chair. Because it was loose and out of place, his finger became trapped in the gap and he was injured as a result.
The Occupiers Liability Act means that the occupier of a premises has a duty to reduce the risk of people being injured in preventable circumstances. This doesn’t just mean slips and trips – furnishings and fittings like chairs must be safe to use. Where they are not, the occupier may be in breach of important health and safety law and they can be liable to compensate you.
Why you should claim?
Any injury caused through no fault of your own – no matter how big or small – may be worth claiming for. You are entitled by law to be compensated and claims can help to improve safety standards by pushing occupiers to take the proper steps they should do to prevent accidents occurring.
The gold rule is fairly simple – if its reasonably preventable, it shouldn’t happen!
Where a chair is liable to trap someone’s fingers, it could easily amputate a child’s finger if the force is great enough. We often consider the fact that many accidents we come across could have been so much worse, and it’s often a train of thought that our clients think of as well. Our work in improving health and safety standards can help to prevent future serious accidents, and making a claim is the best way to do this.
Need some advice? Just cal 0800 634 7575 and we’ll do all we can to assist you.