Am I likely to be able to claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door? The glass had been cleaned and I could not tell that the door was closed.
You should be entitled to claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door, provided you sustained an injury in the accident which required medical attention and it can be proven that your accident resulted from the negligence of a third party who owed you a duty of care.
To reduce the risk of accidental injury, many establishments use sections of frosted glass in doors to make them more conspicuous, or other means to identify clear glass in a door. As the plaintiff, it is your responsibility to prove negligence by the manager of the establishment where you had your accident for installing a glass door that was dangerous. If no actions had been taken to ensure the glass door was easily visible, it is possible that this would constitute a failure in a duty of care and negligence of the building owner and it should be possible to claim compensation for an injury from walking into a glass door.
Glass door injury claims must be supported by evidence of negligence. If you were able to record the contact details of any eye-witnesses to the accident, statements can be taken to help establish negligence. You should also return to the establishment where you were injured to make a report in an Accident Book. It would also be beneficial to your claim for having walked into a glass door if you took photographs of the door.
Many establishments in Ireland are now covered by security cameras, so there is a chance that your accident will have been recorded. It may be possible to obtain a copy of CCTV camera recordings by making an access request under the Data Protection Act to assist with proving negligence.
The establishment’s insurance company will also view this video footage and may attempt to reduce liability to pay compensation for your injuries. If the insurance company can establish that you were not paying attention to where you were walking, a reduction in compensation amounts may be sought to take your contributory negligence into account. If the insurance company can prove you were primarily to blame for the accident occurring, it will not be possible to claim for having walked into a glass door.
Your best course of action after your injuries have been treated by a doctor is to speak with a personal injury solicitor about making glass door injury claims. You will be advised how much compensation you should be able to claim to help you decide if it will be worth your while making a legal claim. Your solicitor will investigate your accident and will assist with the collection of evidence to support your case, such as obtaining CCTV camera data of the accident.
If a claim is possible under the circumstances, a solicitor will ensure the case has the maximum probability of being successful and steps will be taken to resolve the case in the shortest possible time frame.