Last Updated 9th September 2025. If you have suffered a finger injury at work, in public,  or as a child that wasn’t your fault, then you may be entitled to claim personal injury compensation. An injury to your finger, from a digit caught in a door to an amputation, can leave you with lifelong pain and seriously impact how well you can use your hand.

One of the most common causes of finger injuries is having them trapped or crushed in a door or hinge. Crushing injuries can lead to broken bones, damaged joints and ligaments or potentially cause part or all of the finger to be severed.

Legal Expert can help you begin a No Win No Fee finger injury claim so that you can claim monetary compensation if your hand has been damaged in an accident that was not your fault. Compensation can help to fund treatment and cope with any loss of earnings you may have suffered as a result of your injury.

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My Finger Was Trapped In A Door, Can I Claim?

Having your fingers trapped in a door frame or hinge is a painful experience. Once the finger is freed, you may have been left with lasting damage to the bones, joints, or tendons on your finger and hand.

Your basis for a compensation claim must be that your accident was either not your fault or could have been prevented. If someone else shut a door on your finger or a door slammed shut on your finger due to the mechanisms keeping it open failing, then they are legally responsible for the injury you sustained. As the accident which caused your injury was not your fault, you have the foundations for a compensation claim for your finger injury.

What Injuries Can Be Caused When A Finger Is Trapped In A Door?

The injuries that can be caused when a finger is trapped in a door range from transient to potentially life-altering. We use our hands every day to interact with the world so even a temporary limitation to hand movement can have a big impact.

We have provided a few examples of how you could suffer an injury to your fingers or hands here:

• A lack of maintenance inspections resulted in a sensor fault on an automatic door in a supermarket being missed. Your fingers became trapped when the door shut on your hand, causing multiple fractures.
• Inadequate training meant your colleague failed to latch the loading bay door open. Your fingers became trapped when the door suddenly closed. One of your fingers later had to be amputated.
• Poor lighting in a stock room meant you couldn’t see fingers in the way of a store cupboard door. The door closed onto your hand, damaging multiple tendons.

As these scenarios demonstrate, there are numerous ways your fingers could become trapped in doors, and various injuries that could be sustained. Some other examples can include:

• Bruising.
• Various soft tissue injuries.
• Temporary or permanent limitations of movement.
• Visible scarring.

You can find out if you are eligible to claim compensation for a trapped finger by contacting our advisors for a free assessment. Get in touch today using the details provided below.

What To Do If Your Finger Gets Trapped In A Door

If you trapped your fingers in a door and would like to claim, you will need to prove that a breach in a duty of care owed to you caused your injury. If the duty of care is breached and an injury is caused, this is known as negligence. We look at different scenarios where you could be owed a duty of care later on in this guide.

As part of the claiming process, you must have evidence that shows third-party negligence caused your trapped finger in a door, and you suffered an injury as a result.

Examples of evidence that could help your claim include:

• Photographs of the accident scene. For example, you could take a picture of the door that caused the injury.
• Witness contact information. If anyone saw what happened, you could note their contact details so they can provide a statement later in legal proceedings.
• Medical records. In addition to these, you might be asked to attend an independent medical exam as part of the claiming process. This can help establish the severity and the expected impact of your injury.
• Accident footage. For example, you can request CCTV footage of yourself.

Call our advisors if negligence caused you to suffer injuries from a trapped finger. They can give you free advice about what evidence could support your claim.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Finger Injury Claim?

If you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, you must start the legal process within the time limit set out in the Limitation Act 1980. This is generally 3 years from the date that your finger was trapped in a door.

However, in some circumstances, there are exceptions to the time limit. These could apply to:

• Those under the age of 18 at the time their trapped finger in a door caused an injury. The limitation period is paused until they turn 18, giving them 3 years from the date of their birthday to file a claim if one was not already made for them. Prior to turning 18, a court-appointed litigation friend can start a claim on their behalf.
• Those who lack the mental capacity to initiate proceedings themselves. The time limit is suspended unless they recover this capacity. During this time, a litigation friend can file a claim on their behalf. In cases where the capacity is recovered, and a litigation friend did not act for them, they would have 3 years from the date their capacity was regained to claim for their trapped finger.

If you have any questions about the time limit for personal injury claims, please contact one of our advisors.

Fingers Got Trapped In A Door At Work, Could I Claim?

There are two types of claims you could be able to make if you suffered a crushed finger because of a colleague’s actions.

To make an accident at work claim, you would have to prove that your employer failed to provide a practically safe working environment. This is their responsibility under workplace health and safety laws, such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The 1974 act, in particular, requires employers to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health, well-being, and safety of their workforce.

In cases such as these, where there was a hazard your employer should have addressed, you could be eligible to claim against your employer if a colleague crushed your finger.

If a colleague intentionally crushed your finger, you could be eligible to claim compensation through a criminal injury claim. If either of these situations happens to you, please reach out to one of our advisers to discuss eligibility and how to make a claim for a trapped finger injury.

Could I Claim If A Shop Door Crushed My Fingers?

If you have suffered an injury to your finger following it being caught or crushed in a shop door, then you may be able to claim compensation. The shop and owner have a duty to ensure that their doors are safe for use by the public. They should have anti-slam mechanisms to ensure they do not shut unexpectedly, and so if one of their doors has slammed shut on your fingers, then you have the right to begin a claim for compensation.

All shops should have their public liability insurance, and that insurer will be the one who pays out any compensation you are awarded. Therefore, no matter how big or small the shop or franchise is, you can still make a claim in the knowledge that any compensation you are awarded will be paid out.

How Much Compensation Could I Receive For Getting My Finger Trapped In A Door?

Those eligible to make personal injury claims for a finger trapped in a door can seek compensation for general and special damages. In successful claims, compensation will always include general damages. They provide compensation for the mental and physical effects you are suffering because your finger got trapped in a door due to a breach of duty. If your injury has a financial impact, then you can claim for special damages.

An independent medical assessment and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can play a role in assessing general damages. The JCG publishes guideline compensation brackets for all sorts of injuries, including those affecting fingers.

Guideline Compensation Table

We have taken some finger injuries from the JCG and their suggested compensation brackets (except for the top figure, which has not been taken from the document). It is important to note that this table should be used strictly as guidance only, as all claims have unique circumstances.

Special Damages

Special damages provide compensation for the financial effects you are suffering because your finger got trapped in a door due to a breach of duty. Some financial losses which can be directly linked to your injury and, therefore, you could be reimbursed for include:

• The cost of certain medical treatment or therapy.
• Loss of earnings.
• Travel costs to appointments.

Since special damages are only sometimes awarded in successful finger injury claims, it is vital to keep any receipts, payslips, invoices, and bank statements that can support your special damages claim.

You can contact our advisors today if you have any further questions about finger injury compensation amounts.

No Win No Fee Finger Trapped In Door Claims

Our solicitors have extensive experience representing clients in No Win No Fee finger trapped in door claims nationwide. They offer this expertise through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which works along No Win No Fee lines. By signing this type of contract, you will not need to pay a service fee for your solicitor’s work:

• Before the personal injury claim proceeds
• While the case is underway
• If you do not receive trapped finger in door compensation

However, should you be compensated, you will need to pay a success fee. This is the percentage of the compensation owed to your solicitor for their work. However, rest assured that a legally binding cap limits the percentage that can be taken. 

Our solicitors also offer the following benefits to make the claims process as straightforward as possible:

• Advising you on what evidence will strengthen your finger trapped in a door claim
• Handling negotiations to secure a settlement that fully reflects the impact of your pain and suffering
• Providing you with detailed updates and clearly explaining anything you are unsure of
• Communicating with the defending party on your behalf

Contact Us Today

You can contact us today via the following options:

• Call 0800 073 8804 
• Use our online contact form.
• Message the live chat on screen now.

Helpful Links

Some helpful links:

• Read about office accident claims
• Find out whether you can claim against another employee or work colleague
• Our guide to hand accident claims
• NHS guidance on fractured fingers

Thank you for reading our guide to claiming for a finger trapped in a door.