A recent client of Bartletts Solicitors was crushed by defective automatic doors on a commuter train one evening on his way home from work, and later sued the train operating company for damages. As Mr A was getting onto the train at his stop, the doors closed unexpectedly, trapping him between them with enough force to fracture his wrist. Other passengers saw what was happening, and were able to prise the doors apart and free Mr A.
Station staff came to his assistance, an ambulance was called, and Mr A was taken to hospital where an X-ray showed that he had sustained a non-displaced Colles’ fracture to the radius bone in his forearm. His arm was placed in a cast and was immobilised for the next 8 weeks while the break healed. Mr A made a full recovery, and later decided to seek legal advice after the train company refused to accept responsibility for his injury.
Solicitors Claiming Compensation for Passengers Crushed by Train Doors
Our firm went on to represent Mr A in a personal injury claim against the train operating company in question. In correspondence with their insurers, we highlighted the fact that no hustle alarm (the audible warning that train doors are about to close) had sounded before Mr A got on the train, and that this meant that the accident must have been caused by the defective state of the automatic doors. Though no specific technical fault could be immediately identified with the train doors, the rail company acknowledged that they had had various problems with them on that particular line over the previous few months, and that technical work was due to be carried out. Witness statements confirmed our client’s account of the circumstances of the accident, and within a few months we were able to win an admission of liability, with Mr A receiving £4,250 in compensation.
Can I Sue for Being Injured by Train Doors?
To find out how to report an accident caused by defective automatic train doors contact our firm today. Bartletts Solicitors has successfully claimed compensation for passengers injured at railway stations from all the major train operating companies.
Case Study: Compensation for Passenger Who Fell off Moving Train
Mr W had fallen asleep on his train home, but had woken up and was alighting from his carriage through an open door, when the train began to move out of the station. Mr W fell onto the platform, twisting his ankle and bruising his knee in the accident. The rail operator he was using did not have carriages with automatic doors, which will not open unless the train is stationary. The old fashioned carriage he was alighting from did not have such safety features, meaning that the onus was on the train driver and the guard on the platform to ensure both that all the doors were closed, and that passengers were not entering or alighting from the train while it was in motion.
Mr W received basic first aid from staff at the station, and later saw his GP, who diagnosed and treated his injuries. He was forced to take a week off work, and lost earnings during that time due to his contractual status.
Our Legal Advice
Mr W decided to get in touch with Bartletts Solicitors a few weeks after the accident on the advice of a friend, and we subsequently agreed to represent him in a no win no fee personal injury claim against the rail operator. We were able to obtain statements from two fellow passengers who had witnessed the incident, one of whom confirmed that the carriage door had not been closed properly before Mr W attempted to alight from the train. The rail network in question later acknowledged that the train driver had been under pressure to leave the station due to scheduling, and that the guard on the platform had not had time to walk the full length of the train checking the doors. This amounted to an admission of negligence on their part, and we were later able to negotiate a compensation settlement of £2,500 with the rail operator’s insurers.
Make a free compensation enquiry today
For specialist advice on your personal injury claim, call us now on Liverpool 0151 227 3391 or Chester 01244 645830 or Wrexham 01978 360056 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will soon be in touch.
