Due to the convenience they offer, automatic doors can now be found in almost every part of our life. You will find them in hospitals, airports, hospitals, business offices and even in a local grocery store that you frequent.
They are inescapable, and though they have been designed to make your life easier, they tag along with a significant dose of dangers. If defective, they present a wide range of inconveniences and even possible harm to you.
When this happens, you need an attorney to advise on the best course of action as well as represent your claim.
Instances of Automatic Door Accidents
For instance, the automatic may close on you while entering or leaving a premise and cause inconveniences. In severe cases, the door can spring back as you walk through and directly bruise or cause other bodily harm to you.
Trying to avoid being hit by a malfunctioned automatic door springing back when walking through, you might spring forward and possibly and break a limb or suffer other physical injuries in case you fall. In either case, you will need an automatic door accident attorney.
Here are some of the roles such an attorney plays in any door accident case.
Assess your entitlement to damages
In most cases, this won’t be the first time a premise owner is dealing with a malfunctioning door. And even in such a case, you most probably aren’t the first that the door injured. This goes to show that the premise owner may have already received their fair share of reprimands, threats, and even damage claims because of an ill-maintained door. They, therefore, have more experience addressing the issue.
In case of severe physical or psychological harm, the premise owner or one of their representatives may offer you a deal on your claim. You are, however, advised first to seek legal representation for a fair assessment of the damages awarded.
While most premise owners attempt to escape responsibility by watering down any claim you may have against injuries by their doors, an attorney may help gather incriminating evidence against such entries such as inadequate or improper maintenance.
Advice on claim
Even with evidence of bruises and medical bills, what charges can you bring up against a premise owner? Do you accuse claim damages on the bases of negligence on their part of premises liability? An attorney can assist you to figure this out.
Negotiate for damages
How much should you claim as damages for your injuries? In any other case, you might consider damages amounting to thrice your medical expenses.
But as an automatic door accident attorney would, advice, it takes more than medical bills to determine your damages claim. Otherwise how would assess damages for a missed opportunity especially where the door fails to open for you to get in or out of a premise.
Involving an attorney comes in handy when making realistic damage claims while taking into consideration all aspects of the injury such as medical bills, lost opportunities and the trauma associated with such an experience.
How can you prove liability on the premises owner?
Your attorney will probably form a legal case based on the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturer’s advice to premises owners on proper maintenance of their doors.
However, you must prove that the door was malfunctioning, incompetently installed but also improperly maintained if you are to win such a case. This includes illustrating that:
- The door was not correctly installed
- The door was ill-maintained
- The door was not regularly inspected by a qualified door technician
- Parts of the door, especially the sensors were faulty
The Bottom Line
Every year numerous people fall victim to automatic door injuries and given their ever-increasing prevalence in your life, you never know when one may harm you. It is, therefore, vital that you retain a personal injury attorney to help you collect your damages for any resulting injuries.
The attorney further helps you understand the law relating to injuries while safeguarding your rights. You don’t have to just shrug off the bruises as negligent.
Neither should you let the hurdles you encounter in evidence collection and proving a case frustrate your quest for justice. The premise owner owes you a duty of care. The attorney may also help you argue against any defenses barring damages recovery.