Cut hand on door frame at EE shop

18-year-old Emily Milton was walking through Meadowhall one afternoon in August, when she brushed her right hand against a beam on the EE shop door frame.  The edge of the beam had a defect, on which Emily’s hand caught and was cut.  It bled immediately.  Emily went into the shop to report the accident and a shop assistant gave her some tissue to mop up the blood and told her to go and wash the wound.  As she went to look for a bathroom in which to wash her hand, she passed a security guard and told him about the injury.  He took her to a first aider who cleaned and dressed the wound and advised that she attended accident and emergency at hospital.

Injury led to permanent scar and numbness

Emily went to Rotherham District Hospital where an x-ray was taken.  No specific internal injury was noted but the wound was cleaned and sutured under local anaesthetic.  Emily was advised to attend Sheffield Hospital hand unit the following day – which she did.  She was reassured that the wound would improve and no further treatment was necessary.

Her hand was stiff and sore for around two to three weeks and she needed painkillers.  The sutures were removed by her GP around two weeks later.  Emily needed a couple of days off work but when she returned, she was put on light duties for around a month.  Whilst the wound has healed fully, she has been left with a permanent small scar on her hand and permanent loss of sensation in the area.

Jonathan claims compensation for accident

Emily contacted Graysons to see if she had a claim against the EE shop.  Jonathan West took up her case and contacted the BT Group (which owns EE).  Initially it denied liability for the accident, but Jonathan pursued the case and BT eventually admitted liability.  Jonathan was able to negotiate a settlement of £3250 for Emily.

You can find out more about making a claim for an accident that has occurred in a public place on our web pages.