scarred hand

[nextqueen]

i recently gashed the back of my hand in B and Q when i was reaching for some wallpaper from their display shelf. the nuts and bolts underneath that hold a metal frame on the shelf to stop the paper rolling are really sharp on the bottom and you cannot see them. my hand was bleeding and gashed and i reported it to customer services who put plasters on it for me and recorded it. i have been offered 100 pounds in vouchers but feel this is nothing as i have now been left with a scar which will always be there.can i take them to a small claims court to pursue this further? i have written to them saying i will be taking legal advice but dont know which way to turn, or should i just suggest a higher pay out and bring the matter to a close? i'm not sure if there is a limit i can claim for in small claims and if this is the correct course of action.

[Graham-W]

Have you photographed the damage to your hand as evidence?
Have you been to an A&E department or your GP so that a record of your injuries is available? If you don't have a hospital or GP record of the injury (within a reasonable time) I don't see that you have much chance.
Ring one of the ambulance chasers for advice.

[craft1948]

Which B&Q was it................I fancy an orange bucket.

[snags]

You can get a lot of gin in one...

[craft1948]

:-)

[tonywiltshire]

Thank you for your comments, the most important piece of advice is to speak to a local solicitor before taking action. The maximum claim in a small claims court is £5,000, I would be very surprised if this were not increased this year, for personal injury only it is £1,000.

[joko]

i would agree with everyone else i, afraid, but if you feel you should get more, write to them and ask them for more, say you feel £100 is not enough.

however if you think you are on for the big bucks here, then think again... i woudl not go higher than £150... £200 at a push... but i think you will be lucky.

you must also photograph the area... if there is a jagged piece of metal sticking out then you will need evidence of it... but if really you had your hand in a place where you really shouldnt have, then you are going to struggle to prove negligence...
were you climbing the shelf, reaching up and clinging onto the underside or something?
if so then you really shouldnt have...

as someone said, if they warn you to get help and you didnt then, you had fair warning and chose to proceed...your fault...

[Brinjal]

Some years ago a friend of mine walked through a glass door at a hotel. She cut her leg quite severly and ended up with a scar. She took them to court and the hotel was found negligent because they should have had some sort of strip on the doors to make it obvious when the doors were closed. I t took a couple of years to be settled. The court would not make a ruling until the wound had completely healed and the scar was measured and damages caluclated. She ended up with a 4inch scar and was awarded $15000,00 nz. So unless you have a scar of that magnitude and time to spare dont waste your time settle for the vouchers.