Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Broken finger - thanks Phil & Ted

21 replies

DublinMammy · 24/03/2011 19:19

Last year my Phil & Ted's pushchair snapped open, went straight through my nail and broke my finger. It left me in terrible pain (obviously!), unable to cope with my 16 month old, out of pocket for medical expenses (live in Ireland, cost a fortune), meant I had to send ds to a childminder 5 days a week for 2 months while it healed and was really, really upsetting. I still feel sick when I think about it.

I wrote to P&T to let them know what had happened and they wrote to say what an unfortunate accident, we will send you a new pushchair.

Now, they are expensive pushchairs and I suppose it's nice of them to offer that but my question is, AIBU to expect that they should reimburse me for the expenses I incurred as a result of their pushchair injuring me? That is what I asked them to do in my original letter.....

OP posts:

PrincessConsuelaBananaHamok · 24/03/2011 19:23

was it an accident, or has that particular model got a known fault?

CourseyoucanMalcolm · 24/03/2011 19:24

Sorry you hurt your finger.

Was the pushchair faulty?

pooka · 24/03/2011 19:27

Ouch! :(

However I don't really understand why your 16 month old had to go to a childminder 5 days a week because your finger was broken.

I suppose in terms of reimbursement, it ll depends how it happened and whether the pram was found to be faulty.

Original poster

DublinMammy · 24/03/2011 19:29

I don't know if it is the Sport pushchairs in general or just my one but I got a letter from Mothercare recently (from whom I bought it) saying that due to a number of incidents of adults "catching" (nice euphemism) their finger in the Sport, could I (as someone they know bought one from them) contact them to arrange a sort of cover thing to go over the bit where presumably most people have "caught" their finger.

It really does feel like that should never be able to happen - if it had been ds's finger it would have been taken right off.....

OP posts:

Original poster

DublinMammy · 24/03/2011 19:31

He normally goes 2 days a week but with a broken finger it was just impossible to change his nappy, pick him up etc. Because I had to have half of the nail removed and the nailbed sewn back together it was just incredible painful and had a dressing on it - imagine a toddler kicking an exposed nailbed......

OP posts:

AgentZigzag · 24/03/2011 19:35

Is it an accident?

Or are they liable for not putting enough safety features in place so it's impossible for you to break your finger?

I think now you've contacted the company if you were going to ask for compensation you'd probably have to see a solicitor?

If you didn't want to do that you could take the pushchair and sell it keeping the cash for compo?

It makes my stomach turn as well, you poor thing

AgentZigzag · 24/03/2011 19:36

'imagine a toddler kicking an exposed nailbed......'

Firawla · 24/03/2011 19:38

you should go to one of those no claim no fee compensation type people and see whether they think you would be able to have a case, although dont know whether it would count against you if you have already accepted the replacement buggy? but you would have nothing to lose by getting some legal advice

poor you, it does sound horrible :( whereabouts on the buggy snapped?? i have the same buggy but i cant picture what you mean? not very reassuring to hear it has been a recurring problem with these buggies..

PorkChopSter · 24/03/2011 19:40

So did you do the thing that the hinge guard is supposed to stop happening? As it were. There's more info on the P&T website than in the Mothercare letter.

thisisyesterday · 24/03/2011 19:40

i think what has happened is awful, and tbh if they offered me a new buggy i'd tell them where to go!

BUT, I do think you are unreasonable to expect them to pay for a childminder when it was your choice to use one.

a friend of mine managed to look after her 2 children who were both under 3 at the time, when she had her entire leg in a cast.
plenty of people break bones all the time and can't afford to send their child to someone else.. you just get on with it don't you?

so... bad that you got finger broken, it sounds horrendous.
but no to wanting compensation

giraffesCantDanceWhileSober · 24/03/2011 19:42

It would be very hard with a broken finger but do able, so not essential. I looked after 3yr old and 18mo with a torn wrist ligament and had hand in splint and not able to use it. So I dont think you can claim CM expenses. But if the pushchair was at failt then I would give it a go to get the medical cost back.

thisisyesterday · 24/03/2011 19:43

yes, i would think it reasonable to ask for medical costs too

naturalbaby · 24/03/2011 19:56

I'm scared now - I've got one of those pushchairs! there are times when it's kind of flung itself at me and i wondered how i escaped uninjured. I can't work out how you injured yourself though - which bit of it caught your finger?
I wouldn't expect them to pay for the childminder. If this happened to me I wouldn't have to pay for childcare as a result of the injury.

TidyDancer · 24/03/2011 20:04

They shouldn't be liable for the CM costs, because it was your personal choice to send your child there, but I would say you have a point with the medical costs.

People do cope with worse injuries than a broken finger while they have young children to care for, so since you didn't strictly need to send him there, I'd be very surprised if they reimbursed you on that one.

Sounds horrific though. :(

thisisyesterday · 24/03/2011 20:05

actually, if THIS is in the instructions for your pushchair then I don't think you have a leg to stand on tbh.

"e3, sport v1 - folding mechanism cover to secure buggy in folded position

USE OF HINGE COVERS IS ESSENTIAL ON THESE BUGGY MODELS.
Some e3/sportv1 inline® buggy users are not using the folded frame-lock straps. In such cases, the buggy may unexpectedly unfold, causing the front part to flip forward. If this happens and the person also has their hand in the main hinge (in spite of the sticker on the frame warning against this), injury can result."

if the manual states that you MUST use the folded frame-lock straps and you don't, then it is your own fault really...

Blatherskite · 24/03/2011 20:16

P&T will send out free hinge guards for the Sport if you fill out the form on thier website. They're really easy to fit, I did it in seconds.

Sorry you hurt your finger but I'm not sure P&T are liable for your CM costs. It was your choice to send your DC there. Changing nappies is hard with a sore finger - I chopped the end of mine off with a kitchen knife not so long ago, took off the end diagonally along with half the nail and a bit chunk of the soft pad - but it is possible.

I hope it heals quickly for you.

Original poster

DublinMammy · 24/03/2011 20:23

I do know that I was very lucky we were able to send ds to the childminder - honestly, it was so painful when anything as much as brushed against it. I'm very impressed with all those injured mums who soldiered on.

I just thought their response was a bit crap - "Ooh, our pushchair broke your finger. Here's another one."!!!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

DublinMammy · 24/03/2011 20:25

naturalbaby don't be scared - they have obviously figured out they have a problem hence the hinge guard. Perhaps armoured gloves as well just to be sure?

OP posts:

FabbyChic · 24/03/2011 20:28

Do you have no win no fee solicitors over there for injuries caused to you by another person/object? If you do you could try suing them.

FabbyChic · 24/03/2011 20:29

YOu should tell them you want reimbursement for medical expenses, and recompense for pain and suffering.

KickArseQueen · 24/03/2011 21:02

I'm lazy, I don't fold mine, I bought a bigger car and just sling it in the back.

When I have had to fold it, it has been a horrible experience tho and a relative who has one cut her thumb open doing exactly what you did. Hope your finger is better now :)

Flip