91Ô­´´

Injured By a Defective Door in New York City?

A defective door can strike, trap, cut, crush, or knock someone to the ground without warning. A person may be injured when an automatic door closes too quickly, a heavy swinging door slams shut, a door closer fails, a revolving door suddenly stops, or an overhead door drops unexpectedly.

Door accidents may happen in:

• Apartment buildings
• 91Ô­´´ developments
• Stores and supermarkets
• Shopping centers
• Office buildings
• Restaurants and bars
• Hotels
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Warehouses
• Parking garages
• Loading docks
• Construction sites
• Subway stations
• Public buildings
• Industrial facilities

A property owner, landlord, management company, business, contractor, installer, maintenance company, manufacturer, or public entity may be responsible depending on what caused the door to fail.

The investigation must identify the exact door, defect, maintenance history, responsible parties, and evidence showing how the accident happened.

Learn more about dangerous-property claims on our New York City Premises Liability Lawyer page.

Defective Door Evidence Can Disappear Quickly

Door conditions frequently change immediately after an accident.

A building employee or contractor may:

• Adjust a door closer
• Reset an automatic-door system
• Change sensor settings
• Tighten hinges
• Replace a damaged component
• Remove broken glass
• Repair a lock or latch
• Replace the entire door
• Remove an overhead-door cable
• Disconnect power
• Place a warning sign
• Close the entrance
• Discard the failed component

Surveillance footage may also be overwritten after a limited retention period.

Automatic doors may have service records, inspection reports, fault information, sensor settings, or other system data that can help establish what happened. Those records may be controlled by a separate service company rather than the property owner.

Photograph and record the door before it is repaired. Do not repeatedly test, push, pull, or activate a dangerous door merely to recreate the accident.

Common Types of Defective Doors

Automatic Sliding Doors

Automatic doors are commonly used at supermarkets, pharmacies, hotels, hospitals, offices, transportation facilities, and other public entrances.

An automatic door may become dangerous when it:

• Closes before a person clears the opening
• Fails to detect someone
• Opens or closes unexpectedly
• Moves with excessive force
• Reverses too late
• Stops midway through its movement
• Does not remain open long enough
• Has a malfunctioning presence sensor
• Has a damaged track
• Operates inconsistently
• Lacks an effective warning
• Has not been properly inspected or serviced

A person may be struck by the moving panel, trapped between panels, knocked to the floor, or caught between the door and frame.

Record the exact panel involved, direction of travel, door movement, sensor location, warning decals, and whether the door continued operating after the accident.

Swinging Doors

A swinging door may cause an injury when it:

• Slams shut
• Opens unexpectedly
• Moves too quickly
• Requires excessive force
• Swings into a walkway
• Strikes someone standing on the other side
• Has loose or damaged hinges
• Has an uncontrolled closer
• Is affected by air pressure or wind
• Has a broken stop
• Conceals an immediate stair or elevation change

A heavy metal, glass, or fire-rated door can cause serious injuries when its movement is not properly controlled.

Photograph the hinges, door closer, frame, handle, latch, surrounding floor, and direction in which the door moved.

Defective Door Closers

A door closer is intended to control the speed and movement of a door.

A defective or improperly adjusted closer may cause a door to:

• Slam
• Close too quickly
• Stop abruptly
• Remain partially open
• Fail to latch
• Require excessive force
• Pull someone off balance
• Strike a person entering or exiting
• Interfere with safe use of nearby stairs or landings

The closer may be mounted at the top of the door, concealed in the frame, or installed in the floor.

Photograph any oil leakage, loose hardware, detached arms, damaged mounting points, or signs of recent adjustment.

Revolving Doors

A revolving door may become dangerous when it:

• Rotates too quickly
• Stops suddenly
• Fails to stop when obstructed
• Has an inadequate sensor
• Traps a person between panels
• Has broken or sharp material
• Contains a damaged central shaft
• Has not been properly maintained
• Operates differently from adjacent doors
• Lacks appropriate warnings or alternative access

Preserve photographs of the entire entrance, each door panel, nearby controls, warning signs, adjacent swinging doors, and the position where the accident occurred.

Fire Doors and Self-Closing Doors

Self-closing doors help limit the spread of fire and smoke. They must also operate without creating an unreasonable impact or trapping hazard.

A fire or self-closing door may be defective when it:

• Does not close automatically
• Fails to latch
• Slams with excessive force
• Has a disabled closer
• Is propped open
• Has damaged hinges
• Has an obstructed frame
• Contains broken glass
• Has been improperly altered
• Cannot be opened safely
• Blocks a required exit route

The explains that residential apartment and hallway doors must close and latch automatically and that owners should inspect and promptly repair defective closers, hinges, latches, and frames.

A door can create both an accident hazard and a fire-safety hazard.

Overhead, Roll-Up, and Garage Doors

Overhead doors are commonly used at warehouses, loading docks, garages, commercial properties, and construction sites.

An overhead door may cause an injury when:

• A cable breaks
• A spring fails
• The door drops unexpectedly
• A sensor does not detect a person
• A safety reversal system fails
• The door becomes detached from its track
• A panel collapses
• A manual chain or control malfunctions
• The door begins moving without warning
• A worker is caught between the door and floor
• Maintenance work is performed without securing the door

Do not touch a damaged cable, spring, track, motor, or electrical component. Photograph the equipment from a safe location.

The operator, motor, controls, inspection history, and removed parts may become important evidence.

Glass Doors

Glass doors may create hazards when they:

• Shatter unexpectedly
• Contain cracked or damaged glass
• Lack visible markings
• Are difficult to distinguish from adjacent glass panels
• Have loose framing
• Contain sharp exposed edges
• Swing into someone
• Break because of defective installation
• Use unsuitable glass for the location
• Have damaged handles or hinges

Preserve photographs of the broken glass, remaining frame, fragments, markings, labels, hardware, and surrounding area.

Do not dispose of clothing or personal property containing glass fragments before speaking with a lawyer.

Sliding and Folding Doors

Manual sliding or folding doors may become dangerous because of:

• Damaged tracks
• Missing stops
• Excessive resistance
• Unexpected movement
• Loose panels
• Broken rollers
• Pinch points
• Sharp edges
• Improper installation
• Inadequate maintenance

A person may injure a hand, shoulder, arm, back, or other body part while attempting to move a door that does not operate normally.

Locks, Latches, and Access-Control Doors

A defective lock or latch may prevent a door from:

• Opening during an emergency
• Closing securely
• Latching properly
• Remaining shut
• Releasing when required
• Preventing unauthorized entry
• Operating with an access-control system
• Allowing safe passage

A defective exterior door may also contribute to an assault or other security incident.

Visit our New York City Inadequate Security Lawyer page for more information about negligent-security claims.

Door Thresholds and Entrance Hazards

The accident may involve the floor immediately beneath or beside the door rather than the moving door itself.

Potential hazards include:

• Raised thresholds
• Broken saddles
• Loose entrance mats
• Uneven flooring
• Damaged tracks
• Missing floor material
• Water accumulation
• Snow or ice
• Debris
• Abrupt elevation changes
• Poor lighting
• Steps immediately beyond the doorway

Photograph both the door and the walking surface.

Review our New York City Slip and Fall Lawyer and New York City Poor Lighting Injury Lawyer pages.

Door Accidents Near Stairways and Elevators

A door located next to a staircase can create a serious fall risk when it:

• Opens into the stairway
• Blocks the landing
• Conceals the first step
• Prevents use of a handrail
• Closes before a person reaches stable footing
• Requires excessive force
• Has an abrupt threshold
• Opens from a dark area into a brighter one

Visit our New York City Stairway Fall Lawyer page for stair-specific evidence guidance.

An accident involving an elevator entrance, elevator landing door, or elevator-car door may require a separate elevator inspection and maintenance investigation.

Learn more on our New York City Elevator Accident Lawyer page.

New York City Door Safety and Maintenance Requirements

Door requirements can come from several different sources, including:

• New York City Building Code
• Housing Maintenance Code
• Fire Code
• Multiple Dwelling Law
• Accessibility requirements
• Approved construction documents
• Manufacturer instructions
• Industry standards
• Lease and maintenance agreements

The provide access to current and earlier construction, housing, fire-safety, and related codes.

The exact requirement may depend on:

• Building age
• Occupancy
• Door location
• Type of door
• Construction history
• Alterations
• Whether the door is part of a means of egress
• Whether it is fire-rated
• Whether an older code remains applicable
• Whether the property is residential, commercial, industrial, or public

The absence of an open violation does not necessarily establish that a door was reasonably safe. A dangerous condition may develop after an inspection or may appear in complaints, maintenance records, service reports, photographs, and witness testimony rather than a formal violation.

Who May Be Responsible For a Defective Door Accident?

More than one party may share responsibility.

Property Owners and Landlords

An owner or landlord may be responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing doors under the owner’s control.

Relevant records may include:

• Inspection schedules
• Tenant complaints
• Incident reports
• Repair requests
• Work orders
• Maintenance logs
• Building violations
• Purchase records
• Service contracts
• Prior accident reports
• Lease documents
• Employee communications

Management Companies and Superintendents

A management company, managing agent, or superintendent may receive complaints, perform inspections, arrange repairs, replace hardware, or communicate with contractors.

Their records may show:

• When the problem was first reported
• Who inspected the door
• Whether the door was taken out of service
• Whether warnings were placed
• What repair was requested
• When a contractor responded
• Whether the condition returned
• Who was responsible for follow-up

Commercial Tenants and Businesses

A supermarket, store, hotel, restaurant, office tenant, warehouse operator, or other business may control the entrance where the accident happened.

A lease may divide responsibility for the door, entrance, vestibule, threshold, security system, and maintenance contract between the tenant and property owner.

Door Service and Maintenance Companies

A service company may share responsibility when it:

• Failed to identify a defect
• Performed an inadequate inspection
• Made an improper repair
• Misadjusted a closer or sensor
• Failed to replace a damaged component
• Returned a dangerous door to service
• Failed to warn that the door remained unsafe
• Did not follow the maintenance agreement
• Discarded important components

The service company may possess inspection reports, technician notes, invoices, photographs, and electronic records that the property owner does not have.

Installers and Construction Contractors

An installer or contractor may be responsible when a door was:

• Improperly installed
• Misaligned
• Inadequately secured
• Connected incorrectly
• Installed with unsuitable hardware
• Altered during construction
• Returned to service before work was complete
• Positioned dangerously near stairs or another walking surface

Construction drawings, permits, specifications, change orders, photographs, and contractor agreements may become important.

Manufacturers and Distributors

A claim may involve a manufacturer or distributor when an accident was caused by a defective door, sensor, closer, spring, cable, motor, control, hinge, glass panel, or other component.

A product-related investigation may examine:

• Model and serial numbers
• Manufacturing information
• Warnings
• Instructions
• Design documents
• Prior failures
• Service bulletins
• Recalls
• Alterations made after sale
• Whether the component was preserved

Do not permit a failed component to be discarded when a product defect may be involved.

91Ô­´´ and Other Public Entities

A door accident in a 91Ô­´´ development, subway station, public school, hospital, government building, park facility, or other publicly controlled property may involve special filing requirements.

The agency occupying the property may not be the only responsible party. A private installer, maintenance company, security contractor, tenant, or manufacturer may also possess relevant records or share responsibility.

How Notice May Be Proven

A defective door claim often depends on whether a responsible party created the condition, knew about it, or should have discovered it.

Actual Notice

Actual notice may be established through:

• Tenant complaints
• Customer complaints
• 311 records
• 91Ô­´´ repair tickets
• Emails
• Text messages
• Work orders
• Service calls
• Inspection reports
• Building violations
• Employee statements
• Prior accident reports
• Photographs previously sent to management
• Earlier temporary repairs

Constructive Notice

Constructive notice may be argued when a visible and apparent condition existed long enough that reasonable inspection and maintenance should have discovered it.

Potential evidence may include:

• Rust
• Worn hardware
• Loose hinges
• Oil leaking from a closer
• Cracked glass
• Repeated impact marks
• Misalignment
• Deteriorated framing
• Frayed cables
• Long-standing sensor problems
• Witness testimony
• Missing inspection records

A Recurring Door Problem

A recurring problem may be important when a door repeatedly:

• Slammed
• Failed to latch
• Became stuck
• Closed too quickly
• Failed to detect people
• Came off its track
• Required adjustment
• Lost power
• Was temporarily repaired
• Generated repeated complaints
• Caused earlier incidents

The complete repair history may be more useful than the final work order created after the accident.

Filing Deadlines For Defective Door Claims

The deadline depends on who owned, occupied, controlled, installed, maintained, serviced, or manufactured the door.

Under , a personal injury action against a private property owner, business, or contractor generally must be commenced within three years.

That does not mean an injured person should wait. The door can be repaired, adjusted, replaced, or discarded immediately. Surveillance footage and electronic information may disappear much sooner.

Claims against the City or another covered municipal entity may require a Notice of Claim within 90 days under .

An action covered by may also need to be commenced within one year and 90 days.

A municipality may demand sworn testimony at an examination under .

91Ô­´´ claims are generally subject to , including the Notice of Claim requirements of General Municipal Law § 50-e and a one-year-and-90-day period for commencing a personal injury action.

Different requirements may apply to:

• Wrongful death claims
• Injured children
• Public transportation authorities
• Public schools
• Public hospitals
• State agencies
• Late Notices of Claim
• Product-liability claims
• Construction workers
• Claims involving several defendants

Review our guide to the New York City Notice of Claim deadline and speak with a lawyer before filing whenever possible.

What To Do After a Defective Door Accident

Get Medical Care

Seek medical attention promptly.

Tell the medical provider:

• That a door caused the accident
• What type of door was involved
• Whether it struck, trapped, cut, or crushed you
• Whether you fell
• Which body parts contacted the door, frame, floor, wall, or glass
• Every injured body part
• Whether symptoms developed afterward

Follow medical instructions and attend recommended appointments.

Identify the Exact Door

Record:

• Property address
• Building name
• Entrance
• Floor
• Room or unit
• Door number
• Direction of travel
• Type of door
• Which panel moved
• Date and approximate time
• Nearby signs or landmarks

A large property may have several similar entrances. Photograph information that allows the exact door to be identified later.

Photograph and Record the Door

Take close and wide photographs showing:

• Entire entrance
• Door panels
• Hinges
• Door closer
• Sensors
• Tracks
• Frame
• Handle
• Lock and latch
• Threshold
• Glass
• Warning decals
• Control switches
• Surrounding floor
• Nearby stairs
• Address and location identifiers

Record video showing the door’s condition only when it can be done safely. Do not repeatedly activate or manipulate a dangerous door.

Report the Accident

Report the accident to the owner, landlord, superintendent, management company, store manager, employer, security desk, contractor, 91Ô­´´, or public agency responsible for the property.

Ask for:

• Incident-report number
• Complaint number
• Work-order number
• Service-ticket number
• Name and job title of the person receiving the report
• Written confirmation
• Insurance information when appropriate

Keep screenshots, emails, text messages, letters, and photographs of any written report.

Identify Witnesses

Obtain contact information for anyone who:

• Saw the accident
• Saw the door malfunction
• Used the door shortly before or afterward
• Previously complained
• Knew how long the problem existed
• Saw maintenance or repair work
• Heard an employee discuss the defect
• Saw the door changed after the accident

Preserve Clothing and Personal Property

Keep the clothing, shoes, bags, mobility devices, eyeglasses, or other property involved in the accident.

Do not discard, wash, repair, or alter potentially important physical evidence before speaking with a lawyer.

Preserve the Failed Components

A door closer, sensor, hinge, cable, spring, motor, glass panel, latch, or control may become central evidence.

A lawyer may send preservation notices directing the responsible parties not to alter or discard the door, system data, surveillance footage, service records, or removed components.

Describe What You Actually Observed

Explain what the door did rather than guessing about the technical cause.

Examples include:

• The automatic door closed before I passed through
• The door slammed into my shoulder
• The revolving door stopped suddenly
• The overhead door dropped while I was underneath it
• The glass shattered when the door closed
• The closer arm detached
• The door pulled me off balance
• The latch would not release

Avoid adopting another person’s theory about a sensor, motor, wiring problem, or manufacturing defect unless you personally observed it.

Defective Door Accidents in 91Ô­´´ Developments

A 91Ô­´´ defective-door claim requires attention to both evidence preservation and the 90-day Notice of Claim deadline.

Record the exact:

• Development
• Building address
• Building number
• Entrance
• Stair hall
• Floor
• Apartment or common-area location
• Door type
• Complaint numbers
• Repair-ticket numbers
• Earlier reports
• Names of 91Ô­´´ employees or contractors

Keep screenshots and copies of every complaint or repair request.

A private door, lock, security, construction, or maintenance contractor may have worked on the door. That company’s records may need to be investigated in addition to 91Ô­´´â€™s records.

Visit our New York City 91Ô­´´ Injury Lawyer page and the 91Ô­´´ Injury Resource Hub.

Workplace and Construction Door Accidents

A worker injured by a door at a jobsite, warehouse, loading dock, or industrial facility may have rights beyond an ordinary premises-liability claim.

Potential claims may include:

• Workers’ compensation
• A negligence claim against a property owner
• A claim against a general contractor
• A claim against a subcontractor
• A claim against an installer
• A claim against a maintenance company
• A product-liability claim
• A claim under the New York Labor Law

Workplace door accidents may involve:

• Overhead doors
• Roll-up doors
• Loading-dock doors
• Temporary doors
• Fire doors
• Powered gates
• Warehouse doors
• Broken springs or cables
• Missing guards
• Unsecured panels
• Inadequate lockout procedures
• Construction debris
• Defective controls

Visit our New York Construction Accident Lawyer page for more information.

Common Defective Door Injuries

A defective door accident may cause:

• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Facial injuries
• Dental injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Herniated discs
• Shoulder injuries
• Arm fractures
• Wrist fractures
• Hand injuries
• Finger fractures
• Crush injuries
• Amputations
• Hip fractures
• Knee injuries
• Ankle injuries
• Foot injuries
• Lacerations
• Glass injuries
• Nerve damage
• Spinal-cord injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Psychological trauma
• Fatal injuries

Automatic, revolving, overhead, and heavy fire doors can cause injuries even when the person does not fall.

Medical records should identify how the door moved, what part of the door made contact, each injured body part, diagnostic findings, treatment, restrictions, and continuing symptoms.

Evidence That May Support a Defective Door Claim

Useful evidence may include:

• Photographs and video
• Surveillance footage
• Incident reports
• Complaints
• Repair requests
• Work orders
• Service tickets
• Inspection reports
• Maintenance contracts
• Technician notes
• Purchase and installation records
• Model and serial numbers
• Sensor settings
• Automatic-door system data
• Building violations
• Fire-safety records
• Construction records
• Permits and approved plans
• Lease provisions
• Prior accident reports
• Witness statements
• Removed door components
• Damaged clothing and personal property
• Medical records
• Ambulance reports
• Employment and wage records
• Expert inspections and testing

A lawyer may arrange for an engineer, automatic-door specialist, fire-safety professional, product expert, or another qualified professional to inspect the door and determine why it failed.

Compensation in a Defective Door Case

The available compensation depends on the injuries, medical evidence, lost income, responsible parties, insurance coverage, and effect the accident has on the injured person’s life.

A claim may seek compensation for:

• Past medical expenses
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Rehabilitation
• Future care
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional harm
• Loss of enjoyment of life

A wrongful death claim may also be available when a defective door accident causes a fatal injury. The applicable deadlines and recoverable damages require a case-specific review.

How a Defective Door Injury Lawyer Can Help

A lawyer can:

• Inspect the accident location
• Identify the exact door and failed component
• Determine who owned and controlled the entrance
• Identify landlords, tenants, contractors, installers, and manufacturers
• Obtain leases and maintenance agreements
• Request repair and service histories
• Seek preservation of surveillance footage
• Preserve system data and removed components
• Review building and fire-safety violations
• Investigate earlier complaints and accidents
• Interview witnesses
• Retain an engineer or door-system expert
• Examine model and serial information
• Prepare a Notice of Claim when required
• Investigate 91Ô­´´ or another public entity
• Document medical expenses and lost income
• Identify every potentially responsible party
• Negotiate with insurers
• File a lawsuit when necessary

The Dearie Law Firm has represented injured New Yorkers for more than three decades. Early investigation gives our attorneys a better opportunity to document the door before it is repaired, preserve footage and components, and identify every party involved in its installation and maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Defective Door Claims

Can I Sue After an Automatic Door Hit Me?

You may have a claim when an automatic door struck or trapped you because of a sensor problem, improper adjustment, inadequate inspection, defective component, or another dangerous condition.

Service records, surveillance footage, sensor information, witness statements, and an expert inspection may help determine what happened.

What if the Door Was Repaired Immediately?

Immediate repairs do not prevent a claim, but they can make the investigation more difficult.

Photographs, video, service records, invoices, removed components, surveillance footage, complaints, and witness statements may help establish the earlier condition.

What if I Do Not Know Why the Door Malfunctioned?

You do not need to diagnose the technical problem yourself.

Describe exactly what the door did. A lawyer can seek maintenance records, inspect the equipment, identify the service company, and consult a qualified expert.

What if the Door Knocked Me Down?

A door accident may involve injuries caused both by the door’s impact and the resulting fall.

Photograph the door, surrounding floor, threshold, nearby stairs, and any object your body struck.

What if a Glass Door Shattered?

Preserve photographs of the glass, frame, hardware, markings, fragments, and injuries.

Keep clothing and personal property containing glass fragments. The glass type, installation records, maintenance history, and failed hardware may need to be investigated.

Can the Door Company Be Responsible?

A service or installation company may share responsibility when it performed an inadequate inspection, made an improper repair, misadjusted the system, or returned an unsafe door to service.

The service agreement and technician records may show what work the company was required to perform.

Can a Manufacturer Be Responsible?

A manufacturer may potentially be responsible when a defect in the design or manufacture of the door or one of its components caused the accident.

The product and failed components should be preserved whenever a manufacturing or design problem may be involved.

What if the Accident Happened in a 91Ô­´´ Building?

A Notice of Claim may be due within 90 days.

Preserve the development, building address, entrance, floor, exact door, complaint numbers, repair tickets, photographs, and prior maintenance history.

What if Nobody Witnessed the Accident?

An eyewitness is not always required.

Surveillance footage, service records, photographs, incident reports, complaints, physical evidence, medical records, and an expert inspection may help establish what happened.

What if I Was Injured While Working?

You may have a workers’ compensation claim and a separate claim against a property owner, contractor, installer, maintenance company, or manufacturer that was not your employer.

What if More Than 90 Days Have Passed?

Contact a lawyer immediately.

A court may permit a late Notice of Claim in some circumstances, but permission is not automatic. Waiting may also result in completed repairs, discarded components, deleted footage, and unavailable witnesses.

Related Defective Door and Premises Liability Resources

• New York City Premises Liability Lawyer
• New York City Stairway Fall Lawyer
• New York City Poor Lighting Injury Lawyer
• New York City Slip and Fall Lawyer
• New York City Elevator Accident Lawyer
• New York City Inadequate Security Lawyer
• New York City 91Ô­´´ Injury Lawyer
• 91Ô­´´ Injury Resource Hub
• New York City Notice of Claim Deadline
• New York Construction Accident Lawyer

Speak With a New York City Defective Door Injury Lawyer

Do not wait for the door, closer, sensor, glass, lock, track, or failed component to be repaired or discarded before investigating what happened.

Call (212) 970-6500 or contact The Dearie Law Firm for a free consultation.