I was recently injured when using a 2008 Kia Sportage. As I was opening the back door, the ring finger on my left hand was caught in the latch, below the exterior metal portion where you push the door shut. The end of that finger was crushed in the lock hidden under the latch. It bled profusely and hurt terribly. It continued to bleed, and was horrifically bruised, although I had it in ice for over an hour. The injury kept me up during the night, and continued to hurt, any time the finger touched anything. We re-bandaged it, always putting neosporin on it, throughout the following weeks. The use of my hand was greatly limited for that week and well into the third week after the incident. I was terribly inconvenienced when trying to type, of course. The injury continues to cause pain off and on, nearly four weeks later. During the first week, I did not sleep through a single night without being awakened by the sharp pain caused when the finger brushed against something. It continues to hurt, however, when the hand is used for normal activities such as gripping the steering wheel to make a sharp turn, picking items up at the grocery store, washing my hair, or when I inadvertently strike my hand, even lightly, so that the tip of my hand strikes a surface. It continues to cause pain throughout the day and sometimes even now during the night. Other users of vehicles with mechanisms such as this should be warned of the injury they can cause. Rental customers, especially, should be warned of this potential danger.

- Piedmont, CA, USA