Sporting Injury Claims

Sporting Injury Claims

The law provides people who have been injured as the result of someone else’s negligence – a way of getting the compensation they are entitled to for their pain and suffering.  Accidents can happen in all sorts of circumstances, and the type of claim can affect the way that your claim is dealt with, and the rules governing when compensation will and won’t be paid.

If you take part in a sporting activity you willingly accept that there are some risks involved. Depending on the type of sport, there is usually always some risk that cannot be prevented, and you cannot claim compensation for these injuries. For example, someone playing rugby could not claim compensation for an injury that was could normally be expected because it is part of the game.

However, in many cases, it is possible to claim compensation if you have been injured whilst taking part in a sporting activity where the injury was caused because of someone else’s negligence, and the risk was not part of the risk you would normally expect when taking part in that particular activity.

Usually you would be entitled to claim compensation where the injury was caused by the deliberate actions of another participant who was acting recklessly or dangerously.  You may have heard about the case of Ben Collett who played for Manchester United’s reserve team and was injured in a match against Middlesbrough FC.  He suffered a career ending injury after a dangerous tackle by Middlesbrough’s Gary Smith and he was awarded £4.3 million in compensation as a result.

Of course it is not necessary to suffer such a serious injury or play professionally to claim compensation for a sporting injury.  A person may be entitled to claim compensation for a sporting injury sustained at any level, whether for an amateur team, school sports day, or even whilst taking part in team building exercises for your employer.

Injuries from playing sports may also be caused by a lack of proper supervision whilst taking part in the sport, or because of inadequate training or instruction.  There is a legal duty on anyone arranging a sporting activity to ensure that the participants are properly trained.  Referees and umpires are also under a duty to reduce any unnecessary risks as far as reasonably possible. In the case of Vowles v Evans & Welsh Rugby Union the referee of an amateur rugby match allowed a player to change playing position to one that was more dangerous and for which he had no experience.  The player was injured as a result and the referee found negligent for allowing the dangerous situation to occur.

The last major cause of sporting injuries is from defective equipment and unsafe, or poorly maintained, sporting facilities. The owners of the facilities and/or the organisers of the sporting activities have a legal duty to ensure that any equipment or facilities – whether it be a football pitch, squash court, or even the changing rooms are safe to use.

Compensation claims for sporting injuries can be complicated and it is important that you obtain professional legal advice to find out whether you may be entitled to claim compensation. If you have been the victim of a sporting injury, call The Injury Lawyers claim helpline for free legal advice.