Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Sports Injury
If you have suffered a sports injury as the result of an accident caused by the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511 for cost-free injury claim advice from our expert personal injury lawyers.
Types of Sports Injury
Was Your Sports Injury Caused by Negligence?
Sports Injury Prevention
Making a Sports Injury Claim
Sports Injury Compensation
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Expert Legal Advice on Your Sports Injury
Types of Sports Injury
Because of the wide variety of sporting pursuits that people can participate in, there are many ways in which a sports injury can occur. For example:
• Tackles and collisions with other players (team sports)
• Falls (e.g. from horses, bicycles, motorcycles, skis or when climbing)
• Trips and slips (due to defective surfaces and pitches)
• Blows from bats, balls or falling objects
• Injuries caused by faulty products (i.e. defective sports equipment or clothing)
Sports injuries can occur at schools during PE lessons, at fitness clubs, gymnasiums, in exercise classes, at swimming pools, sports stadiums, athletics centres, ice rinks, playing fields, sports pitches or even out on public highways in the case of cycling accidents.
Types of sports injury range from minor cuts, bruising and strains, to fractures, ligament injuries and cartilage damage or very serious injuries such as brain injuries and spinal injuries. Some sports accidents may even result in fatalities.
Some injuries are more common to certain sports. For example leg injuries are especially common in football accidents, often occurring through reckless tackles or twisting injuries due to defective pitches.
Was Your Sports Injury Caused by Negligence?
Most sports carry with them some degree of inherent risk of personal injury. This is particularly true with higher risk activities such as contact sports, motorsports and equestrian sports. A sports injury that occurs only because of the normal, physical rigours of participating, or due to a genuine accident during an accepted part of the sport, would not give rise to a compensation claim.
If a sports injury could have been prevented however, and it did not occur due to a normal aspect of the sport that a person has consented to by agreeing to take part, an injury claim may be possible.
We may be able to assist you with a sports injury claim if, for example, your accident happened because of: defective facilities, the reckless or dangerous actions of another player, incorrect instructions from a formal trainer or instructor, faulty equipment you have purchased, or the failure of a referee or umpire to fulfil their duty to minimise the risk of harm to players.
Sports Injury Prevention
There are measures that can be taken to prevent sports accidents and sports injuries, both by those taking part in a sporting activity and those in charge of sports facilities. These include:
• Wearing appropriate clothing and, where necessary, personal protective equipment (such as helmets, suitable footwear, visors and goggles, gloves, mouth guards, body protectors, padding, lifejackets, supports etc)
• Provision of adequate training and instruction
• Sufficient supervision (where required)
• The use of safe facilities and equipment
• Competent refereeing / umpiring
• Safe, responsible conduct by players and participants
• Warming up / down sufficiently
Making a Sports Injury Claim
If you suffer a sports injury, your first step should be to seek medical attention. This will determine the nature of your injury, ensure that you receive appropriate treatment and will be recorded on your medical records if you later decide to make a sports injury claim.
It is important to collect as much information as possible if you are involved in an accident, including details of any witnesses and photographs where possible. You should also remember to keep receipts for any injury related expenses, as it is possible they can be reclaimed.
As with any claim, specialist legal advice from an experienced and qualified solicitor is invaluable. In every case, medical evidence will be required, and it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.
It is not only professional sports people that can claim compensation following a sports injury, but also semi-professionals, amateurs and those who participate solely on a recreational basis.
Sports Injury Compensation
There are two elements to a compensation award. The first is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and what is known as loss of amenity. This is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things after the sports accident that you used to be able to do before (eg, wash your car, look after your garden, walk the dog, etc). The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after a sports injury or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.
The second element is for your losses and expenses and is known as special damages. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the accident, so that these can be reclaimed. The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred.
In serious injury cases, where a person may no longer be able to continue their employment, this can be taken into account. Costs for care, equipment, transport and housing modifications can also be factored into the calculations. If the person is still able to work but not in the same role as before, particularly if they held a public service role such as a doctor or police officer, an extra amount may be awarded for loss of ‘congenial employment’. A court can also make a financial award to recognise that an injured worker's prospects on the open labour market may be limited.
If a person is fatally injured, it may be possible for family members to make a claim in respect of the loss of their loved one. See our fatal accidents page for further information.
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
In sports injury cases, rehabilitation may be necessary to enable the injured person to recover. This might include treatments such as physiotherapy or hydrotherapy and may involve a stay at a rehabilitation centre in more serious cases.
If the injuries are severe it may be that there is no possibility of a full recovery, but rehabilitation and the use of mobility aids can often offer a seriously injured person the best possible quality of life.
If you suffer a sports injury and rehabilitation is a necessary part of your treatment, we will work hard to ensure that any costs are recovered as part of your compensation claim.
Expert Legal Advice on Your Sports Injury
At The Legal Line, our lawyers have extensive experience in recovering compensation for the victims of sports injuries caused by negligence.
We can provide you with specific injury claim advice on your case on a cost-free, confidential basis and will pursue your case to achieve the best possible outcome in the shortest time.
Contact us
Testimonials
"As I said, when I got my settlement I thought 'That's great! And now I can get my life back and get on with it.' And I am."
Alan
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