Many of us play sports for fun, while others do so to keep fit. With any sport, there will always be an element of risk and injuries can happen. However, if you’re injured because of somebody else’s negligence, you may be eligible to make a sports injury claim for compensation.
We specialise in personal injury and sports accident claims. If you get in touch with our claims advisors, you’ll receive free, straightforward advice in a no-obligation telephone consultation. If your advisor believes you have strong grounds for a sports injury claim, they can put you in touch with one of our experienced personal injury solicitors to take things forward.
You can call us on 0800 6524 881 to talk through what’s happened right away, or just read on to learn more about how sports injury compensation claims generally work first.
Table of contents
- Am I Eligible To Make A Sports Injury Claim?
- Common Causes Of Sports Injury Claims
- Common Injuries From Sports Accidents
- How Much Compensation Will I Get For A Sports Injury Claim?
- Evidence To Support A Sports Injury Claim
- Time Limits For Claiming Sports Injury Compensation
- Do I Need A Solicitor To Make A Sports Injury Claim?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Starting The Sports Injury Claims Process
Am I Eligible To Make A Sports Injury Claim?
A sports injury claim may be possible if your injury was caused by negligence rather than the normal risks of taking part.
Generally, to be eligible to make a sports injury claim, you’ll need evidence to prove:
- Somebody owed you a duty of care;
- They breached that duty through negligence; and
- You suffered an avoidable injury as a result.
A claims advisor can discuss what’s happened with you and explain whether somebody else may have been at fault.
Common Causes Of Sports Injury Claims
Sport in the UK is usually well managed, but accidents can still happen if proper care isn’t taken. Some common causes of sports injury claims include:
- Poorly maintained or unsafe playing surfaces.
- Faulty, unsuitable or poorly maintained sports equipment.
- Unsafe instruction or poor supervision by a coach or trainer.
- Late, reckless or dangerous tackles.
- Assault by a spectator or another participant.
- Poor training in how to use sports equipment safely.
Once your solicitor knows the cause of your injury, they can determine who’s legally responsible for it.
Common Injuries From Sports Accidents
Many types of sports injuries could lead to a compensation claim if they were caused by negligence. We can’t list every possible injury here, but common examples include:
- Concussion and other head injuries.
- Broken bones and fractures.
- Dislocations.
- Torn ligaments, including ACL tears.
- Muscle strains and soft tissue injuries.
- Back, neck and spinal injuries.
- Shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff tears.
- Tendon injuries, including Achilles tendon injuries.
- Knee and ankle injuries.
- Cuts, lacerations and facial injuries.
We’re happy to review your case with you for free and advise you on what to do next. If you would like to discuss claiming, please give us a call today.
How Much Compensation Will I Get For A Sports Injury Claim?
There isn’t a set amount of compensation for a sports injury, because every case is different. The amount you could get depends on the nature of your injury, how long it takes to recover, and the impact it has on your life.
Compensation is usually calculated using two main elements:
- General damages – for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injury.
- Special damages – for any financial losses linked to your injury, such as lost earnings, travel costs and treatment expenses.
This page goes into more depth on general and special damages.
Sports Injury Compensation Calculator
The Judicial College publishes guidelines that solicitors and insurers use when valuing personal injury claims. To give you a rough idea of what different injuries might be worth, we’ve included a sports injury compensation calculator based on their figures for general damages. If your injury type isn’t listed, don’t worry, you could still make a claim.
Importantly, we cannot guarantee that the figures listed are what you’d receive if your sports injury claim is successful.
Evidence To Support A Sports Injury Claim
To build a strong sports injury claim, you’ll need evidence that shows what went wrong and how the injury has affected you. The more you can gather early on, the better. Here’s what really helps:
- Medical records. Get your injury checked by a doctor or at A&E. Your medical notes and treatment history are key to proving how serious the injury is and how it’s affected your life.
- Accident reports. Tell the referee, coach, sports club or event organiser what happened. Ask for the incident to be logged and request a copy, as it’s an official record that’s hard to dispute later.
- Police report. If anything criminal happened, such as deliberate violence, report it to the police and ask for the report number.
- Photos and videos. Take pictures of your sports injuries and anything that caused them. For example, photos of unsafe pitches, broken equipment, hazards or poor conditions. If somebody recorded the incident on video, ask for a copy of their footage.
- Witness details. If any spectators saw what happened, ask for their names and contact details. Independent accounts can make a sports injury claim much stronger.
- Evidence of costs and losses. Keep receipts for travel, treatment, physio or equipment. If you’ve lost income because you couldn’t work, or if the sports injury affects your future earnings, keep records of that too.
- A personal diary. Write down how the injury impacts you day to day, including pain levels, missed activities, sleep issues, time off work, etc. It can help show the real effect on your life, not just the medical diagnosis.
If you’ve already gathered what you can, feel free to call our specialists. We’ll look over everything, explain your options, and give you free, no-pressure legal advice.
Time Limits For Claiming Sports Injury Compensation
When seeking sports injury compensation, you will usually need to start your claim within the relevant time limit. In most cases, this is 3 years from the date the sports injury happened. However, there can be certain exceptions, such as:
- If your injury wasn’t obvious right away, the 3 years may begin on the ‘date of knowledge’.
- Where a child suffered a sports injury or where an adult doesn’t have the mental capacity to claim, a friend, relative or responsible adult (litigation friend) can claim on their behalf. The 3-year time limit will usually not apply until a) the child turns 18 or b) the adult recovers and regains mental capacity.
Contact us here, and we’ll check what time you have left to begin your claim.
Do I Need A Solicitor To Make A Sports Injury Claim?
You don’t have to use a solicitor to make a sports injury claim, but having one can make a big difference. Once a claim is settled, you can’t usually go back and ask for more compensation, so getting everything right the first time is critical.
An experienced personal injury solicitor will know who the claim should be made against, what evidence is needed, and how to deal with insurers on your behalf. All of our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning no upfront costs and nothing to pay if your claim isn’t successful. Their job is to secure whatever compensation you’re entitled to and support you through the process, keeping you informed at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we’ve answered some common questions on sports injury compensation claims.
What should I do straight after a sports injury?
First, get checked out by a medical professional, as it’s important for your health and for your evidence. Then make sure the incident is reported to the coach, referee or organiser. If you can, take a few photos of what caused the injury, the injury itself, and note down details of any witnesses. These simple steps can make your claim much stronger later on.
Can I claim if another player injured me?
In some situations, yes. Sports often involve a risk of injury, but all participants still have to act safely and within the rules. If another player was reckless, behaved in a way that went well beyond normal play, or deliberately meant to hurt you, you may be able to claim compensation.
If the incident was intentional or violent, it may also fall under a criminal injury claim.
What if an accident happened during training rather than a match?
Coaches, clubs and training facilities still owe you a duty of care during practice sessions. So if your injury was caused by poor supervision, unsafe sports equipment or a badly maintained training surface or area, you may still be able to make a claim.
Can I claim if I was partly at fault?
Yes, you could still claim compensation for a sports accident even if you were partly at fault. This is known as contributory negligence. It means compensation may still be awarded, but the amount could be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility
Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?
Yes, if you’re eligible, you can seek compensation for both physical and psychological injuries. It’s not uncommon for people to struggle with issues like anxiety, loss of confidence, depression or even PTSD after a serious incident. The key is to have these conditions properly diagnosed by a medical professional. Their report provides the evidence needed to show how the injury has affected you emotionally, not just physically.
How long does a sports injury claim take?
The time it takes to settle a sports injury claim can vary quite a bit. It depends on things like how serious your injury is, how complex the case is, and how quickly the other side responds. If the defendant accepts responsibility early on, claims can often be wrapped up within a few months. If there’s any dispute over what happened, or if extra medical reports are needed, the process can take longer while everything is properly investigated.
Starting The Sports Injury Claims Process
Once your claim begins, your solicitor will confirm who the claim is made against and gather the evidence needed to prove what happened. On the other side, the case is usually handled by an insurer who typically won’t pay anything if your evidence isn’t clear and doesn’t prove who was at fault and how you were injured.
This is why presenting the case properly is so important. Your solicitor will prepare everything, deal with the insurer directly, and keep you updated throughout, answering any questions along the way.
If you’re ready to start the sports injury claims process, our advisors are ready to help. Simply call our advice line on 0800 6524 881 for a free, no-obligation consultation.