Horse riding is a very popular activity enjoyed by thousands of people every year. As with any activity involving large animals, there is a risk of accidents happening which, in some cases, are unavoidable. However, if you’re injured whilst riding or working with a horse because somebody else was negligent, you could be eligible to make a horse riding accident claim for compensation.

In this guide on horse riding accident claims, we’ll explain the steps that you could take if you decide to seek compensation for your injuries. We’ll also explain what equestrian injuries you can claim for and how much might be awarded.

We have a team of specialists who can help if you are interested in claiming compensation for an equestrian accident. To start, an advisor will review your claim with you during a free telephone consultation. You’ll receive free advice about your claim and we could partner you with one of our personal injury solicitors who’ll represent you on a No Win No Fee basis if your claim is accepted.

Would you like to discuss a horse riding accident claim straight away? If so, please call us on 0800 6524 881 to start the ball rolling. Alternatively, please read on to learn more about how we could help you begin your claim.

Am I Eligible To Make A Horse Riding Accident Claim?

Generally, to be eligible to make a horse riding accident claim, you’ll need to prove that:

• You were owed a duty of care by the defendant in your case; and
• Because the defendant was negligent, a horse riding accident occurred; and
• As a result of your accident, you sustained injuries.

A legal duty of care is likely to exist if you’re injured:

• While working in a stable or near horses (paid or voluntarily).
• In a road traffic accident.
• Whilst watching or participating in a competition.
• While taking part in a horse riding lesson or activity.

Essentially, anybody who lets you near their horses should take reasonable steps to try and ensure your safety. If they don’t, and you’re injured as result, you might have grounds to claim compensation.

Common Types Of Horse Riding Accidents That You Could Claim Compensation For

Some common horse riding accidents you could claim compensation for include:

• If you were knocked or thrown from your horse because of an aggressive or dangerous driver.
• Where you were paired with a horse with a temperament that is not suitable to your riding skill or your riding style.
• If your horse’s riding gear was faulty, damaged or not fitted correctly (reins, bridle, saddle etc).
• Where you were knocked over by a horse because of a lack of safety controls at a gymkhana, race or equestrian competition.
• If you were injured whilst working with a horse because you’d not been trained properly.

Our team can help with essentially any type of horse riding accident claim. Please get in touch if you’d like them to review yours for free and explain your options.

Common Equestrian Injuries

Our personal injury solicitors could help to you claim compensation for any type of equestrian injury that you sustain in an accident. Some of the more common equestrian injuries include:

• Head injuries, such as concussions, skull fractures and brain damage.
• Spinal injuries, including spinal cord damage or paralysis.
• Broken bones, such as fractures to arms, legs, or ribs.
• Soft tissue injuries, including sprains, strains, and contusions.
• Internal injuries, such as damage to organs or internal bleeding.
• Psychological injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression.

Remember, even though horse riding can be a dangerous activity, you could be compensated for your injuries if somebody else’s negligence led to the accident.

How Much Compensation For A Horse Riding Accident Could I Claim?

If you do proceed with a horse riding accident claim, it’s important to work out exactly how you’ve suffered as a result of the incident. That’s because you can only make a single claim for the accident/incident so you must ensure everything is included before you settle the claim.

If you call for your case to be reviewed, we’ll explain what you could be compensated for. For now, though, here is a list of what your compensation could be based on:

• The pain you have suffered following the horse riding accident and during treatment.
• Any distress, anxiety or other mental injuries resulting from your accident.
• Any impact your injuries have had on your hobbies or social life.
• The time somebody spent caring for you while you were injured.
• Lost income if you weren’t able to work while you were recovering.
• The cost of replacing any personal items damaged in the horse riding accident.
• Travel expenses relating to your equestrian injuries such as the cost of fuel and hospital parking fees.
• Future loss of earnings where your injuries will have a long-term impact on your earning ability.
• Changes to your home that are necessary to help you deal with any ongoing disability caused by your horse riding accident.

If your claim is accepted, your solicitor will try to achieve the highest compensation possible to try and help you deal with your injuries.

Equestrian Injuries Compensation Calculator

Due to the way personal injuries vary, we aren’t able to calculate an exact amount of compensation for equestrian injuries you could claim without knowing what exactly has happened. However, personal injury solicitors are able to refer to Judicial College Guidelines (a list of personal injuries and suggested compensation levels) when calculating compensation. This means our solicitors could provide a compensation estimate after reviewing your case as compensation for special damages will need to be added in where applicable.

To provide some idea of how much compensation for a horse riding accident you could claim for, you can use the compensation calculator below.

Please note, however, these figures should be used for indicative purposes only. If your claim is successful, it can’t be guaranteed that compensation paid will match those listed in the calculator. This means your payout could be higher, or indeed lower.

Evidence To Support A Horse Riding Accident Claim

To make a successful compensation claim following a horse riding accident, you’ll need to prove how the accident happened, who was to blame, and what equestrian injuries you suffered. This could include:

• Camera footage. If anybody was videoing the equestrian event in which you were injured, you should ask them for a copy as soon as possible. Similarly, if dashcam footage of a road traffic accident involving a horse exists, ask the owner to forward you a copy.
• Medical evidence. It’s important to have your horse riding injuries treated by medical professionals at a hospital or minor injuries unit. After treatment, you could request a copy of your medical records to help determine the severity of your injuries.
• Accident report forms. Any company operating riding stables or equestrian centres, for example, must track any incidents by recording them in an accident report book. Your copy of the report may help to prove when, where and why the accident took place.
• Witness details. You should give your solicitor the contact details of any witnesses who saw the accident take place. If needed, they might be asked for a statement later on.
• Photographs. If possible, you should try to take photographs of anything that caused your accident as soon as possible. For example, you could take pictures of poorly fitted horse riding gear or damaged equipment. Also, it’s a good idea to take regular photographs of any visible injuries during your recovery.
• Financial records. Documentation of any expenses or losses you’ve incurred as a result of the horse riding accident, such as receipts for prescription costs or wage slips for loss of earnings.

Additionally, you may wish to write as much down as you can about the accident and how your injuries have affected you. For example, you could write down the dates when you couldn’t work or attend family events. You could also keep track of any expenses you’ve incurred because of your injuries.

If you need us to check any evidence you’ve managed to secure for a horse riding accident claim, please get in touch today.

Time Limits For Claiming Horse Riding Accident Compensation

When making a horse riding accident claim, you’ll need to begin within a 3-year time limit. In most cases, this will start from the date of your accident. Although 3 years is quite a long time, we’d suggest that you get in touch sooner rather than later. By doing so, you’ll give your solicitor plenty of time to collect supporting evidence.

Claiming If Your Child Is Injured In An Equestrian Accident

Legally, children cannot represent themselves in a personal injury claim for an equestrian accident. However, a parent, guardian or friend might decide to act on their behalf. If this is something you’d like to do, the 3-year time limit will not apply. Instead, you can seek damages at any time prior to the child’s 18^th birthday. If you decide not to act, your child will have until their 21^st birthday to claim themselves.

You can find more on this process here.

How Long Does A Horse Riding Accident Claim Take?

The length of time it takes to settle a horse riding accident claim generally varies from case to case depending on various factors, such as:

• How severe the injuries sustained are.
• What evidence is available.
• How willing the defendant is to admit liability.
• Negotiating a settlement.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to give a specific answer for how long the claim might take, but the process can typically take a matter of months for fairly straightforward claim to a year or more for more complex claims.

Please contact us if you’d like a solicitor to assess the specific circumstances of your horse-riding accident and provide some idea of how long the process may take.

Starting The Horse Riding Accident Claims Process

To reduce your financial risk (and stress levels too) our solicitors provide a No Win No Fee service for any horse riding accident claim they take on. This means you will only pay a success fee (set out in a Conditional Fee Agreement) to cover the solicitor’s work if your case is won. If the claim fails, you won’t pay any solicitor’s fees at all.

To find out whether you could claim for equestrian injuries on a No Win No Fee basis, call us on 0800 6524 881 today. Whatever you decide to do, we’ll provide free legal advice on your options following your no-obligation consultation.

Please feel free to use live chat if you have any extra questions about the process of making a horse riding accident claim.