Many people participate in sporting activities on a regular basis. With any sport, there is always a potential risk of injury and accidents occurring. Whilst most of these injuries are complete accidents, there are those that are caused by someone else’s negligence and may have otherwise been avoided.

Sports injuries can have serious and long-term effects such as a loss of earnings, inability to care for others and having a negative effect on your quality of life. As well as these effects, sports injuries can also force you to stop participating in sporting activities that you once loved.

If you have suffered an injury from a sports accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to make a claim. Contact Wildwood Legal today to get in contact with one of our personal injury solicitors, who will be able to determine your eligibility and provide more information on the legal claims process.

 

Common causes of sport accidents

 

There are a variety of reasons that can lead to sport-related injuries. Some of the main causes we deal with include:

 

· Dangerous and uneven ground on a pitch

· Poor training on how to use equipment safely

· Faulty or poorly maintained equipment

· Assault by another participant or a spectator at a sports event

· Poor or incorrect advice from a trainer or coach when they had a duty of care over you

· Reckless or late tackles even at a professional level

· Being given an ill-tempered horse when horse riding

 

If you have been injured in a sports injury accident as a result of any of the reasons listed, please contact our team at Wildwood Legal for more legal advice and to find out if you are eligible to make a claim for compensation for your injuries.

Sports accidents can lead to multiple injuries such as broken bones, back and neck injuries, cuts and lacerations as well as sprains.

 

What should I do following a sports injury?

 

After a sports accident, it is important that you visit your general practitioner or A&E depending on the extent of your injuries. You should also receive a copy of the medical report describing any injuries that you have sustained, as this may be required as evidence in the accident claim further down the line.

You may also be required to provide further evidence to prove pay entitlements following a sports accident. Below are just a few pieces of evidence that you could be asked to provide:

 

· Witness statements alongside contact details of witnesses to the accident

· CCTV footage of the accident (if available)

· Proof that the accident and the injuries you sustained were officially recorded

· Photos of the scene of the accident and/or photos of the injuries that you sustained

· Photographs of the damage to yourself and other personal belongings

 

After you have suffered a sports accident, it is in your best interest to talk to a Solicitor as soon as possible as they can discuss your entitlements with you and advise you on your options going forward. Personal injury Solicitors from law firms can also provide clarity on whether you have been wrongly injured as they are legal experts and specialise in sports accident compensation claims.

 

What compensation can be recovered from sports injury claims?

 

There are a variety of losses that can be recovered following a sports accident that was not your fault. Below are just a few examples of the different types of compensation that can be recovered:

Loss of income – If you were required to take time off work due to your injuries, you should be able to recover your loss of earnings for the full period of time you were unable to work.

Pain and suffering – The law considers the fact that there is a certain amount of trauma and pain that can be associated with sports accidents. Therefore, it has made a provision for those injured to obtain compensation for the amount of suffering they endured.

Loss of amenity – You may be able to claim an amount of compensation for your loss of amenity. This refers to instances when your injuries have prevented you from participating in activities that you had previously taken part in and enjoyed.

A loss of enjoyment can directly affect your life and can lead to long term effects such as mental health issues like frustration and depression. There is a provision in the law that covers any loss of amenity resulting from an accident.

Other financial losses – Other financial losses which were directly caused by the accident, such as medical costs and travel costs, can also be recovered as part of a personal injury claim.

 

How will my compensation be calculated?

 

Personal injury compensation amounts are made up of two types of compensation; in legal terms, we call these general damages and special damages.

General Damages – This is the amount you will receive for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. To calculate this amount, we look at previous cases which are similar to yours, together with guidelines that are issued to Judges who decide the outcome of such claims if they go to Court. Your case will be valued on the basis of your injuries as described by suitably qualified medical professionals.

Special Damages – These are any direct financial losses that you may have suffered as a result of your injuries. Typically, these may include loss of earnings up to the settlement, loss of earnings in the future or the costs of care provided to you.

 

Time limits for making sports injury claims

 

The general rule on time limits for making a sports injury accident claim is that you have three years from the date of the injury to have either settled your claim or started court proceedings once the accident on the road has happened.

The three-year deadline begins on the date that the accident occurred or from the date on which you realised that your injuries were associated with your accident.

 

How much do sports injury claims cost?

 

We will always be 100% transparent about what our charges are, and if we take on your case, we will almost always do so on a Conditional Fee Agreement (also known as a no win, no fee basis).

This means that if you do not win your case, you do not pay us any fees at all. If we win the case, we take a small percentage of your compensation, which we will agree with you beforehand, to cover our costs.

We will never ask you to sign anything until you are completely happy with what it is that we are proposing.

 

How can Wildwood Legal assist with sports injury claims?

 

At Wildwood Legal, we know that the consequences of suffering a sports injury can be devastating. If you have suffered from this type of injury due to negligence, you need to seek legal advice – That’s where we come in. Playing sport should always be an enjoyable experience and you should never have to suffer from someone else’s negligent treatment.

We see all too often the significant effect that a serious injury can have on people’s lives. We can help on the financial side to get you on the road to recovery and help you to maximise the amount of compensation you receive. Our core strength is in personal injury claims. We are experienced in helping you with any negligence claims that you may want to make. We aim to give you not only quality aid but flexibility and clarity as we know that these qualities are just as important.

Our law firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; therefore, we provide everything that is needed to meet their high standards meaning that we are a trusted law firm. We offer services to individuals located in England and Wales.

Our ultimate aim is to obtain a great outcome for your case and for you to feel able to recommend us to others at the end of your claim.

We value the opinion of our clients, and we will always listen to you and take on board what you say. To make an enquiry to start your claim, get in contact with us either email us info@winstonsolicitors.co.uk or call us 0113 320 5000 to speak with our team of expert sports injury solicitors.