If you lead an active lifestyle then you might have suffered from a sports injury. Whilst many accidents are completely avoidable, some injuries occur (or are made worse) because of other people’s negligence. If you have been affected by someone else’s negligence, then you may want to make a sports injury claim. This negligence can take on many different forms, which is why a lawyer will want to ask you a variety of different questions when you are making sports injury claims. Here are a few of the different types of negligence which may cause sports accidents and may lead to sports injury claims.
Poorly manufactured Equipment
If you use sports equipment, then you may rely on it to serve its intended purpose so that you can perform safely and accurately. If the equipment does not meet minimum standards then it may be unsafe to use it. If the equipment malfunctions, it can have serious consequences. For example, if a strap on a horse riding saddle failed, it could result in the rider falling from the horse. Alternatively, if the rider falls and their helmet cracks easily, then it is likely that they will suffer from a more serious head injury. They are using this equipment for an intended purpose and the equipment has failed to do its job properly, therefore sports injury claims could potentially be brought against the makers of that piece of equipment.
Unacceptable Playing Surface
An unacceptable playing surface can ruin the game, but it can also put players at risk of injury. In a fast paced or high energy game, the consequences of slipping, tripping or falling could be even more serious than they would be in a normal situation.
Problems with surfaces in other sports (road races etc) can cause serious crashes to occur, especially if the participant is travelling at a high speed. It is the responsibility of the owner or organiser to make sure that the surface is fit for purpose, so if you have an accident because the surface is unsuitable, then they may be considered negligent.
‘Illegal’ Play
Sports have rules and regulations to help to ensure play is fair and fun, but also to try to protect players and competitors whilst they are engaging in the sport. If other players or competitors fail to adhere to these rules, then you may be injured. For example, illegal tackles in rugby can cause serious injuries, including paralysis and death.
Unsuitable Training
If you are learning how to play a sport and you are training with a coach or other type of trainer, then you expect them to give you help and advice to improve your technique. However, if they are using unorthodox techniques, or if they do not take into account your personal circumstances, these techniques can actually do more harm than good. One example of this is if a personal trainer keeps pushing their client to the edge, even though the client already has an injury. If you have been injured because of things that your coach has asked you to do, then you may be able to make a claim.
Clinical Negligence
Early treatment is important if you want to recover from an injury. If your doctor or physiotherapist misdiagnoses an injury or does not treat it in the correct way, then this can delay your recovery or it could end up making the problem worse. One common situation which leads to claims is a situation where a physiotherapist gives a player the all clear to continue playing, but this ends up exacerbating the problem. If you feel that your ongoing injuries have been caused by mistakes which were made by any of your medical advisors, whether private or public, then you may be able to make a claim.
If any of the scenarios which are listed above sound familiar to you, then you should get in contact with a lawyer who specialises in sports injury claims. A lawyer will be able to tell you whether or not you have a valid claim, and how much compensation you may be eligible for. You can then decide whether you want to proceed with the claim.