By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 15th July 2025. Welcome to our guide to playground accident claims. Many accidents involving children occur at playgrounds, and, fortunately, the vast majority of injuries are just minor and occur due to normal play activities. However, this is not always the case, and more severe injuries can occur if the party responsible for the playground has acted negligently. This could be the school, the council, or any other organisation or business.
If your child has been injured in a playground accident that was not their fault, you could be able to claim compensation on their behalf. To learn more to kickstart your case today, our personal injury claims team is on hand to help. They operate 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. You can get in touch by:
- Calling 0800 073 8804
- Writing to us by clicking here
- Or chat with us now using our live chat
How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Children’s Playground Accident?
If your child has been injured in a playground accident, you may be wondering how much compensation can be claimed. While it is impossible to give an accurate figure, we can give you an average amount of compensation for a playground accident as every case differs. The figures below have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Please note that they are only guideline amounts and the top entry hasn’t come from the JCG.
| Reason for compensation | Typical compensation amount |
|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries with financial losses | Up to £500,000+ |
| Severe chest injuries (a) | £122,850 to £183,190 |
| Simple chest injuries (d) | £15,370 to £21,920 |
| Very severe ankle injuries | £61,090 to £85,070 |
| Severe ankle injuries | £38,210 to £61,090 |
| Moderate ankle injuries | £16,770 to £32,450 |
| Modest ankle injuries | Up to £16,770 |
| Minor head or brain injury | £2,690 to £15,580 |
| Severe dislocation of the thumb (v) | £7,740 to £9,490 |
What Can Be Claimed For After A Playground Accident Injury?
If your child has been injured in a playground accident that was not their fault, you will be able to claim for the following:
- General damages – This payout is designed to cover the pain and suffering experienced.
- Loss of earnings – If you have experienced a loss of earnings while caring for your child, you will be able to claim for this.
- Travel expenses.
- Medical expenses.
To learn more about what can be factored into playground accident claims, call our team of personal injury advisers.
What Is A Children’s Playground Accident?
A children’s playground accident refers to a child injured in a playground through no fault of their own, be it playground accidents at school, at a private playground, at a play park run by the council, or elsewhere. To be able to claim this type of accident, the following needs to be true:
- The accident must have occurred due to the negligence, error, or carelessness of someone else. This will typically be the authority in charge of the playground or the soft play centre containing the playground.
- Your child must have seen a doctor for any injuries sustained. This is something that we can arrange if they have not seen a medical professional yet.
To learn more about playground accident claims, please get in touch or read on.
Who is Eligible To Make Playground Accident Claims?
To make playground accident claims, it’s essential that the eligibility criteria is fulfilled. For instance, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Your child was owed a duty of care
- This duty of care was breached by a third party
- Your child suffered avoidable physical or psychological injuries as a result of the breach
Moreover, occupiers in control of public spaces such as playgrounds have a duty of care to people visiting their premises. As outlined in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, occupiers should take practicable steps to ensure the reasonable safety of visitors. For example, occupiers should do the following as part of their duty of care:
- Erect safety barriers
- Ensuring soft flooring
- Maintaining playground equipment, ensuring there are no faults
- Signposting any faulty equipment
Therefore, if your child has suffered an injury due to an unsafe playground, you could make a playground injury claim on their behalf. For example, an occupier of a playground may have failed to fix a faulty swing set, and your child may have broken their foot when the swing set collapsed upon use.
To learn more about the eligibility of your child injury claim, please contact one of our friendly advisors today.
Time Limit For Claiming For A Children’s Playground Accident Injury
In addition to meeting the relevant eligibility criteria, there are certain time limits that must be adhered to when initiating a personal injury claim. Generally, an adult over the age of 18 has three years from the date of the injury to begin the claims process. This is set by the Limitation Act 1980.
However, children cannot bring forward their own playground injury claim. The limitation period is paused until they turn 18. While the injured party is under the age of 18, a court-appointed litigation friend can start the legal process for them. Once the child turns 18, they will have three years from the date of their 18th birthday to start their playground injury compensation claim if a litigation friend did not act for them.
Some other exceptions apply to the time limit. Please speak with an advisor from our team to discuss these or to learn how to be appointed as a litigation friend to claim compensation on your child’s behalf.
Start Your Child Playground Accident Claim
Please get in touch with a team member today if you’d like to discuss playgrounds accident claims. We handle claims for all types of playground accidents, so the only thing you need to do is give us a call to start the claims process.
You can speak to a member of our team anytime about playground accident claims. They will happily answer any queries you have, and we always provide free consultations. During this first consultation, one of our legal advisors will embark on a fact-finding session. This will involve asking you several questions so that they can fully understand what has happened. There is nothing to worry about; this is designed to provide you with the best advice for your case.
We can also arrange a local medical for your child. Again, this is nothing to fret about. This is merely designed so that there is a professional medical report that details your child’s injuries, as well as the recommended course of treatment. This will be used to determine how compensation is awarded.
Injured At An Indoor Play Area – Do I Have A Claim?
Whether the accident that has occurred has taken place at an indoor or outdoor playground, our team can help with anything playground accident claims related.
If a playground manager has not taken reasonable care to make sure accidents are avoided and the indoor play area is safe, you have grounds to sue them for the accident that has been involved. We will show that they have failed to comply with one of the Acts of Parliament that cover children’s playgrounds. This includes:
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957
What Evidence Would I Need For An Accident In A Children’s Playground?
It does help to gather as much evidence as possible when launching playground accident claims. This includes:
- A medical report – This is something your doctor will provide. If you or your child is yet to see a medical professional, we can arrange this for you.
- Details of the accident – As soon as you get the opportunity, jot down the accident details so you don’t forget later down the line.
- Take photographs – Photographs of the playground, as well as any injuries, can help to strengthen your case.
- Contact details of the perpetrator.
- Contact details of any witnesses – Witness statements serve as exceptional proof of what has happened.
- Proof of loss of earnings – If you have suffered any out of pocket expenses due to the accident, such as loss of income or counselling expenses, keep receipts and other documents that will prove this.
Playground Injury Claims – No Win No Fee Legal Help
If your child was at a playground and suffered an injury due to a relevant third party breaching their duty of care, you could be entitled to compensation. Starting a playground injury claim on behalf of your child might seem complex or daunting, but one of our No Win No Fee solicitors could help.
One of our solicitors could help guide you through the playground injury claims process with their years of legal experience. They may also offer to represent you under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a kind of No Win No Fee contract that means you don’t pay any upfront or ongoing service fees. Similarly, should your claim fail, you won’t pay your solicitor for their work on the case.
Should your claim succeed, then your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. This small percentage comes with a legislative cap, which helps ensure that the majority of your settlement goes to you.
Our advisors are here to help if you’d like to learn more about claiming for a playground injury your child suffered. They can answer any questions you may have, and can help identify if you have a valid claim. If you do, then you could be put in contact with one of our solicitors.
To get started, you can:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Use the live chat feature.
- Contact us online.
Helpful links
You’ve nearly reached the end of our guide to playground accident claims. Therefore, in this final section, we’ve included some extra resources, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim For a Child Injury?
If your child has been injured, find out how much compensation you can claim for your child. So, contact us for free legal advice and how to start a No Win No Fee child injury claim.
How To Claim Compensation Against The Council?
If the local council’s negligence causes an accident, see if you can claim compensation and get free legal advice.
Further Useful Guides
- How Much Compensation for An Accident Causing An Injury At An Airport?
- A Guide To Slipped On Water In A Supermarket Claims
- Vegan Restaurant Allergic Reaction Claims Guide
- How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Leisure Centre Accident?
- How deep does a pothole have to be to claim?
- Public Park Accident Claims Guide
Thank you for reading our guide to playground accident claims.