Last Updated 13th January 2026. When attending a sports club or activity such as football, we expect to have fun through this form of exercise. However, sports injury claims could arrive if injuries are suffered if the party in control of the sporting facility acted negligently. Depending on what injuries you suffered, you may also be unable to continue participating in this particular sport, which could also affect your mental wellbeing.
Regardless of what physical or psychological harm you have suffered, we want to help you claim compensation for your sport injury. Our friendly team of advisors can offer your free advice for your personal injury claim and could also connect you with our specialist solicitors. They have decades of experience working on sports injury compensation claims, and could help you throughout the entire claiming process on a No Win No Fee basis.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What types of sports injuries could I claim for? Injuries such as fractures, soft tissue injuries and sprains could all be claimed for as part of a sports injury claim.
- What types of activities could lead to sports injuries? Activities such as tennis, rugby, horse riding and football could lead to sport injuries.
- How could sports injuries be suffered? Defectives on the sporting ground, such as holes in a football pitch, and faulty sports equipment could lead to injuries being suffered.
- Could I claim for a sport injury my child suffered? Yes, you could claim compensation on behalf of your child by acting as their litigation friend.
- How could a No Win No Fee solicitor help me? One of our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you with gathering supporting evidence, negotiating your compensation and handling all communication with the defending party.
To see whether you could be eligible to make a sports injury compensation claim and to receive free advice for your case, you can contact our advisors.
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What Are Sports Injury Claims?
Whether you are participating in or a spectator at a sporting activity, you may be owed a duty of care. Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, parties who are in control of a public space have a duty of care to keep visitors reasonably safe.
If you are participating in a sporting activity, such as horse riding, football or rugby, you accept that there is a potential risk of harm. However, those providing the activity and/or facilities have a duty to reduce unnecessary or avoidable risks. If any risks are preventable, they should be managed or removed.
For example, if a defect develops on an astroturf football pitch and the occupier becomes aware of it, then they should take steps to fix it. Otherwise, it presents a foreseeable risk of injury.
The general criteria personal injury claims must meet are that:
- Another party had a duty of care to you.
- This party breached their duty of care.
- You were harmed as a direct result of this.
Please contact our team for more information on when you could make a sports injury compensation claim.
Who Can I Make A Sports Injury Compensation Claim Against?
Sports injury compensation claims will be made against the party who owed you a duty of care at the time of the accident. This is in line with the criteria set out above. The party responsible may be:
- An individual, such as an opponent (although these cases can be difficult to establish).
- A sports club or organisation.
- The venue where the activity took place. The occupier of a venue may be a private company or local authority.
If successful, your compensation will likely be paid by the insurance provider of the party responsible for your accident and sports injuries. When you contact our team, we can determine who may be responsible for your accident. One of our personal injury solicitors could then help you to build a successful case against them.
Can I Make A Claim If I Was Injured As A Spectator?
As a spectator, you should assume much lower risk than those participating in a sporting activity. However, spectators may also suffer injuries at sports venues. A spectator could be injured due to poorly maintained facilities and grounds, a lack of proper crowd control, or a general lack of safety measures at the sports venue.
Please get in touch with our experts about making a sports injury compensation claim today.
How Can A Sporting Injury Happen?
Sports accidents could happen in a myriad of different ways. They could affect those participating in sporting activities or spectators. You could have been injured participating in a mountain bike activity, in an activity centre or at a swimming pool.
Potential causes of a sports accident could include,
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- Faulty equipment – those providing sporting equipment (such as a leisure centre, gym, or sports club) must take reasonable ensure that any equipment provided is safe to use. This may extend to equipment which has been hired. If it was poorly maintained or faulty and caused an accident, you could make a claim.
- Faulty facilities – this may include accidents caused by poor lighting, damaged stairways, defective and broken sporting surfaces which can cause slip, trip and fall. Again, reasonable steps must be taken to address such issues.
- Poor signage or a lack of warning signs – accidents and incidents may be caused by poor signage, such as warning people of slippery surfaces.
- Inadequate instruction – an instructor, organiser or other responsible party may fail to provide proper instruction on how to safely participate in an activity. Staff may not have been properly trained in how to do so. Instructors or organisers may also have proceeded with the activity in an unsafe location or unsafe conditions, such as poor or dangerous weather conditions during watersports.
- Lack of proper safety measures – spectators could be injured if the event is overcrowded, does not have adequate crowd control or is not properly lit.
If you have been injured either as a spectator or participant in a sporting activity, you could have grounds to claim compensation. Contact us for more information on sports injury claims.
How Much Compensation Could You Get For A Sports Injury?
We can not say how much compensation for a sports injury you may be awarded. This is because when you claim compensation your case will be assessed on its individual merits.
If you choose to claim through one of our solicitors, they will assess your case. They will note down what injuries you have suffered and how serious these are. They will also take account of any other ways in which you have been impacted by the incident.
Compensation awarded for your injury can be awarded in line with the Judicial College guidelines (JCG). The JCG contains guidelines on amounts which could be awarded for different forms of harm, such as sports injuries.
Below, we present examples from the JCG. Row one has not been taken from the JCG and includes damages for lost earnings and other costs. These types of losses will be explored below.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple types of injury and financial loss | Serious or severe | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Head/ brain injury | A - very severe | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| C - moderate (ii) | £110,720 to £183,190 | |
| Neck injury | A - severe (ii) | £80,240 to £159,770 |
| Knee injury | A - severe (i) | £85,100 to £117,410 |
| Back injury | A - severe (ii) | £90,510 to £107,910 |
| Ankle injury | B - Severe | £38,210 to £61,090 |
| Foot injury | F - moderate | £16,770 to £30,500 |
| Achilles tendon injury | C - moderate | £15,370 to £25,710 |
| Shoulder injury | B - serious | £15,580 to £23,430 |
Can A Sports Injury Compensation Claim Cover Lost Earnings?
You could be awarded compensation for special damages, such as for loss of earnings in addition to the compensation outlined above. Financial losses can include a wide range of different types of costs and losses which may have been caused by your sporting accident.
You could claim compensation for expenses such as:
- Lost earnings and other lost income.
- Medical costs and expenses such as physiotherapy costs, medication, medical treatment or other care required.
- The cost of travelling to attend medical appointments.
You will need to submit evidence of these losses and how they were caused by your sports accident in order to claim for them. For example, you could present wage slips showing how you lost income due to taking time off work to recover from your sporting injury.
Please contact one of our experts to learn more about how much compensation for a personal injury you could claim.
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How Long Do I Have To Make A Sports Injury Claim
As with most personal injury claims, you will generally have 3 years to start your claim from the date on which you were injured. This is due to the Limitation Act 1980.
However, the limit for claiming sports injury compensation may be different if the case involves a person who is:
- Mentally incapacitated
- Below the age of 18
Since a person cannot make decisions for a claim themselves under these circumstances, there is a freeze on the limitation period. Once the person either reaches the age of 18 or recovers their mental capacity (if they ever do recover this), the 3-year time period for making a claim can begin.
This can cause concern for the loved ones and family members of the impacted person, as it may take a long time before they can claim compensation for themselves. However, there is another route to claim whereby an eligible person represents the claim on their behalf. This role is referred to as a litigation friend, and it requires you to act in the best interest of the person you are representing.
If you have queries about the time limit for sports injury claims or you would like to know if you might be eligible to act as a litigation friend, reach out to our advisory team today. They offer free advice with no strings attached, so why not make an enquiry?
Make A Claim With No Win No Fee Sports Injury Solicitors
If you have suffered a sports injury in an accident which was not your fault, the last thing you should be worrying about is the cost of claiming compensation. At Legal Expert, our solicitors help people to claim compensation without having to pay upfront for any solicitor’s fees. Nor would you have to pay ongoing solicitor’s fees either.
Instead, if one of our solicitors thinks you have a valid claim they could take your case on, on a No Win No Fee basis. To do so, they will offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). By using a CFA, you will only need to pay for the solicitor’s services if your case is successful and at the end of the case. At this point, you would be charged a success fee. If the case is not successful, there is nothing to pay for the solicitor’s services.
The success fee is subject to a maximum size, set as a percentage of the compensation, meaning you will keep the majority of the damages.
Contact Us
If you have been injured in any of the circumstances described in this guide or otherwise harmed in a sports injury, contact our team.
- You can call one of our advisors today on 0800 073 8804 for more information on sports injury claims.
- Complete our contact form to start your claim online.
- Discuss your case with one of our team using our online chat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below, you can find more information on claiming sports injury compensation with our FAQ:
Can I Make a Sports Injury Claim If the Accident Was Not My Fault?
Yes. If your sports injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to make a claim. This could include unsafe facilities, poor supervision, faulty equipment, or reckless behaviour by another participant that went beyond the accepted risks of the sport.
Who Can Be Held Responsible in a Sports Injury Claim?
Responsibility may lie with a coach, referee, school, employer, gym operator, event organiser, or equipment manufacturer. Liability depends on who owed you a duty of care and whether that duty was breached.
What Evidence Is Needed for a Sports Injury Compensation Claim?
Common evidence includes medical records, accident reports, witness statements, photographs or videos of the incident, and proof of financial losses such as lost earnings or treatment costs.
Are Sports Injury Claims Different From Other Personal Injury Claims?
The legal principles are similar, but sports injury claims often involve assessing whether the injury was an accepted risk of the sport or caused by negligence beyond normal play.
Can I Claim Compensation for a Sports Injury at Work or School?
Yes. If the injury occurred during work-related sport, physical training, or school activities and was caused by inadequate supervision or unsafe conditions, a claim may be possible.
Can Amateur Athletes Make Sports Injury Claims?
Yes. Amateur athletes have the same legal rights as professionals if their injury was caused by negligence rather than the normal risks of participation.
Can Professional Athletes Claim Sports Injury Compensation?
Yes. Professional athletes can claim where injuries result from negligent training practices, unsafe environments, or faulty equipment, even though higher risks are inherent in elite sport.
Can I Claim for a Sports Injury Caused by Faulty Equipment?
Yes. If defective or poorly maintained equipment caused your injury, a claim may be brought against the manufacturer, supplier, or organisation responsible for providing it.
Can I Make a Sports Injury Claim Against a Gym or Sports Centre?
Yes. Gyms and sports centres have a duty to maintain safe premises and equipment. Claims may arise from faulty machines, overcrowding, or inadequate instruction.
What Types of Sports Injuries Can I Claim Compensation For?
Claims can cover fractures, ligament and tendon injuries, head injuries, spinal injuries, soft tissue damage, and psychological injuries linked to the accident.
How Long Do Sports Injury Claims Usually Take to Settle?
Timescales vary. Straightforward claims may settle within months, while more complex cases involving serious injuries can take longer due to medical evidence and negotiations.
Can I Make a Sports Injury Claim on Behalf of a Child?
Yes. A parent or guardian can bring a claim on behalf of a child. Time limits are extended, meaning the child can also bring a claim themselves once they reach adulthood. They would be appointed as a litigation friend to act on behalf of the injured child.
Further Resources On Personal Injury Compensation
In this final part of our guide, you can find additional helpful resources and related information on personal injury compensation claims and dealing with sports injuries.
- If you were injured in a leisure centre accident, you can find out how to claim compensation here.
- If you were injured in a council or local authority maintained facility you can find out here how to make a claim against them.
- Find out how much you could claim for a head injury in this guide.
External resources
- You can learn more about how to provide immediate first aid to an injured person in this NHS guide.
- You can find guidance on how to safely run an amateur sports club in this resource from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Thank you for reading our guide to sports injury claims. If you have been injured in any of the circumstances described in this guide please contact our team for more information.