A Guide To Accident At A Leisure Centre Claims – How Much Compensation Can I Claim? – How To Sue A Leisure Centre?

Below, you’ll find a guide to making a compensation claim if you have been the victim of an accident at a leisure centre. It covers many of the common causes of such claims, why you might be eligible to claim in your case, and how to get started.

Given every claim is unique, you might have unanswered questions after reading this guide. If you do, please speak to one of our claims advisors on 0161 696 9685. They will be able to give you the answers that you need, as well as offer advice on your claim, and if you’d like to proceed, they’ll help you to do so.

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A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Accident At A Leisure Centre

Accident at leisure centre injury claims guide

Accident at leisure centre injury claims guide

This guide provides information about the legal process related to making a claim for an accident at a leisure centre. Within it, you will find information such as:

  • A definition of what a leisure centre accident is, as well as why you may be eligible to make a claim, and how the concept of liability works.
  • A table that lists many kinds of common injuries and also the typical range of compensation that is paid for them.
  • We have provided several sections, each of which relates to one of the common types of claims for an accident at a leisure centre, this includes:
    • Injuries caused by faulty equipment.
    • Slips, trips and falls.
    • Swimming pool accidents.
    • Accidents in a spa.
    • Accidents in a gym.
    • Waterborne illnesses and food-related illnesses.
    • Accidents involving a member of staff at a leisure centre.
  • An examination of how a leisure centre must comply with all health and safety legislation about the leisure and exercise sector and the duty of care owed to customers.
  • Information about the time limits that are in place to make a claim and within which you will need to make your compensation claim.
  • A brief overview of the process of getting your claim started, as well as an introduction to the national claims service we offer claimants.

If you have any questions about the information you have read in this guide, or generally need some advice about a claim, speak to one of our claim advisors on the number at the top of this page.

What Is An Accident In A Leisure Centre?

Leisure centre statistics

Leisure centre statistics

Take a look at the graph above; it shows the number of accidental drowning deaths in the UK. More specific research conducted by the National Water Safety Forum in 2010 found a total of 420 water-related deaths that year, of which 6 occurred in swimming pools and 24 in hot-tubs, baths or jacuzzis. Although the numbers may not seem high, it shows that the risk of harm or injury is present. An accident at a leisure centre, if proven to be the fault of the operator, could form the basis of a claim.

This is the pivotal point when judging eligibility to make a claim. The leisure centre operator must have been at least partially at fault for causing the accident. If you contributed to the accident in some way, your legal team may have to agree to a lowered percentage of liability with the defendant, and the settlement that you receive would be apportioned in line with this.

Source

http://www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk/pages/news98.html

Top Ten Types Of Accident At A Leisure Centre

There are several areas within a leisure centre that could be seen as riskier when it comes to suffering an injury. There are also a number of hazards that are more serious than others. For example:

  • Injuries caused by faulty equipment.
  • Slips, trips and falls.
  • Swimming pool accidents.
  • Accidents in a spa.
  • Accidents in a gym.
  • Waterborne illnesses contracted by swimming in a contaminated pool or using a contaminated steam room.
  • Food-related illnesses and allergic reactions.
  • Accidents involving a member of staff at a leisure centre.
  • Injuries caused by professional negligence on the part of a trainer or swimming pool attendant.
  • Injuries caused by using inadequate protective clothing and support.

We will cover many of these common claims in the sections below. However, we can help with any claims, not only those listed above.

How Much Leisure Centre Accident Compensation Can I Claim?

Instead of adding a personal injury claims calculator to this page, which tends to be somewhat inaccurate, we have provided this table that is based on a legal publication known as the Judicial College Guidelines. This is used by solicitors and the courts to value claims.  As you can see, the table shows compensation ranges for a number of types of injuries.

What Injury?How Severe?Typical PaymentNotes
Back injurySevere£91,090 to £160,980Cases of the most severe injury involving damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots, leading to a combination of serious consequences not normally found in cases of back injury. There will be severe pain and disability with a combination of incomplete paralysis and significantly impaired bladder, bowel, and sexual function.
Neck injuryMinorUp to £2,450Recovery within 3 months.
Toe injuryModerate Toe InjuriesUp to £9,600These injuries include relatively straightforward fractures or the exacerbation of a pre-existing degenerative condition or laceration injuries to one or more toes.
Ankle injuryModerate£13,740 to £26,590Fractures, ligamentous tears and the like which give rise to less serious disabilities such as difficulty in walking on uneven ground, difficulty standing or walking for long periods of time, awkwardness on stairs, irritation from metal plates, and residual scarring There may also be a risk of future osteoarthritis.
Foot injuryModestUp to £13,740Simple metatarsal fractures, ruptured ligaments, puncture wounds and the like.
Leg injuryLess Serious £17,960 to £27,760In the case of fracture injuries, the injured person will have made a reasonable recovery but will be left with a metal implant and/or defective gait, a limp, impaired mobility, sensory loss, discomfort or an exacerbation of a pre-existing disability.
Hand injuryModerate£5,720 to £13,280Crush injuries, penetrating wounds, soft tissue type and deep lacerations.
Wrist injuryMinorIn the region of £7,430An uncomplicated Colles' fracture.
Arm injuryMinor£6,610 to £19,200Simple fracture of the forearm.
Finger injuryFracture of Index Finger£9,110 to £12,240This level is appropriate where a fracture has mended quickly but grip has remained impaired, there is pain on heavy use, and osteoarthritis is likely in due course.
Thumb injuryLoss of Thumb£35,520 to £54,830Loss of Thumb

For a more accurate estimate of how much you could potentially claim in compensation, speak to one of our claim advisors today.

How Compensation Is Calculated For Accidents And Injuries At Leisure Centres

When you make a leisure centre accident claim, if you are successful, the settlement package you receive may consist of two heads of claim: special damages and general damages.

General damages are designed to compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity inflicted by your injuries. We’ve covered potential awards for general damages in the section above. 

Special damages are intended to compensate you for any financial losses or expenses incurred as a result of the injury. The types of things you can claim for include:

  • Medication costs, such as for prescriptions or over the counter painkillers;
  • Travel costs to and from the likes of hospital or physiotherapist appointments;
  • If you had to take time off work and did not receive full pay, you can recover what was lost, as well as any bonuses.
  • If the injuries prevent you from returning to our existing job, you may be able to claim for future loss of earnings too.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to claiming for special damages is to keep all receipts, invoices, bank statements and the like, as, without evidence, they will be difficult to claim for.

Claims For Injuries Caused By Faulty Equipment

Many fitness centre accident claims are started due to an injury caused by faulty equipment, and this covers all facilities, such as:

  • Faulty showers, causing a scald.
  • Cracked tiles around a swimming pool, leading to cuts.
  • Broken chairs, causing a fall.
  • A faulty razor socket, leading to an electric shock.

No matter what kind of equipment caused your injury, we should be able to process the claim for you. Speak to one of our claim advisors to learn how.

Claims For Slips, Trips, And Falls In A Leisure Centre

Slip, trip and falls are a common type of claim and one of the most frequent a personal injury solicitor will process. They can happen anywhere, and at any time, due to hazards such as:

  • Wet floors in a leisure centre bathroom.
  • Food spilt on the floor of a café or restaurant.
  • Broken or uneven paving slabs in the car park.
  • Damaged floor coverings in a squash or badminton court such as warped wooden floorboards.
  • Obstructions left by cleaning or maintenance staff.

No matter how your slip, trip or fall happened, we can help you. Speak to our claims team to learn more.

Claims For Accidents At A Leisure Centre Swimming Pool

A swimming pool can be a dangerous place. There is the ever-present risk of drowning, especially if no staff are on hand to supervise swimmers. Insufficient signposting is also a risk for swimmers. A swimming pool accident could arise if a person dives into the shallow end instead of the deep end. And of course, cracked tiles in the swimming pool itself can cause a nasty swimming pool injury, such as a deep cut. If you were injured in the swimming pool at your local leisure centre, then if the operator is to blame, we can help you to make a claim.

Claims For Injuries And Illness At A Spa

A health spa presents some unique hazards which could result in a spa accident, a spa injury, or a spa illness. Such as:

  • A masseur causing an injury to a customer.
  • Contact with an allergenic substance, such as citrus or nut-based oils that cause a  reaction.
  • An illness contracted due to using a contaminated sauna or steam room.
  • An illness caught by using towels and bathrobes that have not been cleaned properly.

If the spa operator is to blame for the illness or injury you suffered, then we should be able to help you make a claim. Speak to a claim advisor, and they will tell you how.

Claims For Accidents And Injuries In Fitness Centres Or Gyms

Gym injury

Gym injury

A gym is one of the most dangerous facilities a leisure centre offers. Equipment is often heavy and can be damaged, which can lead to a serious accident. Furthermore, people using the gym need supervision. Otherwise, they may use the equipment incorrectly, causing a serious injury. The leisure centre is required to ensure the gym is safe, and that users of the gym are shown how to use the equipment and are supervised at all times. If this doesn’t happen and it leads to an accident, a personal injury lawyer should be able to process a claim.

Claims For Food Poisoning Or Waterborne Illnesses

The restaurant, café or coffee shop within a leisure centre, is required to comply with all food hygiene legislation. If there is a failure in this compliance, and this leads to a customer contracting a food-related illness, such as food poisoning, then you may have grounds to make a claim. Additionally, it could be possible to claim for an allergic reaction, due to eating food that has not been labelled properly, or after being given the wrong dietary information by serving staff.

The same is true if a customer contracts a waterborne illness using either a sauna, steam room or swimming pool. We can assist with these types of claims too; please speak to one of our claims team to proceed.

Claims For Accidents In A Leisure Centre Car Park

If you are involved in a leisure centre crash in the car park, then if another driver of a vehicle was to blame, you should be able to make a claim against them. The same is also true if the accident was caused by a hazard was caused by something that was the fault of the leisure centre operator, such as a damaged railing that caused damage to your car. In this case, you would claim against the operator of the leisure centre.

Claims For Leisure Centre Workplace Accidents

A leisure centre has to comply with legislation such as the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, as well as the health and safety regulations that relate to the leisure industry. This is a legal requirement; it is not optional. If compliance protocols fail, and this leads to a member of staff being injured in some way, then a valid reason to make a personal injury claim could exist.

Leisure Centre Health And Safety And Duty Of Care

As mentioned above, a leisure centre must comply with all health and safety legislation that relates to the leisure industry, and also the foodservice industry if there is an integral food outlet within the centre. The Health and Safety Executive undertakes regular evaluation of compliance, and the punishment for failing to comply fully can be harsh. In extreme cases, it could result in the loss of the leisure centre’s trading licence. Therefore, a claim will almost always be possible if a health and safety breach was the cause of an injury to a member of the public, or a member of staff.

Time Limits For Claiming Compensation For An Accident In A Leisure Centre

There is a personal injury claims time limit in place that you need to start your claim within. Otherwise, you will not be eligible to claim. These limits are:

Claim TypeTime Limit
Accident at work claim3 years from the date of the accident.
Personal Injury Claim (accident in a public place)3 years from the date of the accident.

How To Start Claims For Accidents At A Leisure Centre

If you have been the victim of an accident at a leisure centre, or an accident at a spa, then we can help you to make a claim, if the accident was not your fault. Use the telephone number below to speak to one of our claim advisors. They will talk you through our new claims process, and recommend a simple and effective way for you to get your claim started today, in a manner that is entirely risk-free from a financial standpoint.

No Win, No Fee Claims For An Accident At A Leisure Centre

Our national No Win No Fee claims service has been designed to help people claim with little financial risk at all. There is no fee to start a claim, and no fee during the claim too. There is also no fee if your claim does not succeed. If your claim is successful, your solicitor may seek a small contribution toward their costs. This contribution forms a percentage of your compensation and is known as a success fee. Don’t worry, success fees are legally capped!

How Our Advisors Can Help You

If you have been the victim of an accident at a leisure centre that wasn’t your fault, we should be able to help you. We will always try to a) get you the maximum level of compensation, and b) do everything possible to win your claim. We use plain English with no jargon to explain everything to you and will keep you updated every step of the way. You can follow our simple three-step process below to start your claim.

Talk to a claim advisor by phone, email or web chat.Let the claim advisor evaluate your claim.If appropriate, we can move on to processing your claim.

Contact Our Advisors

Were you injured in an accident at a leisure centre that was not your fault? Do you think the operator of the leisure centre was to blame? If so, reach out to our claims team today on 0161 696 9685. They will let you know whether you have a valid claim, and help to get it started if you do.

Additional Advice For Victims Of Leisure Centre Accidents

These few links below give useful information that could be related to your claim:

Health & Safety for leisure activities

Health & Safety for swimming pools

The Occupiers Liability Act

Work Place Rights

No Win, No Fee Claims

You can learn more about public liability claims in our guides below:

 

Guide by CR

Edited by DEG