If a gym injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Gym injuries can interrupt your fitness journey and can be a result of faulty equipment, improper training, or inadequate guidance. If you've been injured at a gym, you may be able to claim compensation, particularly if your injury was due to the gym's oversight or negligence.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a gym accident, we can help. Whether your injuries were caused by a slip or trip, fall, faulty equipment, or other incident, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

Things to consider when you claim for a gym injury

  • The operators and owners of public spaces must take reasonable steps to keep people safe.
  • Even if you have signed a waiver exempting the gym for liability, you can still make an injury claim under UK law.
  • If you have been injured by faulty equipment, you could claim compensation from the manufacturer.
  • You can make a claim within 3 years of your injury date.
  • The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your injury and any financial losses or expenses. Use our compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive.
  • You can claim on a no win, no fee basis.

With 1.5 million sports and leisure injuries each year, you are not alone

Across the UK, an estimated 1.5 million sports and leisure injuries occur each year (emj.bmj.com).

Gyms, with their array of treadmills, rowers, and weight training equipment, pose unique risks to gymgoers. The complexity and weight of some gym equipment increase the likelihood and severity of potential injuries.

Common gym accidents include injuries from faulty machines, misuse of complex or heavy equipment, poor advice from gym staff and personal trainers, and environmental hazards like loose mats or wet floors.

If an injury results from malfunctioning equipment, incorrect guidance from staff, or lack of proper safety measures, the gym may be held liable. Our experience includes handling claims for typical gym injuries like sprains, torn cartilage, and fractures.

How much compensation can I claim for a gym injury?

The compensation you can claim for an accident at a gym is based on:

  • how severe your injury is,
  • the effect of your injury on your daily routine and ability to work,
  • any expenses or financial setbacks caused by your injury.

Gym injury compensation calculator

Find out how much compensation you could claim in just a few minutes. Check your legal eligibility and see if you qualify for a No Win, No Fee claim.

Updated February 2025 Compensation Calculator v3.1

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your gym injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.

Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include physiotherapy and pain medication.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average gym injury compensation payouts

The following gym injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Ankle injury

Example Amount
Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery Up to £15,250
A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms £15,250 to £29,500
Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected £34,740 to £55,540

Elbow injury

Example Amount
Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms Up to £3,920
Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms Up to £7,210
Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms or damage Up to £13,970

Finger injury

Example Amount
Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring Up to £5,270
Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis £10,110 to £13,570
Fractures that cause deformity, affect sensation, and/or have a long term affect on your grip and ability to use your hand Up to £40,760

Hand injury

Example Amount
A fracture or break recovering within 6 months, and/or with scarring, tenderness and pain in cold weather Up to £5,270
Moderate crush injuries, penetrating wounds, or deep cuts £6,280 to £14,730
Serious crush injury that causes impaired function andthat cannot be resolved with surgery £16,040 to £32,170

Knee injury

Example Amount
E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury Up to £15,250
More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness £16,460 to £29,050
E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery £29,050 to £48,210

Leg injury

Example Amount
Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces £10,110 to £15,620
Incomplete fracture recovery with ongoing symptoms £19,930 to £30,800

Wrist injury

Example Amount
Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months £3,920 to £5,260
Uncomplicated Colles' fracture Around £8,250
Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery £6,750 to £11,480

Am I entitled to make a gym injury claim?

You can claim compensation for a gym injury, if:

  • you became ill within the last 3 years, and;
  • another party was to blame, and;
  • that party owed a duty of care to protect you from foreseeable risks.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

Can I claim if I feel I was partly to blame?

Identifying who is legally responsible for a claimant's injuries is not always obvious.

In our 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.

Claiming compensation is still an option even if you were partly at fault. These contributory negligence cases are typically resolved with a split-liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

What are the responsibilities of a gym?

There are no specific health and safety that apply specifically to gyms.

Gym operators must, however, comply with more general legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work (HSAW) Act 1974.

Compliance involves undertaking an assessment of the health and safety risks to users and implementing measures to control them. This could include:

  • Regular checking of all equipment and adherence to safety standards
  • Continual monitoring of potential slip or fall hazards e.g. such as liquids, mats and free weights
  • Routine and frequent training of all staff members
  • All gym members being shown how to use equipment by qualified staff and explanatory signs put up
  • Guidelines for gym users which cover dress, wiping down, putting equipment away and reporting defects

See also:

Sports-related injury claims

How can negligence by proven?

An injured gym goer's solicitor must prove that the gym was negligent to make a successful claim. In order to prove this breach, or negligence, it must be shown that the gym operator failed to reasonably carry out their duty of care towards the injured person, the claimant.

Proving there was a breach, and that this breach was the cause of the claimant's injuries, involves providing evidence such as:

  • Medical records of the injuries sustained
  • Witness accounts of the incident
  • Photographs of faulty equipment or the offending hazard In addition

Claimants should avoid admitting liability at the scene.

What about waivers and disclaimers?

'Disclaimers', 'waivers' or 'exemption clauses' are terms that seek to exclude or limit liability. Exemption clauses are common and take many different forms. If, however, the clause hinders the signee in seeking redress from an organisation that has failed in its duty of care, the clause may be considered unfair.

Under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, gym operators who ask members to sign contractual waivers or post disclaimer notices cannot be excluded from negligence relating to personal injury.

How about home gym equipment?

Compensation is also possible for injuries sustained using home gym equipment. In this instance liability could be attributed to the manufacturer if, for example, the product was faulty or did not pass the strict safety measures in place to protect consumers.

Gym accident compensation claims advice

If you have been injured in a gym accident you should always seek medical advice whether from your GP, walk in centre or accident and emergency department. Seeking early advice can help both diagnose injuries and guide you towards appropriate physiotherapy.

To give you claim the best chance of success, you should also try to do as many of the following as possible:

  • obtain names and addresses of any witnesses to the accident
  • take photos of the cause of the accident, and of your injuries
  • request, in writing, any CCTV footage of the accident - a solicitor can assist with this

It is worth following the above steps even if you have not yet decided to make a claim.

How did your gym injury happen?

Making a successful gym injury compensation claim begins with understanding whether the gym, the equipment manufacturer or another party is ultimately liable. Please select from the following icons for more information:

Can I make a no win, no fee gym injury claim?

Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim gym injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.

Find out more about how no win, no fee claims work

Get expert advice now

Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?

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Call 0800 376 1001

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Sources

Chris Salmon, Director

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director