Written by Howard Willis Edited by Chris Salmon Share:

Key advice when you claim for a playground accident

  • Playground injuries are often linked to inadequate supervision, defective equipment, or improper setup.
  • Claims are typically made against the playground owner, local authority, school, maintenance company, or supervising staff.
  • The compensation awarded to your child will depend on the severity of their injury and any financial costs or losses incurred. Use our calculator to see what you could claim.
  • A parent or guardian can start a claim on a child's behalf anytime before their 18th birthday. Once they turn 18, the child then has 3 more years, until their 21st birthday, to make a claim themselves.
  • A solicitor can help you claim no win, no fee compensation.

Every step of your child's recovery matters. We're here to help.

Playgrounds should be safe spaces for children, but accidents can happen, sometimes leading to serious injuries. If your child has been hurt in a playground accident, you can claim compensation to support their recovery.

Whether the injury was caused by faulty equipment, poor maintenance, or lack of supervision, a personal injury solicitor can help you navigate the process and pursue a No Win, No Fee claim on your child’s behalf.

You are not alone - 40,000 children are hurt on playgrounds a year

Playgrounds are a common source of accidents involving children. In many cases, injuries are minor and are a result of normal play activities.

In some cases, however, more serious injury can arise as the result of negligence on the part of the school, council or other party responsible for the upkeep of the playground.

Following an injury, an estimated 40,000 children are injured on UK playgrounds every year (rospa.com).

In such cases, you may be able to claim compensation, either for your own injuries or on behalf of your child.

If you decide to make a playground accident claim, your personal injury solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

How much compensation can I claim for a playground injury?

Compensation for an accident on a playground is based on:

  • how severe your injury is,
  • the disruption caused by your injury to your daily life and work,
  • the losses and expenses you?ve incurred as a result of your injury.

Playground 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 January 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 will be awarded for any lost earnings, loss of commission or bonuses, and loss of pension contributions. It may also be possible to claim for loss of future earnings, if the medical prognosis establishes that you won't be able to work for any period in the future.

These damages will also cover the cost of any medical procedures you might need to treat or recover from your playground injury such as diagnostic imaging tests, physical therapy and pain management.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average playground injury general damages compensation table

The following playground 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 fracture with full recovery Up to £13,140
Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces £10,110 to £15,620

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

Claiming compensation for playground accidents

You may be able to claim compensation for injuries sustained in a playground if you can prove that there was a defect or problem with the play equipment or ground surface.

Common playground defects that may cause injury and give rise to a claim include:

  • Broken play equipment
  • Damaged play equipment with exposed sharp edges
  • Loose seating or handles on play equipment
  • Damaged soft flooring
  • Hard or uneven flooring close to play equipment
  • Protruding obstacles that are a trip hazard
  • Dangerous fencing such as barbed wire
  • Exposed nails, wood, metal or other sharp objects
  • Missing footholds or steps on high equipment
  • Poorly maintained moving equipment such as roundabouts, zip lines or swings

Identifying who is to blame

Your compensation claim will be made against the company or authority responsible for maintaining the playground. Playgrounds in public parks are usually owned by local councils, who have a duty of care to ensure the playground is a safe area for children to play.

Local councils must reasonably and responsibly inspect and maintain the play park in order to avoid any of the defects listed above being a risk to children. If they have failed to safely maintain the park, this is negligence, and a compensation claim may be made against them.

Privately-owned play areas

If the play park is owned by a private body, for example the National Trust, an occupier's liability claim will be made against that owner or occupier.

Often private bodies will have different rules and regulations in place around the use of the play area. Owners and occupiers may attempt to protect themselves against injury claims by clearly signposting that children play at their own risk, and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

There may be a case for a compensation claim if signage was not clearly displayed, and the presence of signage alone does not automatically protect the operator of a playground against claims. Whether a claim is likely to succeed in situations where signs are displayed will depend on the facts of the case.

Can a parent or guardian claim for lost earnings?

If your child has been injured in an accident at a playground as the result of the operator's negligence, you will be able to claim for the pain and suffering caused as a result of the injury.

While your child will not be eligible to claim for income lost as a result of the injury, a parent or guardian may be able to claim for this if they have to take time off work to care for the child.

What caused your child's playground injury?

The compensation process will depend on what caused the playground injury. Click the icons below to learn more:

Work accidents icon Work accidents Public places icon Public places Other accidents icon Other accidents

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

Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim playground 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?

  • Calls are FREE
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  • No obligation to claim
  • No Win No Fee solicitors

Call 0800 376 1001

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Sources

Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor

Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor