If a public park injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Public ark Injuries often occur from falls from playground swings and slides, sports accidents, or incidents involving park maintenance equipment.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a public park accident, we can help. Whether your injuries were caused by a slip, trip, fall or other incident, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for an accident in a public place with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
Key advice when making an accident in a public park claim
- The local council or park authority is usually responsible for maintaining the park. If they failed to keep the area safe, you could have grounds for a claim.
- You usually have up to 3 years from the date of the accident to make a claim. For children, the time limit extends to 3 years after their 18th birthday.
- Most public liability claims can be pursued on a 'no win, no fee' basis, negating the financial risk in seeking compensation.
- Get an estimate of your compensation with our online calculator.
- Collect evidence like photos of the hazard and witness statements to strengthen your claim.
Around 200,000 people are injured in parks every year - you are not alone
Slips, trips and falls are the most common injury sustained on council owned and operated public parks. In 2021/22 there were 223,101 hospital admissions from falls across all age brackets (fingertips.phe.org.uk).
According to ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) it is estimated that approximately 40,000 children are admitted to hospital each year after a playground accident (which includes those in public parks). Around 40 per cent of these accidents are related to the equipment.
Common causes of injury claims relating to the management of public parks include:
- Poor equipment design/failure to comply with standards
- Insufficient design and layout including inappropriate surfacing e.g. tarmac over matting or bark
- Unsuitable equipment for the intended age group
- Incorrect installation
- Inadequate inspection and maintenance dangerous/sharp parts or litter such as broken glass
Who is responsible for accidents in public parks?
Designed for community recreation, public parks are, in most cases, built and maintained by local councils.
Although the local authority is not responsible for actively supervising park users, they do have a responsibility to ensure that a park is kept in a safe condition for anyone to use, including children.
The Courts do not expect children to be as risk-aware as adults, and this must be reflected in a park's design and maintenance. This includes correct installation of good quality equipment and facilities and regular risk assessments and maintenance, including keeping it clean and tidy.
Accidents involving children are likely to result from a council's failure to fulfil their duty, as children are less risk averse and more likely to interact with hazards such as damaged play equipment.
This duty of care' falls under tort (common) law. Therefore, when a child is hurt by faulty play equipment or an adult suffers a fall due to an unmarked hazard in a public park, the local council could be held liable.
See also:
Claims for accidents in a public place
How can liability be proven?
When an accident happens, seeking medical attention is always the first priority. For serious injuries this can mean a hospital visit. The next step is to inform the local council responsible for that particular public park.
It is important to take note of the date, time and location of the incident. Any evidence gathered at the site of the accident, such as photographs or witness contact details will be extremely helpful in establishing who is at fault. CCTV footage can also be recovered and used if available.
Once an accident is reported, the local council should investigate the incident and produce a written report. This is often useful when making a claim, though you can still make an injury claim even if you did not immediately notify the council of the accident.
How much compensation can I claim for an accident in a public park?
The level of compensation you can claim for an accident in a public park will depend on:
- the degree of your injury,
- the effect your injury has on your daily routine and work life,
- any financial expenses or losses you?ve had due to the accident.
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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 public park 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 pain medication and psychological support.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average public park accident general damages compensation table
The following public park accident 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
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms | £15,250 to £29,500 |
| Severe | Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected | £34,740 to £55,540 |
Arm injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Forearm fracture(s) | Simple fracture to one or both forearms; | £7,330 to £21,300 |
| Less severe | Less severe injury to one or both arms, with onoing disability but good prospects for recovery | £21,300 to £43,460 |
Elbow injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery within 18 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £3,920 |
| Recovery between 18 to 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £7,210 |
| Recovery after 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms or damage | Up to £13,970 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Serious injury | to ring or middle finger | £11,450 to £18,130 |
| Finger fractures | 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 |
Foot injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Modest | Simple metatarsal fractures, ruptured ligaments, or puncture wounds | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | Displaced metatarsal fractures, deformity and/or continuing symptoms, where further surgery is required | £15,250 to £27,730 |
| Serious | Injuries affecting your mobility, including fracture of both heels or feet, heel fusion, osteoporosis, ulceration and symptoms including deformity that requires a brace | £27,730 to £43,490 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | 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
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simple tibia or fibula fracture | Simple fracture with full recovery | Up to £13,140 |
| Simple femur fracture | Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces | £10,110 to £15,620 |
Neck injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Soft tissue injury | £2,720 to £8,750 |
| Moderate | Fracture or dislocation injuries, or worsening of existing conditions, including wrenching, disc lesions and cervical spondylosis | £27,730 to £42,700 |
| Serious | Severe fractures, dislocation, soft tissue damage, ruptured tendons, and/or chronic disability | £50,450 to £62,120 |
Pelvis and hip injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Injury with no residual disability and complete recovery in under 2 years | £4,380 to £13,970 |
| Moderate | Ongoing symptoms but no major disability | £13,970 to £43,460 |
| Serious | Including fracture of acetabulum and injuries with a risk of future hip replacement surgery or leg instability | £43,460 to £58,250 |
Shoulder injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Soft tissue injury | Soft tissue injury with recovery in under 1 year, causing considerable pain | £2,720 to £8,750 |
| Clavicle fracture | Injuries causing some pain and disability, e.g. a displaced, fractured clavicle | £5,710 to £13,580 |
| Moderate | Soft tissue injury with recovery in under 2 years, and/or limited shoulder movement or frozen shoulder | £8,750 to £14,160 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
Am I eligible for public park accident compensation?
Yes, you can start a compensation claim for an accident in a public park, if:
- you became ill within the last 3 years, and;
- another person was responsible, and;
- that person owed a duty of care to prevent foreseeable hazards.
Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
Claiming when you're partially at fault
Personal injury claims often involve circumstances where there is some degree of blame on each side.
We found that, in our 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents were unsure as to which party was legally liable for their injuries.
When fault on both sides caused a claimant's injuries, this is called 'contributory negligence'. In these situations, compensation may still be payable on the basis of a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to make a public park injury claim?
In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.
For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.
What led to your public park injury?
Public park accident claims are usually referred to as public or occupiers' liability claims - depending on who owns or operates the park. Click on the icons below to learn more:
Can I make a no win, no fee public park injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim public park 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.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
- Confidential consultation
- No obligation to claim
- No Win No Fee solicitors
Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackSources
Public health profiles - OHID (reviewed: 27/07/2024)
Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.