Sports injury
compensation claims

What to consider when making a sports injury claim

• If your injury was caused by the negligence of another player, beyond the scope of the sporting activity, you may be able to claim compensation.
• You can also claim if your injury was caused by poorly maintained facilities, such as a slip on a wet floor, faulty equipment or poor lighting.
• You may also be able to claim if your injury was caused by negligent guidance or supervision by a trainer or coach.
• You have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start a claim.
• You can claim on a no win, no fee basis.
• Your compensation is based on how serious your injury is, along with related losses and expenses. Check our compensation calculator to see how much you could claim.
• Compensation will also cover the impact of your injury on your life, hobbies, and ability to work.

Sidelined by a sports injury? We'll help you move forward

Playing sports can be a fun and healthy way to stay active, but injuries are always a risk. Whether you’re an amateur player, professional athlete, or just someone enjoying a casual game, a sports injury can cause serious disruption to your life. From fractures and torn ligaments to head injuries and concussions, the recovery process can be long and difficult.

If your sports injury was caused by faulty equipment, unsafe playing conditions, or another player’s reckless actions, you may be entitled to claim No Win, No Fee compensation with the help and support of a solicitor.

With almost 2% of hospital visits resulting from sports injuries, you are not alone

An estimated 1.7% of A&E attendances are as a result of a sports injury (parliament.uk).

How much compensation can I claim for a sports injury?

Your claim for an injury inflicted while playing sports will be based on:

• how significant your injury is,
• the effect of your injury on your everyday routine and your job,
• any financial impacts or losses resulting from your injury.

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 are for financial losses and expenses you have incurred because of your accident. In addition to paying for loss of income, including future loss of income, damage to sports clothing and equipment, special damages can cover any care costs and medical procedures you need, such as pain medication, physical therapy 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?

Claiming compensation for psychological injuries

Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.

According to our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.

Sports injuries often lead to frustration and anxiety about performance, recovery time, and future participation. Other sports-injury related conditions include depression, tension, anger and low self-esteem, particularly in competitive, seriously injured athletes

Compensation for psychological harm can help you access mental health support and therapies not always available through the NHS.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

Am I entitled to make a sports injury claim?

Yes, you can claim compensation for a sports injury, if:

• you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
• another person was responsible, and;
• that person owed you a duty of care.

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.

Is a claim still possible if I was partly responsible for my injury?

Understanding who is legally at fault for an accident often requires navigating through a maze of legal complexities.

Each year, Quittance carries out a survey of potential claimants. In our 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents felt they might be at least partly to blame for their injuries.

You can often still claim compensation even if you were partly to blame, as cases with shared fault usually settle with 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 start a sports injury claim?

An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.

For injured children, a claim can be started by a parent or guardian at any time before they turn 18. Thereafter, the injured individual has until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own.

Can I claim compensation for any sports injury?

Generally speaking, no. Whether you can claim for a given sports accident will depend on a wide range of factors, including what is or isn't permitted by the sports' ruling body, what reasonable risks are associated with the sport, and under what conditions the injury occurred.

Contact sports

Participants in contact sports such as martial arts, rugby or football are at greater risk of injury.

Football and rugby players frequently suffer leg fractures when tackles go wrong, and neck and back injuries are an ever-present risk in the scrum.

When assessing a claim, the courts must decide whether the injury resulted from an intentional or reckless disregard for players' safety. Compensation will not usually be awarded if the injury is viewed as an error of judgement or a sporting occupational hazard.

Non-contact Sports

Certain contact sports are inherently dangerous. For example, serious head and spinal injuries are common with horse riders. Dangerous drivers are supplier of faulty equipment might be held liable in a horse-riding injury claim.

Snowboarding or skiing accident claims are also common. Compensation claims might be brought against a resort operator if it can be established that proper safety precautions were not in place.

Injuries are also common in seemingly less dangerous sports. Injuries are common with golf and racquet-based sports.

Charlotte Fox of Green and Purple said, "Tennis injuries usually affect the lower extremities such as legs, knees, Achilles tendons and ankles. Injury rates range from around 1 to 6 per 1,000 hours of tennis - depending on the age and experience of the player."

Child Sports Injury Compensation Claims

Children are prone to falls and minor accidents which are often unavoidable. If your child is injured due to someone else's negligence, however, a compensation claim may be possible.

Schools have a legal duty of care for the safety of pupils and students. However, many personal injury compensation claims are made following a breach of the educational institution's duty of care.

To make a claim, a person or organisation must have been responsible for or contributed to the accident in some way. For example, if your child was injured on faulty equipment, or tripped in a playground that was not properly maintained, you may be able to claim against the school as it was negligent in its duty of care.

Injuries at school should be reported to the institution as soon as possible. A claimant should ensure that the accident is recorded in an accident book and should take the names and addresses of any witnesses. If possible, photographs should be taken of the area where the incident occurred. This will act as supporting evidence for the case.

If you decide to make a sports injury 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 deserve.

How could compensation help you?

An injury can have major repercussions for an injured person and their family.

Quittance's panel of specialist solicitors have a track record of securing compensation awards for:

• loss of earnings while you are unable to work
• loss of earnings if you are not able to work
• expected future medical care costs and any which you have already incurred
• travel costs and other expenses arising from the injury
• damage to personal possessions
• general pain and suffering including loss of amenity

Quittance's panel of personal injury specialists know that claiming compensation may not be an easy decision and will run through your options with you.

Helping sports people who have sustained an injury successfully claim compensation, your solicitor has acted on behalf of injured parties in a wide range of cases.

Court awards and settlements have been negotiated for injuries including cycling, running, football, rugby, hockey, cricket, skiing, snowboarding, motorsport, gym accidents and martial arts.

What are the chances of my claim being successful?

Bringing a successful claim often centres around witnesses. such as spectators or other players. Ideally the incident will have been seen by the referee or match official.

The three points needed to prove fault in a compensation claim:

• did the other side owe you a duty of care
• did they breach that duty
• did the breach cause your injuries

These considerations can be summed up as "Were they the cause of your injury "

Where it has been accepted by the defendant that they were responsible you likely have a very good chance of succeeding. If the other side does not accept full responsibility it may be harder to successfully negotiate compensation.

Whether liability is acknowledged or not, doing everything you can to help your case is strongly recommended. Your solicitor will advise on a recommended course of action. The steps you can take include:

• report the incident (e.g., in an accident book if injured at work)
• take photos of the scene
• gather witness statements from fellow players, match officials and spectators

What was the cause of your sports injury?

Your solicitor will consider where and how your sports injury occurred, as this can affect the type of claim you can make. Click on the icons below for more information.

Public places Work accidents Other accidents

Sources

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.