Rugby Injury Compensation Claims

The physical nature of rugby means that there is an inherent risk of injury in most matches. While some knocks and injuries cannot be avoided, you could be entitled to claim compensation for others caused by negligence. As such, this guide on rugby injury compensation claims will help you understand your options if you or a loved one has been injured on a rugby pitch.

We also offer free legal advice if you call us for a no-obligation initial consultation. If you do call, a specially trained advisor will review how you were injured and explain your potential next steps. Where there are grounds to proceed with a claim, a personal injury lawyer on our panel might agree to represent you. If that’s the case, you’ll be represented on a No Win, No Fee basis. That means that no matter how long the claim takes, you’ll only pay legal fees if compensation is awarded.

You’ll find more about rugby injury compensation claims throughout this guide or you can call us on 0800 652 1345 to speak with a specialist.

Types of rugby injuries you could claim compensation for

Rugby injury claims may be possible for any injury resulting from someone else’s negligence. Here are some examples of common injuries that are claimed for:

Concussions are an obvious risk in rugby games and, as such, policymakers have written concussion protocols. These vary at different levels of the sport but essentially, concussed rugby players must not continue playing and must be closely monitored for a set number of days. If you have suffered a concussion during a rugby game and protocols were not followed, you could be entitled to claim for any additional suffering caused.

Can I claim compensation for a rugby injury?

In order for a personal injury solicitor to assist someone in claiming compensation for a rugby-related injury, they will initially examine the circumstances surrounding the injury to determine the following:

• Whether the defendant had a legal duty of care towards the claimant.
• Whether the defendant’s negligence resulted in an accident or incident during a rugby game.
• Whether the claimant sustained an injury during that accident or incident.

To help prove the above criteria if a rugby injury claim is taken on, your solicitor will need to review as much proof as possible. As such, we will explain the types of proof you could provide to improve the chances of winning your claim later on.

Common causes of rugby injury compensation claims

Due to the nature of the game, many rugby injuries are sustained within the regulations of the game and would not allow you to claim compensation. However, foreseeable or avoidable rugby injuries caused by some form of negligence could mean you’re entitled to lodge a claim. For example, you could be entitled to compensation for rugby injuries caused by:

• Poor pitch maintenance and dangerous ground conditions.
• Poor officiating of the game.
• Negligent medical treatment after being injured.
• Violence by another player or spectator.
• Damaged, faulty or poorly maintained equipment.
• Poor coaching advice.

As well as players, spectators at rugby matches could claim for injuries caused by negligence. This means that if you’re injured at the pitchside, in the car park or in the clubhouse and the accident was caused by the club’s negligence, a claim could be possible. Please call to find out more.

Can I claim compensation for being assaulted in a rugby match?

Unfortunately, rugby matches can sometimes turn violent and cause serious injuries. Not only have players assaulted one another but rugby referees and touch judges have been assaulted by players and spectators in the past.

If you’ve been assaulted during a game of rugby, you may have grounds to sue the club for failing to maintain a safe environment. If that’s not possible, you might have grounds to make a criminal injury claim.

This is a different type of claim that our solicitors can help with. It is funded by a government scheme that compensates innocent victims of violent crimes. To check which option is suitable in your case, please call our team today on 0800 652 1345.

Can I claim compensation for a child in a rugby match at school?

Rugby is a popular sport in many schools that, as with other forms of the game, can lead to injuries. Although these are part and parcel of the game, you may be able to lodge a child personal injury claim if their injuries were caused by the school’s negligence. This could include:

• If the rugby game was not supervised by a PE teacher or rugby coach.
• Where your child’s injuries were sustained because of an unsafe pitch.
• If the PE teacher was not properly trained on the rules of the game.
• If you were not told about your child’s injuries or they were not taken to a hospital for treatment.

We can help you claim on behalf of your child. Please feel free to call if you have any questions.

How much compensation for rugby-related injuries?

Whether your rugby injury compensation claim is for a minor injury that you’ve fully recovered from or an injury that will affect you for the rest of your life, you should look carefully at how you’ve been affected before your claim is filed to ensure you receive an appropriate settlement.

If you win a rugby injury claim, damages could be awarded to cover:

• Pain, discomfort and other physical suffering.
• Depression, flashbacks and other forms of psychiatric injury.
• Loss of enjoyment of playing rugby or participating in your other usual hobbies.
• Rehabilitation costs including physiotherapy, mobility aids or private medical treatment.
• Lost earnings including future losses for longer-term rugby injuries.
• A professional carer or the time a family member spent caring for you.
• Travel expenses.
• Home adaptations to improve your quality of life if your rugby injury has left you disabled.

To help establish the severity of your rugby-related injury, your solicitor will arrange an independent medical assessment. This is where a medical expert will discuss your injuries with you and examine them to try and ascertain how you’ve suffered. Your solicitor will use the report to help calculate how much compensation could be awarded.

Providing proof for rugby injury compensation claims

Having proof that clearly shows negligence caused your rugby injuries is vital if you’re to be compensated. You’ll also need information to prove how your injuries have affected you. Without it, you won’t receive the compensation you might be entitled to. For rugby injury compensation claims, the types of proof your solicitor might use include:

• Video footage. If the game was recorded on a video camera or mobile phone, you are entitled to request a copy of the footage from the owner. This will usually make it easier to establish how you were injured.
• Witness statements. Where there is doubt over liability for the accident, your solicitor might ask others who saw what happened to describe events leading up to the point you were injured.
• Medical records. In all rugby injury claims, your solicitor will ask the hospital or your GP for copies of any relevant medical notes, scans and X-rays to help prove your injuries.
• Photographic proof. It’s a good idea to keep a diary of your visible injuries by photographing them regularly while you’re recovering. Also, you could submit pictures of the cause of your accident (unsafe pitch, damaged equipment etc) to help prove how it happened.
• Accident reports. Records of the accident should be kept by the rugby club. You could ask for a copy to help prove when and where you were injured. Also, any emails or text messages you sent about the incident could be used as evidence.
• Financial proof. You might be able to claim any costs linked to your rugby injuries so you should send your solicitor any invoices, bank statements or wage slips that help prove your losses.

Even if you don’t have all of the proof listed, you can still call us to discuss your options. Your solicitor will work hard to try and obtain any further information needed if your claim proceeds.

No Win, No Fee claims

If your claim is accepted by one of our personal injury solicitors, they’ll work hard to try and secure compensation that covers all of your suffering. We know that the cost of hiring a legal expert might seem prohibitive so our solicitors provide a No Win, No Fee service for any rugby injury claim they accept.

That means that:

• You won’t be asked to pay any upfront legal fees.
• You won’t pay your solicitor for their work if the claim fails.
• Any legal fees payable if your rugby injury claim is won will be deducted from your compensation (a success fee).

The success fee is a fixed percentage of your compensation. Your Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) will make it clear how much you’ll pay but, legally, will not be higher than 25 per cent.

After your paperwork has been signed, your solicitor can begin. They will:

• Work with you to find any proof needed.
• File the rugby injury compensation claim with the defendant.
• Deal with all communication with the defendant or their insurers.
• Send you regular updates about any progress.
• Discuss any compensation offers with you before the claim is settled.

To check if you’re able to claim compensation for a rugby injury on a No Win, No Fee basis, please call today.

Rugby injury claim time limits

As you might already know, there is a 3-year limitation period for sports injury claims in the UK that generally begins from the date you were injured. However, there are some exceptions:

• If your child has been injured on a rugby pitch, their time limit won’t begin until their 18^th birthday so you can start the claim any time before then.
• Where the claimant lacks the mental capacity to take legal action, i.e. they sustained severe brain damage, there is no time limit at all (unless they regain their mental capacity).

As you might be entitled to interim payments to cover care costs, medical expenses or lost earnings, it’s usually a good idea to begin your claim as soon as you can. Also, beginning the process early can mean it is easier to find the evidence that’s needed to support your claim.

Start a rugby injury compensation claim today

One quick call to 0800 652 1345 will help you to find out if you could be compensated for a rugby-related injury. During your call, a specialist will review the chances of winning a claim and give free legal advice on what to do next.

If you are happy to proceed and one of our personal injury lawyers agrees to help, your claim will be dealt with on a No Win, No Fee basis. That means that legal fees only need to be paid if you are awarded a compensation payment.

For further advice on rugby injury compensation claims, please call or connect to our live chat service or claim your free consultation here.