How To Make Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 29th January 2024. In this guide on the outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims process, we take a look at how someone could sustain a personal injury whilst using or working at a centre. We will discuss the different types of activities people may have been involved in, how an accident could happen and the circumstances in which a claim might be justified. 

People enjoying a mountain climb next to water at an outdoor activity centre

The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995 outlines the requirements of those offering adventure activities to children under the age of 18. The legislation regulates centres and providers of facilities to ensure that health and safety measures are upheld. The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority was established in 1996 to ensure activity providers follow the health and safety practices outlined in the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004.

You’re also owed a duty of care if you’re an adult in one of these centres, too. This is outlined in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.

If you have any questions about making a claim, you can get in touch. If you have a valid case, an advisor could connect you with a solicitor.

You can get in touch by:

Select A Section

When Could You Make An Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claim?

If you have been injured in an outdoor activity centre, and would like to make a compensation claim, you would need to meet certain eligibility criteria. 

To have a valid claim, you would need to prove that you were injured due to a relevant third party breaching the duty of care they owed you.

When it comes to outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims, there is relevant legislation that would apply, such as The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995 and the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004. This legislation dictates that certain adventure activities for young people must undergo inspections of their safety management protocols as well as holding a licence. This is to reduce the unnecessary risks of avoidable injuries.

Should the operator of an outdoor activity centre breach their duty of care, and cause you to suffer injury as a result, you could be eligible to claim compensation for your injuries. 

To learn more about making a compensation claim for an outdoor activity injury, please contact an advisor.

Time Limits For Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

Generally, there is a 3-year limitation period to start a personal injury claim. This is set out by the Limitation Act 1980 and runs from the date of the accident.

There are certain exceptions that apply to this time limit. For example, if a minor is injured, they will be unable to start the claiming process until their 18th birthday.  From this date, they will then have until their 21st birthday to start a claim. Alternatively, a litigation friend could start the claiming process on their behalf prior to their 18th birthday.

There are additional exceptions that apply to those lacking the mental capacity to make their own claim. To learn what these are, or to ask any questions regarding the outdoor activity compensation claims process, you can contact our advisors.

Types Of Outdoor Activities

When understanding how to make outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims, it would be useful to highlight the type of activities in which people may take part. Like with any outdoor activity, there are risks and hazards that centre owners and employers should consider.

Failing to do so could lead to an accident. Subsequently, if they have ignored their duty of care and you have been injured as a result, you may have grounds to make a claim. 

Types of outdoor activities that are common in outdoor activity centres may include:

  • Abseiling
  • Assault course
  • Cycling
  • Horse riding
  • Ice climbing
  • Mountain biking
  • Quad biking
  • Sailing
  • Water sports
  • Zip wiring

For more information on what other outdoor activities you could take part in where you’re owed a duty of care, speak to our advisors. They could connect you to one of our solicitors if they think you have a valid claim.

Causes Of Outdoor Activity Centre Accidents

In this section of our guide on how to make outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims, we will look at scenarios in which accidents could happen and what the causes could be. In order to make a valid claim, you need to prove that the activity providers have acted negligently and breached their duty of care to you.

  • Poor instruction- Members of staff must be able to provide instruction to those who are taking part in activities. Failure to do so could result in injury. For example, you may crash a quad and break your elbow if you’re not told how to operate the brake.
  • Defective equipment- Staff should carry out regular maintenance checks to ensure all equipment is working at full capacity. Faulty equipment could be dangerous. For example, if you are given a mountain bike with malfunctioning brakes, you could be thrown off and sustain an ankle injury.
  • Hazardous environment- Outdoor activity centres could be located on landscapes where there might be perilous terrain. While this might be part of the enjoyment in some activities like quad biking, those in control should carry out regular risk assessments. For example, if there’s a particularly bumpy part of a mountain bike track that would be better suited to more experienced users, this should be signposted to avoid visitors having an accident.

What Injuries Could Happen At An Outdoor Activity Centre 

There are several types of injuries that could happen as a result of an outdoor activity centre accident. Let’s take a look at some of those injuries and how they could be sustained:

  • Fractures: If you fall from a piece of equipment you are using, or if something falls on to you, then you could experience a broken bone, such as a fractured skull or arm injury.
  • Cuts or grazes: If you receive poor instructions from staff on how to use a motor vehicle, for example when you are quad biking, you might not be able to operate it. Subsequently, you may crash and cut or graze yourself leading to a permanent scar.
  • Head injuries: A head injury could happen if you are given a faulty harness whilst zip wiring, leading you to fall from a height and hit your head.

Speak to our team and find out how much your claim could be worth; if it is valid, an advisor could connect you with one of our solicitors.

Evidence To Support Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

An important step in the personal injury claims process is gathering evidence. Gathering sufficient evidence could help with proving liability in your case, as well as the type of injuries you suffered.

Examples of evidence that could be used to support outdoor activity compensation claims include:

  • Medical evidence of the injuries you suffered. This could be a copy of your medical records that also highlights the treatment you received for your injuries.
  • CCTV footage of the accident taking place.
  • The contact information of anyone who was a witness to your accident. They could be contacted at a later date to provide a statement.
  • Photographs of your visible injuries and the accident site.

Contact our advisors today to discuss your case and receive free advice. If they think you have a strong claim, they could connect you with one of our expert solicitors who could help you with gathering evidence to support your claim.

Calculating Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

Ahead of calculating your outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims, it might be useful to understand what damages you could claim for. The first is general damages.

General damages can compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity experienced because of your injuries. Special damages, on the other hand, deal with any financial losses you incur.

Solicitors use the Judicial College Guidelines to help value the general damages head of your claim. We can use compensation brackets from this document to estimate a value for your injuries.

Edit
Injury Compensation Range Notes
Multiple severe injuries with associated financial loss or expense. Up to £200,000+ Serious combinations of injuries resulting in financial losses such as loss of income.
Severe (i) Back Injuries £91,090 to £160,980 Severe pain and disability caused by damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Severe (ii) Knee Injuries £52,120 to £69,730 Movement of the knees may be limited as well as constant pain.
Severe (iii) Leg Injuries £39,200 to £54,830 Extensive scarring and instability of the joints justifies an award within this bracket.
Serious Hand Injuries £27,220 to £58,100 Such injuries could cause a loss of function in the hands of 50%
Serious Foot Injuries £24,990 to £39,200 Pain will be ongoing and there is likely to be prolonged treatment.
Moderate (i) Neck Injuries £24,990 to £38,490 Fractures or dislocations which cause severe symptoms that present immediately.
Less Severe Arm Injuries £29,000 to £61,910 A substantial degree of recovery will be expected despite there being significant disabilities.
Moderate Ankle Injuries £13,740 to £26,590 There may be difficulty walking on uneven ground or standing for long periods of time.
Fractures of Nose £10,640 to £23,130 Serious fractures result in difficulty breathing and facial deformity.
Moderate Shoulder Injuries £7,890 to £12,770 Limitation of movement with discomfort persisting for around two years.

Our advisors can connect you with a solicitor if you have a valid claim. They could give you an estimation of how much your outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims could be worth.

No Win No Fee Solicitors For Outdoor Activity Centry Injury Compensation Claims

If you have a valid personal injury claim, one of our solicitors could help you with your case. As well as guiding you through the outdoor activity compensation claims process, they could offer to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement.

With this arrangement in place, some of the benefits generally include:

  • No upfront service fees to pay.
  • No ongoing service fees.
  • If the claim is not successful, you will not need to pay your solicitor for the work they have provided.

If your claim is a success, your solicitor will be due a success fee. They will take this directly out of your compensation as a percentage that is subjected to a legal cap. This helps ensure that the majority of your compensation stays with you.

Contact Us Today

To see whether you could be eligible to work with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors, you can contact a member of our advisory team. They could offer you free advice and answer any of the questions you may have about the personal injury claims process.

To connect with an advisor today, you can:

Other Related Pages 

We are now coming to the end of our guide on how to make outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims. Here are some additional resources you might find useful.

NHS 111 – Get medical help for your symptoms from the NHS.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents– Advice on planning and leading adventurous activities

Licensable activities– A list of the broad groups of activities that licensing can cover provided by the HSE.

If you have found this guide useful, we have included some more of our guides below.

Accident Claims Solicitors – Find accident claims solicitors near you.

Different Types Of Personal Injuries – A guide to what personal injuries you could claim for.

How Do Multiple Injury Claims Work? – If you have sustained multiple personal injuries, find out how to make a valid claim.

Thank you for visiting today to read our guide on how to make outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims.

Guide by LJ

Published by FS