By Brett Williams. Last Updated 12th August 2021. Welcome to our guide on leisure centre accident claims. When you use a leisure centre, then you’re owed a duty of care by the management to ensure you’re safe wherever possible. The duty of care is the same, whether it’s a private leisure centre or one operated by the local authority. This means, if you’re injured in an accident at a leisure centre, you could make a personal injury claim for compensation. This guide will explain the types of accident that could happen in a leisure centre, when compensation might be possible and what you should do in the event of an accident.
Accident at leisure centre claims guide.
At Accident Claims UK, we deal with No Win No Fee personal injury claims for accidents at a leisure centre. If you’d like to find out whether you’re able to claim, please call our experts today on 0800 073 8801
If you’d rather find out what to do when accidents in a leisure centre occur, please continue reading.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Accident At A Leisure Centre
- What Is An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
- What Should I Do If I Have An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
- What Are The Most Common Accidents At A Leisure Centre?
- Leisure Centre Swimming Pool Injury Claims
- Leisure Centre Gym Injury Claims
- Slips And Falls In Leisure Centres
- Accidents In A Leisure Centre Car Park
- Accidents When Working At Leisure Centre
- Accident At A Leisure Centre Personal Injury Claim Calculator
- What Can I Claim If I Had An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
- No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident At A Leisure Centre
- Could Accident Claims UK Help You?
- Contact Our Accident Claims Solicitors
- References And Additional Guides
A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Accident At A Leisure Centre
Leisure centres are used up and down the country every single day for various activities. They provide fitness classes, swimming lessons, kids parties and many other types of activities. If you’re injured while using a leisure centre, you could be entitled to compensation if the accident was caused by staff or management negligence.
Leisure centres are often run by local authorities or run privately. They can also be owned by the local authority but contracted out to a private business. Therefore, it can be important to have a personal injury lawyer on your side who understands the legislation required to prove who is ultimately responsible for your suffering.
In this guide, we’ll explain some of the more common accidents that could lead to a claim, such as a gym injury claim, a swimming pool injury claim and a leisure centre injury claim for staff who work there.
We’ll also show you how much compensation can be awarded for different injuries using a personal injury claim calculator. Furthermore, we’ll explain what type of evidence you should try to provide to prove the accident occurred because, without it, you could struggle to achieve the correct level of compensation, if any.
After reading this guide about what to do following an accident at a leisure centre, if you’d like any further advice, please contact a member of our team for free legal advice about your options.
What Is An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
Not every accident at a leisure centre is automatically eligible for a compensation claim. When you get in touch with a personal injury solicitor, they’re likely to ask questions similar to these:
- Did you suffer any injuries or an illness?
- Did an accident occur because the leisure centre staff, or management, were negligent?
- Were you owed a duty of care?
In most cases, if you were allowed into the leisure centre, you would’ve been owed a duty of care. It’s, therefore, down to the other 2 questions. If you’ve answered yes to those, then you might be able to begin a claim.
Bear in mind, though; leisure centre accidents must be claimed for within the personal injury claims time limit because, if you’re too late, you will lose out on any compensation. The time limit is 3 years for adults. This begins from the date of the accident or from when you’re told about your injuries.
For leisure centre accident claims involving children, a parent can claim on their behalf up to their 18th birthday. Otherwise, the child has until they turn 21 to make their own claim.
What Should I Do If I Have An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
If you are considering a leisure centre injury claim, you’ll need evidence, as, without it, your solicitor could struggle to prove what happened and how somebody else was liable.
Following an accident at a leisure centre, you should try to:
- Report the accident to the staff. Ensure it’s recorded in their accident reporting book or system and ask for a copy.
- Photograph the scene of the accident. Try to do this before the cause of the accident is repaired or moved.
- Ask any witnesses for their details and a statement of what they saw.
- Seek medical treatment. You may receive first aid at the leisure centre, but a trip to A&E or your local GP will mean medical records can be used as evidence to show what injuries you sustained.
- If the area was covered by CCTV, ask the staff for a copy. Do this by email, so you have an audit trail of when you asked for it. Because CCTV isn’t kept for long usually, act as quickly as possible.
Once you’ve gathered as much evidence as you can, contact us here at Accident Claims UK for a free assessment of your claim.
What Are The Most Common Accidents At A Leisure Centre?
There are probably hundreds of different types of accident at a leisure centre that could happen, but for your information, here are some most common:
- Slips, trips or falls.
- Injuries caused by damaged, faulty or poorly maintained equipment.
- Illnesses caused by swimming pools that haven’t been maintained and monitored properly.
- Gym injuries because of lack of instruction.
- Accidents in the leisure centre car park.
- Injuries caused by damaged tiles around a pool or in the changing room area.
- Staff injuries caused by poor training.
We could help you begin a claim for accidents in a leisure centre which caused you to suffer and were due to negligence, even if they’re not listed above. Please get in touch to find out how.
Leisure Centre Swimming Pool Injury Claims
It is critical that the environment in and around a swimming pool is kept safe. The level of danger that a pool represents means leisure centre staff need to keep on top of things all of the time.
Accident claims could be possible due to injuries caused by:
- A lack of lifeguards and staff supervising the pool.
- Broken tiles in the pool, around it or in the changing area.
- Damaged handrails or steps used for leaving the pool.
- Lack of properly trained staff.
- Excessive water around the pool or in the changing area with no warning signs.
If you’ve suffered a swimming pool injury that you believe was caused by any of the above, please call to discuss if you could begin a claim today.
Leisure Centre Gym Injury Claims
Leisure centre gyms are used by many as a way of keeping fit or recovering from injuries every day. Accidents that occur in a gym could lead to a compensation claim if the centre was negligent in any way.
Even if you signed a waiver when you joined the gym, you could still seek compensation because it’s illegal for a gym to make themselves exempt from injury claims if they were negligent.
Examples of when an accident at a leisure centre gym could lead to a claim include:
- If you’re injured by faulty or damaged gym equipment.
- When you haven’t been trained adequately on a piece of equipment that led to your accident.
- If you trip or slip on a wet floor or trailing cables in the gym area.
- When an item falls on you from a height.
- If staff are inadequately trained and unable to provide the correct advice.
If you’re involved in a gym accident, you should report it to staff, take photographs of the cause and ask witnesses for their details. As well as any first aid you receive at the time of the accident, you should also attend the local accident and emergency department for serious injuries or your GP for less serious ones.
Slips And Falls In Leisure Centres
If you slip or trip in a leisure centre and the fall causes you to suffer an injury, you may be entitled to make a claim. Obviously, if you were responsible for the accident because you were messing around or not paying attention, then you wouldn’t be able to claim.
Examples of when the leisure centre could be responsible for your fall include:
- If you trip on a damaged kerbstone or pothole in the car park.
- Where you trip over a cable that was trailed across a corridor without having been taped down or highlighted.
- If you fall over because a floor was wet, and no warning signs were used. This could be caused by cleaning, spillages or leaks.
- When you fall down a set of stairs because a handrail was broken or damaged.
If you’ve slipped or fallen at a leisure centre because of one of the above or another negligent act, try to gather evidence as described earlier in this guide. Then you should contact our experts for a free assessment of your claim.
Accidents In A Leisure Centre Car Park
Even while you’re leaving a leisure centre, the operator is still responsible for your wellbeing. This includes while you’re still on their property in the car park because business owners have a duty of care for customers using any part of their premises.
Accidents that could lead to a claim include:
- Slipping in icy conditions where the ice hasn’t been cleared properly.
- Trips caused by damaged walkways. This could include damaged kerbs, raised paving slabs or potholes.
- Accidents caused by other drivers in the car park.
If you’re involved in a collision with a vehicle in the car park, the claim might be made against them rather than the leisure centre. Contact us with as much evidence of the accident and your injuries. We’ll help you to work out who the claim needs to be directed at.
Accidents When Working At Leisure Centre
If you work at a leisure centre and you suffer an injury or become ill, you could sue your employer if their negligence led to the accident occurring. That’s because, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, they have a duty of care to try and keep staff safe and well wherever possible.
This means that they need to risk assess the work environment and take steps, when they can, to reduce the risks. They then need to prepare a health and safety policy and ensure staff are aware of it.
Your employer should:
- Provide full and adequate training for any tasks you’re expected to complete.
- Ensure you are provided with any necessary safety equipment to protect you.
- Allow you to have adequate rest breaks.
- Make sure any faults are repaired in a timely manner when they’re reported to them.
- Ensure all equipment and machinery are maintained according to the manufacture’s guidelines.
If any of the above hasn’t happened and caused an accident to happen in which you suffered an injury, you could seek compensation from your employer.
There’s no need to worry about filing a claim. That’s because you’re not allowed, by law, to be discriminated against for making a claim. Your employer will have insurance in place to cover any such claims, so don’t think you’ll be affecting their ability to operate either.
As with the other types of claim mentioned in this guide, you should attempt to gather as much evidence to demonstrate how the accident happened. If you would like to begin an accident at work claim today, why not get in touch with one of our specialists.
Accident At A Leisure Centre Personal Injury Claim Calculator
To demonstrate what amount of compensation you could be able to claim, we’ve included the table below.
| Injury or Illness Type | Severity | Compensation | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back injury | Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | The spinal cord and nerve roots may be severely damaged. |
| Neck injury | Severe (i) | Up to £139,210 | Loss of movement in the neck despite wearing a collar 24 hours a day over a long period of time. |
| Arm injury | Severe | £96,160 to £130,930 | This payment range covers injuries from injuries which are painful but full recover will happen up to more serious and permanent injuries resulting in paralysis |
| Foot injury | Very severe | £83,960 to £109,650 | Pain is severe and the disability caused may be permanent. |
| Hand injury | Serious | £29,000 to £61,910 | The hand is reduced to 50 per cent capacity. |
| Wrist injury | (A) | £47,620 to £59,860
| The wrist is unable to move. |
| Toe injury | Severe | £13,740 to £21,070 | Injuries fall short of amputation. |
| Leg injury | Severe (i) | £96,250 to £135,920 | Extensive bone grafting may be required. |
| Illnesses | (b)(i) | £38,430 to £52,500 | Symptoms include severe pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. |
Each injury is categorised from minor to severe. Therefore, your solicitor needs to demonstrate how severe your injury was to ensure you receive the correct level of compensation. They will do this by using the medical records you’ve provided, plus you’ll be seen by an independent medical specialist who’ll assess your injuries, the impact they had on you and whether they’ll cause you any problems in the future.
What Can I Claim If I Had An Accident At A Leisure Centre?
When a personal injury lawyer begins to make a claim for an accident at a leisure centre, there are a number of “heads of loss’ that they can use to build up the claim. Some of the heads of loss, or different elements, will be used, and some won’t – it depends entirely on what impact your injuries had on you. Some of the different elements include:
- General Damages: Used to compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injuries.
- Medication Costs: Even though the NHS will treat you for free, you could claim back the cost of prescriptions or over the counter medication.
- Care Costs: In some cases, claimants need professional care to assist them while they’re recovering from their injuries. These costs could be included in the claim.
- Travel Costs: If you need to amend your travel arrangements while recovering from your injuries, you could claim any additional costs back. Also, you could include the cost of travelling to and from medical appointments.
- Loss of Earnings: If your employer doesn’t pay full sick pay and you require time off to recover or for doctor’s appointments, you could ask for the lost income as part of your claim.
- Future Lost Earnings: In more serious cases, if you have to change your job, stop working or reduce your hours because of your injuries, you could also claim for future lost income too.
- Damaged Property: If an item of personal property is damaged in your accident, you could ask for the cost of repairing or replacing it.
It’s important to keep receipts or bank statements for any financial losses. That’s because, without them, your solicitor might not be able to include them in your claim.
No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident At A Leisure Centre
If you’ve suffered an injury at a gym or you’ve been injured at a swimming pool, we know that you might not want to claim because you’re worried about the financial risks associated with claiming. Don’t worry, though, as our panel of accident claims solicitors all work on a no win no fee basis for any claim they take on.
This reduces the financial risk involved with claiming. It will also make it a lot less stressful because you’re not worrying about money all of the time.
When using no win no fee, you’ll sign an agreement called a CFA (Conditional Fee Agreement). It explains that you don’t pay upfront, and there’s no fee to pay if you don’t receive compensation.
If your solicitor is successful, you won’t have to find the funds to pay them either. That’s because their success fee is deducted straight from your compensation. The success fee, used to pay the solicitor for their work, is limited to 25% by law.
Could Accident Claims UK Help You?
At Accident Claims UK, we have a team of expert advisors. They offer free legal advice about your claim and a free, no-obligation assessment. If they think you need more evidence to support your claim, they’ll advise you on your next steps. However, if they believe you have a strong case, they could introduce you to an accident claim solicitor. They will work with you on a no win no fee basis.
Our accident claims solicitors strive to ensure you receive the right amount of compensation for your injuries. They have up to 30 years of claims handling experience and a good knowledge of all of the different legislation that could be used to support your claim.
If you’re unsure about whether you are eligible to claim or not, please get in touch for a free discussion and assessment of your claim.
Ways in which solicitors can help with leisure centre accident claims
When making leisure centre accident claims, you’ll more than likely end up dealing with an insurance company rather than the centre’s management. That’s because leisure centres have public liability insurance in place to cover any such claims. The problem here, though, is that insurers want to remain profitable and so will try to minimise any payments they have to make. This means that unless you can prove exactly what happened, who was to blame and that you were injured because of negligence, you’ll be unlikely to receive compensation.
For that reason, we suggest that it’s best to have a personal injury solicitor working for you. They will use their knowledge and experience to guide you through the claims process and make it easier. Additionally, you could find you’ll receive a higher level of compensation if a solicitor represents you.
Your solicitor will work with you to fully understand how the leisure centre accident has affected you. They will then gather evidence to show who you were injured and who was to blame.
Where possible, they’ll try to reach an amicable agreement with the insurer but will fight to counter any objections raised by supplying additional evidence. If an offer is made, your solicitor won’t settle if they believe it is not set at a fair amount. Instead, they’ll work hard to try and ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible.
Contact Our Accident Claims Solicitors
If you’ve been involved in an accident at a leisure centre and decided you would like to begin your claim with us, then you can contact us in a number of ways.
- Telephone: We’re available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day on 0800 073 8801.
- Email: You can contact us at office@accidentclaims.co.uk
- Live Chat: Our advisors can answer your questions from any page of this web site.
- Online Form: Because we know you might find it easier, we can arrange to call you back when it’s convenient if you fill in this simple form.
Remember, our advisors will assess your claim for free. If they believe you have a strong case, they could introduce you to one of our accident claims solicitors. All claims are made on a no win no fee basis. That’s because we understand it’s less stressful if the financial risk is reduced.
References And Additional Guides
Thanks for reading this guide about what to do following an accident at a leisure centre. We hope you’ve received all of the information you need. To help you further, we’ve linked to some more resources and guides below:
Health and Safety in Leisure – A guide, from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), about safety considerations in the leisure sector.
Concussion and Head Injuries – This guide from the NHS explains what to do if you suffer a concussion following a fall.
Swimming Pool Safety – Another guide from the HSE. This one explains what management should do to prevent customers from being injured in a swimming pool.
Hip Injury Claims – This guide explains when you could be eligible for compensation following a hip injury.
Gym Accident Claims – If you suffer an injury in a gym, this guide will provide fuller details about when you could make a claim.
Accident at Work Claims – If you’re a member of staff and would like to make a leisure centre accident claim, then this guide should prove useful.
Other Useful Compensation Guides
- How Much Are Kidney Injury Compensation Claims Worth?
- How To Make Military Injury Claims
- How Much Could I Receive For A Simple Fractured Forearm?
- A Guide To Hip Or Pelvic Injury Claims
- How Much Could I Receive For A Fractured Ankle?
- How To Claim Compensation For A Hairline Fracture
- Shoulder Injury Compensation Claims
- How To Make An Orthopaedic Injury Claim
- Can I Claim For Lower Leg Amputation?
- Punctured Lung Injury Claims Guide
- Pret A Manger Accident Claims Guide
- Hairdresser Burning My Scalp Claims Guide
- Eyelash Extensions Allergic Reaction Claims Guide
- Can I Claim For A Loss Of Leg After An Accident?
- Loss Of An Arm Claims Guide
- Soft Tissue Injury Claims
Thank you for reading our guide on leisure centre accident claims.
