Sport Injuries Abroad

The amount of compensation you’re entitled to will depend on several different factors, including:

• The severity of your physical injuries — corroborated by an independent medical expert.
• Any psychological trauma you’ve suffered.
• Your loss of earnings through taking time off work.
• Your ongoing care and medical support requirements.
• Mobility aids and home improvements you now require as a result of your injuries.
• Other financial losses you’ve incurred in the wake of the accident, including overseas medical expenses and travel costs.
• The loss of enjoyment you’ve experienced as a result of your holiday being cut short or affected.

Our solicitors are experts in achieving maximum compensation for accident claims abroad, both inside and outside the EU. To find out the value of your claim, contact our team now for a free no obligation consultation.

You don’t have to be a thrill-seeker to make a sports injury claim.

You may have been injured when taking part as a one-off leisure activity on holiday or you might have been involved in an accident when participating in an activity as part of a corporate event or staff training day or an organised activity as part of your package holiday.

A sports injury claim can involve any type of sport which features real or perceived dangers and involve elements of increased risk either because of speed, height or a high level of physical exertion .

Specialised equipment is often required to take part as this offers essential protection from severe or fatal injuries.

Sports can include:

• Cycling, cycle tours.
• Motorbike track days.
• Alpine skiing.
• All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) racing.
• BASE jumping.
• BMX Motorcross.
• Bungee jumping.
• Extreme hiking.
• Free diving.
• Hang-gliding.
• In-line skating.
• Kayaking.
• Kite surfing.
• Motocross sports.
• Mountain biking.
• Mountaineering.
• Paragliding.
• Rafting.
• Sailing.
• Skateboarding.
• Skydiving.
• Snowboarding.
• Surfing.
• Ultra-endurance races.
• Whitewater canoeing.
• Wind surfing.

Whilst some injures are an acceptable associated risk you should not expect to suffer an injury because of someone else’s negligence.

For example, a climber who falls because the route selected by the organiser is inherently unsafe or clearly beyond the capability of the climber, or who falls because of inadequate safety equipment, would be entitled to pursue a compensation claim for their injuries and consequential losses.

The same principles which apply to organised adventure sports also apply to leisure activities like paintballing and go-karting.

This is because the participant might not have any aptitude for the activity, with the onus on the organiser to train or instruct them properly and provide the correct equipment for the activity.

If you are able to show that the accident was caused by one of the following you may be eligible to make a claim:

• Where negligence on the part of someone else was to blame for the accident, e.g. an instructor providing substandard tuition.
• Faulty equipment.
• Faulty machinery.
• The reckless actions of another participant.

The amount of time you have to claim will depend on which country the ski accident took place.

If you were in the UK, you normally have three years from the date of the accident to bring a compensation claim. However, some countries have much shorter time periods, some as short as 6-12 months from the date of the accident.

We’d always recommend seeking legal advice at your earliest opportunity following a sports accident abroad.

Sports injury abroad claims can be complicated and a number of factors need to be carefully considered.

Expert advice is required to determine where you can pursue your claim and who the claim should be brought against.

At Hudgell Solicitors, we are one of the few law firms in the UK which has the experience and ability to provide specialist advice regarding accident claims that occur outside the UK.

We have an extensive international network of lawyers and experts should there be a need for specialist advice from an expert in another country.

Enlist our help and we will provide expert advice and an excellent level of client care so that you can focus on your recovery.