Usheena Patel, Personal Injury Associate explains the steps the public should take in order to avoid injury when playing amateur sports

• Following a summer of sporting success, there is a hope that more people will venture into amateur sporting activities moving forward.
• While sport can be a fun way to keep active and improve physical and mental health, there are associated injury risks.
• While individuals will need to assume a certain degree of risk by participating in sporting events, there are key steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of injury.
• Further information can be found here 

Usheena Patel, Personal Injury Associate at Hodge Jones & Allen, has explained how the public can best protect themselves against an unexpected injury while playing sports.

Following a summer of sport, including the Commonwealth Games and the Lionesses European Championship victory, there is a hope that there will be an increase in the public emulating their heroes and looking to get out and participate in more sporting activities.

Sporting activities can be incredibly fun and help people to keep active and improve both physical and mental health. At the same time, sporting activities can carry certain risks which individuals need to consider before participating in sporting activities.

While individuals will need to assume a certain degree of risk by participating in sporting events, there are four key steps that the public should follow to reduce the risk of injury before embarking on a new sporting hobby.

1. Follow the guidance

• Read any guidance and rules provided relating to the sporting or leisure activity before starting

2. Read the small print

• Carefully read any waivers before you agree to sign the document and participate in the activity

3. Pay attention

• Follow all training provided by any instructors or employees on site and carefully consider and look out for any warning signs at the premises/location of the sporting activity

4. First aid awareness

• Ensure you are briefed and aware of any first aid assistance available

Whilst participation in most sporting and leisure activities go without any problems and can be a great deal of fun, unfortunately on some occasions, accidents can occur.

The essential elements for pursuing a personal injury claim apply equally to sports and leisure accident claims. The defendant must owe the claimant a duty of care; breach that duty and have contributed to an injury which can be connected to the breach. The potential defendants for sporting and leisure activities can vary from event organisers, owners of sports facilities or grounds, instructors and fellow participants, sports clubs and match officials.

If an injury does occur that is in relation to a breach of care, there are steps that the public can take to best protect themselves legally moving forward.

• Report the accident and ensure a copy of the accident report is provided to you to check, as certain defendants do not note accident circumstances correctly
• Request first aid if available and seek medical attention from your GP and Hospital
• Obtain the correct title of the defendant, their address and contact details as soon as possible. You may also wish to ask for details of their insurance company and policy number
• Note details of any witnesses while the events are fresh in the witness’s mind
• Ask for any CCTV footage to be preserved and take photographs of any potential safety issues which may have caused the accident before it is remedied

Further information can be found at:  https://www.hja.net/expert-comments/opinion/personal-injury/summer-of-sport-sporting-activities-and-the-risk-of-personal-injury/