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Horses and Riding Accidents

 

Personal injury is the branch of law which deals with compensating people who have been physically, emotionally or mentally injured as a result of someone else’s carelessness or breach of contractual or statutory obligations.

If you have been injured in riding accident then you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation if you can show that the accident was a result of negligence on the part of the horse owner or the stable operator. Even if the accident could not have been prevented, you will still have a claim if it can be shown that the injury which you suffered could have been reduced if the horse owner or stable operator had taken reasonable precautions. For example:

• The owner failed to ensure that the horses were properly trained for riding, or provided horses which here poorly disciplined or prone to throwing riders;
• The owner failed to consider your degree of experience, and whether the horse was appropriate for you in light of this, or whether you needed additional assistance;
• The owner failed to adequately supervise riding activities
• The owner didn’t point out risks to you or advise on how you could reduce these risks, or you were not given an adequate health and safety briefing.
• The owner failed to provide adequate safety equipment, or failed to show you how to use this equipment to best effect;
• The owner or stable operator did not have an adequate emergency response plan in place, and was not sufficiently prepared to provide first aid or to alert emergency services in the event of an accident

How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

The compensation which you are awarded will take into account both the financial and non-financial losses which you will suffer as a result of the injury.

Financial losses will include any earnings which you have lost as a result of being off work due to your injuries, as well as any miscellaneous expenses which you have incurred such as medical expenses, the cost of adaptations necessary to enable you to live with your injury, transportation to and from hospital appointments and the cost of physiotherapy. Under this heading you can also claim for the reduction in your ability to earn money in future.

Non-financial losses will include a payment to compensate you for the injury itself, and the pain and inconvenience which you have experienced. In addition, you may be able to claim for loss of amenity if the injury prevents you from engaging in activities that you previously enjoyed or interferes with your daily living.

How can I make a personal injury claim?

Personal injury claims can be complicated and in most cases you will require assistance from a solicitor. The laws under which horse-related personal injury claims are brought are no different from other types of personal injury claim, but a specialist equine lawyer will have a greater understanding of how these laws apply in the context of riding accidents and will also be more knowledgeable about what the courts consider to be acceptable standards of care and precaution in riding scenarios.

Find Out More about Our Equestrian Legal Service?

For immediate assistance please call us on 0121 236 7388 or complete an Enquiry Form and we will be in touch with you.