If you or a loved one have been injured due to an accident that has occurred while Horse riding, the impact on your health and well-being can range from the minor to sustaining injuries that can have a devastating impact on a person's life.
Obviously ensuring the physical and mental well-being of the injured person is the main priority immediately following such an accident, but whether injuries are minor or very severe, at some point thoughts must turn to seeking compensation for any pain and suffering caused as well as to ensure long-term care packages can be designed and implemented when needed.
If the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to seek compensation. Our expert lawyers at PSR have assisted many people in making horse riding accident claims after being injured:
Although there are always risks when dealing with horses, you have a right to be kept safe by those responsible for your wellbeing. This could be educational instructors, stable owners, or other road users.
Each Horse riding accident claim differs from one to another, it is, therefore, very difficult to categorise how much money the claimant could receive in compensation at the very start of the claims process. There are several influencing factors to be taken into account when our specialised solicitors work to determine the amount of compensation that should be awarded.
The main factor which must be considered as a result of the accident is the severity of the injuries sustained, but other factors will be:
When making a Horse riding accident injury claim, calculating the compensation is not always a straight forward process. The predominant question surrounding 'general' damages is always based on the severity of your injuries and the impact this has or may have on your every day and future life.
As with all claims of compensation for accidents that were not your fault, the process should not be rushed in any way. All circumstances must be taken into account from our expert solicitors who specialise in horse riding accidents. Only then will we be able to value the claimant’s case accurately and specifically.
On some occasions, and more so for claimants who have fallen from a horse and sustained head, brain or spinal injuries, it is crucial to give the injured person time to recover in order to assess the injury fully before the claim is valued. We can then aim to finalise the compensation settlement value from the third party for your injury. Interim compensation payments can also be arranged to ensure a degree of financial security is in place where required.
The figures shown in the table below provide provisional 'general' damages compensation values as set out in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). General damages are meant to compensate for general pain & suffering caused by the injuries sustained by the cyclist.
Soft tissue injury with no lasting issues beyond 1 year following the Horse Riding accident
up to £3,800
Complete Recovery after a couple of years:
£3,800 - £7,000
Recovery taking longer than two years but with only Moderate effects
effects are moderate:
£7,000 - £12,000
Serious on-going problems with ongoing pain, or recurring pain, and surgery may be needed:
£12,000 - £22,000
Soft tissue injury with a full recovery within 3 months:
up to £2,150
Soft tissue injury with full recovery up to a year following the accident:
up to £3,800
Full recovery between one and two years:
£3,800 - £7,000
Where recovery takes more than two years but the on-going effects are moderate:
£6,900 - £11,000
Serious on-going problems with ongoing pain, or recurring pain. Surgery may be needed with the possibility of prolapsed discs:
£11,000 - £24,500
Fractures of ribs causing pain for a few weeks only:
up to £3,500
Collapsed lungs with a full recovery:
£2,000 - £4,700
Simple fracture of the forearm:
£5,800 - £17,000
More serious injury with significant disability and without full recovery:
£17,000 - £34,000
Hairline fracture or non-complex break of bones in the lower leg with complete recovery:
up to £10,500
Simple fracture or break of the femur:
£8,000 - £12,500
More serious fracture or serious soft tissue injury, without full recovery:
£16,000 - £24,500
Very serious brain damage
£245,000 - £350,000
Reasonably severe
£190,000 - £245,000
Moderate
£37,000 - £190,000
Mild head injury (minimal brain damage)
£1,900 - £11,000
Epilepsy
£9,000 - £130,000
Approximately 2 million of us in the UK enjoy Horse riding as a recreational sport, and even with all the relevant safety gear and precautions considered, horses can be haphazard and unpredictable.
Horse riding is a satisfying hobby and a great way to keep fit. but, as a leisure pursuit it is well documented to be a relatively dangerous hobby with the potential to cause a serious risk of accidental injury,
Statistics from the BHS (British Horse Society) show that horseriding injuries and accidents in the UK showed that 39 horse riders and around 230 horses were killed on the UK’s road network between 2010 and 2018. The BHS organisation revealed there were five percent fewer incidents in the past year compared to the previous one — 404 from 2017 to 2018, compared to 426 from 2016 to 2017.
Horse riding injury types range from strains and sprains, and soft tissue injuries through to serious injuries to the head, brain, or spine. According to statistics, every year there are approximately 10 fatal horse riding accidents.
While a horse riding accident can be the result of actions or negligence on the part of the rider, they can often be caused by someone else’s actions.
We can’t stop horse riding accidents from occurring; however we can support you in making a compensation claim for your accident with our specialist team at PSR.
Falls.
One of the most common causes for being injured while horseriding involves instances where the rider is thrown from the horse. Often a horse's likely reaction to something that it doesn't understand is to spook or shy. A spook is usually a startled sideways jump, or a quick change of direction with the intention to flee.
When a horse flees from danger it may shy, bolt or buck to unseat its rider. Being thrown in an uncontrolled way from a horse can result in broken bones and all too many of our cases involve serious injury to the head or spine.
Horse riding leg injuries.
When falling from a horse, or being kicked by one, people can suffer breaks and fractures to the legs. Other common horse riding leg injuries include damage to the ligaments and other soft tissue injuries including sprains and strains.
Horse riding back injuries.
Horse riding back injuries can range from the mild, through to the very serious, Injury types include soft tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, and general pain, damage to the discs and conditions such as sciatica. This is when the sciatic nerve that runs from your hips to your feet, is exasperated.
Horse riding upper body injuries.
You can suffer a range of different injuries to parts of the upper body, such as the shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands. The injury types might include broken bones, elbow damage and tendonitis.
Horse riding injuries to the neck.
When falling from a horse, people can suffer neck injuries which cause similar damage to whiplash injuries, such as soft tissue injuries to the neck as well as generalised neck pain, strains, and sprains. Neck injuries can also be extremely serious, which could result in a spinal cord injury that may lead to permanent paralysis.
Kicks and bites.
Horses kick for a number of reasons. A horse may kick at biting flies around its legs and belly or kick out even if suffering from colic. They may also kick or stamp if something like a prickly weed tickles their legs or belly. Horses also kick to defend themselves, and these kicks are often powerful and targeted. This defensive instinct is why some horses kick when they become alarmed—such as when a person, dog or another animal comes into view behind the horse. A horse’s feet and its teeth are its only means of defence and both can prove dangerous to an innocent bystander if caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Crush injuries.
A horse can weigh over half a ton, and if a rider and horse were to fall together there is the risk of the horse falling or rolling onto the rider causing a potentially very serious injury. If horses are not properly controlled in stables or other restricted areas where people are moving about there is the risk of being accidentally crushed by a horse against a wall, gate or fence.
Workplace injuries
People working with horses can be injured by the horse whilst carrying out their duties within their job. Workplace horse riding injuries can be the fault of another member of staff, your employer or the party responsible for the horse. Those at fault could have been negligent in how they conducted their duties or could have failed to follow appropriate health and safety procedures.
Injuries can also be caused by stable equipment: Neglectful maintenance and up-keep of horse riding equipment can lead to injuries.
Road traffic accidents
Riding on the road brings its own particular risks, and there are about 3000 road accidents involving horses each year. A range of different situations exists which lead to horse riding road traffic accidents, as is the same with any road user, but horse riders are obviously particularly vulnerable to injury.
Negligent training or oversight
A person being given a horse that is beyond their riding ability, or not being given enough training to ride a horse can cause accidents and injury. This could be caused by negligence on the part of the instructor or organiser.
Horses should be kept in specified areas and should not be allowed to roam free. If they do they can cause injuries to the public or cause road traffic accidents.
Whether you have sustained an injury while riding a horse or If your injuries were caused by a horse that has escaped from its paddock or stable you should seek advice from specialist Injury claim solicitors.
You can contact a member of PSR Solicitors directly to start a claim or for advice and information regarding a horse riding accident compensation claim. If you or a loved one has been affected in a horse riding accident and has suffered serious injury because of this, you will more than likely be eligible to claim compensation. Whatever your accident situation is, PSR Solicitors aim to make the claim process as simple as possible, supporting you in every step of the way.
PSR is a leading team of Personal Injury Solicitors in Wales and Serious Injury Lawyers in Cheshire. Talk to us today if you have been injured and feel you are entitled to Compensation.
Bronwen Lloyd-Roberts
Bronwen Lloyd-Roberts
Solicitor
I joined PSR Solicitors in January 2014.
Having graduated from Keele University with a degree in Law and Criminology, I then completed my legal practice course, with distinction, at the College of Law in Chester. I became a qualified Solicitor in a large regional firm in the East Midlands before moving back home to North Wales.
I have now worked in litigation for over 10 years and specialise in many types of personal injury matters but has particular expertise in employer’s liability and occupier’s liability claims.
I'm currently acting for a whole range of clients with high value and complex personal injury claims. I have in-depth expertise in claims involving complex brain injuries, amputation injuries, and those involving life-changing orthopaedic injuries.
I have a particular interest in pursuing claims for cyclists as I'm a keen cyclist myself with specialist knowledge and training in this area.
I regularly represent clients in Court and although I act for clients right across the UK, in the last 10 years I've built a strong profile and reputation in the Wrexham area. I now head up the Wrexham office for PSR Solicitors.
Outside of work, i take part in triathlons, love horseriding and spending time with my young daughter.
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