Leisure Centre Accident Claim

With plenty to do for adults and children of all ages, leisure centres are hugely popular with families across the country. While the management and staff at leisure centres may do their best to make sure that the facilities are safe for the public to use, all it takes is one little mistake or oversight for a visitor to have an accident and get injured. If you are injured in an accident in a leisure centre that was caused due to the owner’s or occupier’s mistake or negligence, then you may have a right to claim compensation for your injuries.

It’s not just visitors to leisure centres who are eligible to claim compensation if negligence has caused a personal injury. Employees of the centre who are injured because of the somebody’s negligence are also entitled to be compensated for their injuries.

Common Leisure Centre Accident Claims

Slip, Trip And Fall Accidents

Slip, trip and fall accidents are among the most common in leisure centres. These can be caused by loose cables that haven’t been safely secured properly, broken or wet flooring with no warning signs display, and other obstacles lying around that are not cleared away on time.

Swimming Pool Related Accidents

Swimming pool related accidents are another common cause of leisure centre injury claims. Pools that are not cleaned properly or often enough provide a rich environment for fungi and bacteria to thrive. Swimming in a poorly maintained pool can result in bacterial or fungal infections. It is mandatory for swimming pools in leisure centres to be supervised by trained, experienced lifeguards at all times. The risk of drowning in a swimming pool increases considerably if the pool is not properly supervised by trained lifeguards.

Accidents In The Gym

It’s surprising just how many people get injured while using the gym facilities in leisure centres. Many of these accidents are caused because of not using the gym equipment correctly. Leisure centres should have well trained gym instructors who are knowledgeable about proper training techniques as well as safe handling of the various fitness equipment. Musculoskeletal injuries and ligament damage often result from lack of instruction, lack of supervision, or inadequately trained staff.

Accidents In The Spa Facilities

Saunas and steam rooms at leisure centres are supposed to be supervised at all times and the temperature monitored so that it is never dangerously high. In addition, visitors who are using the sauna or steam room for the first time must be given detailed instructions and reminded about safety guidelines. Failure to do this could result in burns or scalds from too-high temperatures in steam rooms and saunas.

Accidents Due To Faulty Equipment

Leisure centres have a wide array of equipment for their visitors to use. With so many people using the equipment every single day, carrying out regular inspections and routine maintenance is crucial. Visitors to leisure centres are often injured because of faulty equipment that went undetected because regular inspections and maintenance were not carried out.

Food Poisoning

Failure to observe proper hygiene in the kitchen can result in mild to severe food poisoning.

Leisure Centre ‘Duty Of Care’

As with any other place that is open to the public, leisure centre managers have a duty of care towards their visitors as well as their workers. This ‘duty of care’ clause states that owners and managers are responsible for conducting a thorough risk assessment and implementing appropriate safety measures to ensure that their premises are safe for visitors and workers.

• Some of these measures include but are not limited to:
• Creating an appropriate risk management policy and ensuring that all employees are familiar with the guidelines
• Having adequate trained staff at the swimming pool, gym, sauna and other facilities where necessary
• Placing large, easily visible notifications or signs to warn visitors and workers of slippery surfaces and other potential hazards
• Making sure that all obstacles and hazards are cleared away or set right immediately
• Training staff in first-aid measures in case of any emergency

What To Do If You Have A Leisure Centre Accident

If you are injured in an accident in a leisure centre, your first priority should be to take stock of your injuries and inform the staff immediately. Leisure centres are required to have at least one employee on site who is fully trained in First Aid. For more serious injuries, a visit to the nearest emergency clinic may be necessary.

All leisure centres are also required to have an accident report form on site. Get a staff member to fill this form out with all details regarding the cause of the accident and the extent of your injuries.

If you have your camera with you, get photographs of the site of the accident as well as your injuries. Getting photographs is important as photographic evidence cannot be refuted. If you are in no condition to get photographs, ask a family member or a witness to do the needful. Get the contact details of other visitors at the leisure centre who may have witnessed the accident.

Once you have received the necessary treatment for your injuries, you must get in touch with a personal injury lawyer to determine your rights to pursue a claim for compensation. A personal injury lawyer will give you the right advice based on the events that transpired and whether the accident was due to the negligence of the management or staff at the leisure centre.

If you are entitled to file a compensation claim and have the supporting evidence to back your claim, most lawyers will ask you to sign a No Win No Fee arrangement, which means that you would pay them a fee only if they win the settlement and you are awarded compensation. This payment is usually a small percentage of the total amount awarded to you and it is due to be paid only after you receive the money into your account. If your case is not successful, you are not liable to pay any fees to the lawyer.

No Win No Fee agreement offers you a long list of benefits without any of the associated risks. Having a lawyer represent you increases your chances of winning and also increases your chances of winning the maximum compensation due to you.