Horse riding has become a growth area in the UK leisure sector over the last few years, with up to four million people annually enjoying the activity and around a million children regularly attending riding schools or stables. With those numbers participating in a hobby that involves extended close contact with a large, heavy, and powerful and to some extent unpredictable animal in a variety of environments from public roads to indoor arenas, there are unfortunately going to be accidents resulting.
Whilst some accidents will be the fault of the rider, other accidents will be the fault, fully or partially of other parties in which case it might be possible to make a horse riding accident claim. Examples of where such accidents occur include
• those that happen on a public road as a result of the actions of another road user
• accidents at competitions due to avoidable hazards in the competition environment or the actions of a spectator
• a rider being miss-matched with a mount they haven’t the experience to ride or control
• avoidable accidents whilst working or volunteering at a stables or riding school
• accidents surrounding inadequately maintained tack or safety equipment
• a failure to adequately control or contain horses resulting in people being bitten or kicked.
The injuries resulting from horse riding accidents can range from minor bruising and abrasions to serious and complex multiple fractures and life threatening spinal or head injuries. If it can be proved that the accident that caused the injury was the result of the negligence or recklessness of a third party, such a motor vehicle driver failing to give a horse sufficient clearance when overtaking or a stables owner failing to ensure that their workers were warned about a horse known to bite or the general risk of being kicked due to approaching a horse from the rear, a solicitor would be able to assess the details of the accident and advise on whether a compensation claim would be viable.
Some experienced personal injury solicitors specialise in cases involving horse riding accident claims. They are aware of how complex and serious some horse riding injuries and circumstances surrounding them are and come equipped to deal with any resultant claims for compensation with substantial background knowledge and experience of the equine business and leisure sectors and the experiences and issues faced by horse riders today.
Whilst an accident victim is struggling to cope with the trauma of the accident and concerns about their injuries and or their horse’s injuries, an experienced compensation claim solicitor will be ensuring that every detail pertinent to victim’s riding accident claim is assembled, assessed to ensure that represents an arguable case, and progressed as rapidly as possible through what can appear to anyone who isn’t a legal professional a sometimes long, complex process. If someone’s negligent or reckless actions have ruined another’s love of their equine hobby, initiating a riding accident claim, can not only be the right thing to do, it can also have a very positive psychological effect on the victim.
Tim Bishop is senior partner of specialist compensation solicitors, Bonallack and Bishop. For help with any medical negligence or personal injury compensation claim, call them on 01722 422300. Alternatively to ask a question about claiming compensation for free, simply visit their specialist website at http://www.how-to-claim-compensation.co.uk.