PI Liability in Sporting and Leisure Injuries

Sporting injury claims present unique challenges that are rarely encountered in standard personal injury litigation. From navigating the doctrine of consent and assumption of risk to securing crucial video evidence and maximising quantum, practitioners must understand the legal and evidential issues that can make or break a case.

This webinar will provide a practical roadmap for successfully investigating, valuing and litigating sporting injury claims, with a focus on achieving the best outcomes for clients.

Assumption of risk and the "consent" principle

Distinguishing:

• Accidental injuries
• Negligent conduct
• Reckless or intentional acts

Duty of care owed by:

• Players
• Coaches
• Clubs
• Governing bodies

Causation

Key Issues

• Linking the accident to the injury
• Pre-existing conditions
• Multiple injury events
• Long-term prognosis

Expert Evidence

• Orthopaedic experts
• Neurological experts
• Sports medicine specialists
• Rehabilitation evidence

Common Defence Arguments

• Injury would have occurred anyway
• Contributory negligence
• Natural sporting risk
• Event organiser

Causation

Key Issues

• Linking the accident to the injury
• Pre-existing conditions
• Multiple injury events

Common Defence Arguments

• Injury would have occurred anyway
• Contributory negligence
• Natural sporting risk

Who this is for:

This webinar is a must-watch for anyone working within Personal Injury.

Top 3 facts from the webinar:

• The courts' willingness to balance participant safety against the social value of amateur sport, while also signalling the growing importance of statutory health and safety obligations in determining liability.
• Recklessness is not required for negligence but, if established, negligence will follow.
• It will not of itself be enough to establish negligence that the conduct was a breach of the rules of the sport in question.

Level of expertise:

Intermediate – some previous knowledge or awareness required

CPD hours:

This webinar provides you with 1 hour of learning.

Attendees will receive a CPD certificate upon completion of this course.

Learning objectives:

• Identify and assess potential liability in sporting injury claims, including the application of consent, assumption of risk and duty of care principles.
• Recognise and secure the key evidence required to establish negligence and causation, including video footage, witness evidence and relevant sporting regulations.
• Evaluate the role of medical and expert evidence in proving causation, addressing pre-existing conditions and supporting claims for rehabilitation