Playground Injury Lawyer — Scotland

Playground Accidents 

Playground accident claims

Playground accidents in Scotland are quite common. Many are simply the result of play between children, but others are caused through faulty play equipment and inadequate protective floor surfaces.

Let’s go into more detail about the main causes of playground accidents that can lead to injuries:    

• Faulty equipment – Poorly maintained or defective playground equipment in public parks or a school playground can cause a child’s injury. This includes loose bolts or sharp edges on swings and climbing frames.
• Bad surfacing – The lack of proper shock-absorbing surfaces under climbing equipment or in fall zones can increase the risk of your child sustaining an injury. Hard surfaces don’t provide enough cushioning when a child is falling, which can lead to serious injuries in a public or private playground.
• Lack of supervision – Insufficient teacher or parental supervision in playground areas can contribute to accidents. Without proper supervision, children may engage in risky behaviour or be unable to get help quickly if an accident happens.
• Poor design – Badly designed playgrounds with risky layouts or inappropriate equipment can lead to injuries. This might include equipment that’s too high, or that has inadequate spacing between pieces, increasing the risk of public playground injury claims.
• Weather-related hazards – Extreme weather conditions can make playground equipment unsafe to use. Wet or icy conditions in parks can make surfaces more dangerous, increasing the risk of slips and falls. School teachers or supervisors should assess these conditions and may be responsible if children are allowed to play in unsafe weather, for which you can claim compensation.
• Overcrowding – If too many children use playground areas simultaneously, this can lead to collisions or not being able to use the equipment safely. This is especially problematic in a busy public playground.

It’s the legal responsibility of the playground owners, either the local council or school, to ensure that everyone who uses the playground is safe. As children are less careful than adults, the law often imposes a greater duty of care on occupiers to ensure their safety.

If your child has suffered an accident in a playground or other play area due to faulty or inappropriate equipment or by falling and injuring themselves on the floor surface, you could make a compensation claim.

A specialist solicitor from Watermans will help you navigate the claims process with ease.

Common Playground Injuries

Playground accidents can lead to various injuries in children, from minor injuries to more serious injuries.

Here are some common injuries that you can make playground accident claims for:  

• Head injuries – These range from minor bumps to concussions. If your child experiences dizziness, confusion or loss of consciousness after a fall, get them to a doctor immediately. Head injuries can affect your child for a long time and might need treatment for weeks or months.
• Fractures and broken bones – Falls from climbing equipment or collisions can lead to fractures, such as a broken arm, leg or collarbone. These injuries often need prompt medical care and may impact your child’s activities for a period of time.
• Cuts and lacerations – Sharper edges on faulty equipment or rough surfaces can cause cuts. While some may be minor, deeper lacerations might need stitches and can leave scars.
• Sprains and strains – Twisted ankles or wrists are common in playground accidents. These injuries to children can be painful and may require rest and physical therapy, especially if a child is injured during active play.
• Internal injuries – In more severe cases, falls can cause internal bruising or organ damage. These injuries might not be immediately apparent, so you’ll have to monitor your child closely after the playground accident.
• Dental injuries – Falls or collisions can result in chipped, broken, or knocked-out teeth. These personal injuries are painful and may need expensive dental work, which you can claim on behalf of your child.

If your child was injured in private or public playground accidents, you can claim compensation with the help of a specialist personal injury solicitor from Watermans.

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Making a Claim

How do I make a playground accident claim?

Experiencing your child being in pain can be traumatic for you as a parent, and depending on their injuries, their lives may be greatly inconvenienced or changed as a result of the accident.

Here are the steps you may need to follow when making a playground accident claim: 

• Seek medical attention – First, ensure that your injured child gets proper care. A medical professional will treat your child and create medical records that are necessary for your claim.
• Gather evidence – Take photos of where the accident happened and how your child fell. We’ll also help you collect any medical reports available. This evidence helps show how the playground owner may have failed in their legal duty. Keep every medical report safe as they’ll be important for your case.
• Contact our specialist child injury solicitors – At Watermans, our expert team will guide you through the child injury claim process. As a parent or guardian, you’ll act as a litigation friend on your child’s behalf.
• Notify the responsible party – We will contact the playground owner or local authorities about your claim. Plus, we check if there’s public liability insurance to cover the claim.
• Negotiate or go to court – Most playground accident claims settle out of court. But if needed, a playground accident lawyer will represent you in court to get fair compensation for the child or children who are injured.

Compensation is important to provide you and your loved ones with financial security as your child recovers. We understand that making a claim for compensation can seem like a daunting task, but we are here to help. We offer straightforward legal advice, and take the hassle out of the process for you.

How Much Compensation?

How much compensation can I claim after a playground accident?

Like most personal injury claims, the amount of compensation you could receive for your child’s injuries is largely dependent on the circumstances in which the accident occurred, and the severity of the injuries your child has sustained.

These are the common types of financial compensation you may be entitled to:

• Pain and suffering – If your child suffers physical or emotional distress due to the accident, you can claim playground accident compensation. This covers the immediate pain and any ongoing discomfort your child experiences.
• Medical expenses – Your claim can include costs for hospital visits, medications and any necessary private medical care. Our personal injury lawyers will ensure that all current and future medical expenses are accounted for in your claim.
• Care costs – If your child needs extra care due to their injuries, whether professional or from family members, this can be included in your personal injury compensation claim.
• Travel expenses – You can claim for costs related to travelling to medical appointments or therapy sessions as part of your playground accident claim.
• Other costs – This can cover any negative impact on your child’s quality of life, like missing school or being unable to participate in hobbies or sports they enjoyed before the accident.

Start your playground accident claim today with our experienced personal injury lawyers. We’ll work tirelessly to ensure you get the full compensation you’re entitled to.

Why Watermans?

Why should I choose Watermans to pursue my personal injury claim?

Watermans makes legal services look and feel easy so people can move forward in life.

Watermans is your modern personal injury law firm in Scotland. Our expert team is committed to doing everything to make the claims process straightforward for our clients following an accident.

We take the hassle from you and fight each case to secure the maximum level of compensation. We also provide access to a range of additional services, such as physiotherapy and psychological treatment to ensure you recover from your injuries as soon as possible and get your life back on track.

Trusted Personal Injury Solicitors in Scotland

Our expertise in personal injury covers a wide range of areas including:

• Accidents at work
• Public liability claims
• Road traffic accidents
• Fatal and serious injury claims
• Cases relating to abuse

We represent thousands of clients throughout Scotland each year, securing millions of pounds in compensation for our clients. We work on a no-win no-fee basis, which means that if your playground injury claim is unsuccessful, you won’t end up out of pocket.

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