Horse riding and working with horses can be very rewarding but when accidents happen the injuries can be serious and even life-changing. If you’ve had an accident involving horses that wasn’t your fault, our solicitors could help you claim compensation.

Can I Claim Compensation For A Horse-Related Accident?

Our experienced solicitors have successfully handled many horse accident claims and can help get you the compensation you deserve for:

• Injuries from working with horses
• Injuries from a road traffic accident
• Injuries from a riding lesson
• Injuries from a competitive event (either while taking part or watching)
• Injuries involving a horse and carriage
• Injuries while training or leading horses.

Although there are always risks when handling and being around horses, the people in charge have a duty of care to keep you safe. This can mean employers, instructors, horse owners or event organisers. Employers aren’t allowed to argue that you knew the risks around horses and accepted these risks. They are not allowed to argue that the injuries were just “one of those things” or a “hazard of the job”.

If you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident while riding your horse you may be entitled to compensation as well.  Horse riders are vulnerable on the road and road traffic accidents can cause serious injuries and emotional trauma.

You may still be able to make a horse riding accident claim if the incident was a hit and run and you couldn’t identify the driver. Claims may also be possible if the driver spooked your horse, causing injuries to you or your animal.

Our specialist advisors can assess what happened and advise you on whether you have a potential claim.  Your compensation could cover rehabilitation needs, horse retraining needs, emotional and psychological support, medical and travel expenses, replacing equipment, and fitness rehabilitation.

Contact us today to find out more about making a horse accident compensation claim.

How Can I Claim Compensation?

You should contact us as soon as possible after your accident. We offer a free initial consultation to discuss what happened to you and whether you have a case. If you do start a claim we can offer different ways to pay, like No Win No Fee agreements. This means there is no financial risk to you.

We’ll gather information and contact those responsible for your accident to see if they accept responsibility. If they do, we’ll try and secure interim compensation payments before your claim settles. This can help pay for things like immediate medical treatment, travel costs, and loss of income if you can’t work.

How long it takes to get you compensation will depend on:

• Proving who was responsible for your injury
• If and when that person accepts responsibility
• How severe your injuries are and how long it takes to work out your treatment and rehabilitation needs.

In the majority of cases we’ll be able to get you compensation by settling out of court, which is quicker than going to court.

We aim to make the claims process as simple as possible, supporting you every step of the way.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?

You’ll normally have three years to make a claim from the date of your accident. However, there are some exceptions to this rule:

• Claims on behalf of children – these can be made any time before your child is 18. Once they’re 18 they can make their own claim until they are 21.
• Mental capacity – there are no time limits to make a claim on behalf of someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to claim themselves.

If you’re claiming for a loved one who died as a result of the accident, you need to claim within three years of their passing.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a horse related accident it’s best to contact us as soon as possible.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

There is no set amount of compensation you can claim. Once we know the circumstances of your accident, we can give you more detail.

We’ll take a number of things into account to work out how much compensation you should receive:

How severe your injuries are and how well you’ve been able recover

• The costs of your current and future medical care, including treatment costs for the rest of your life if necessary
• If you’ve lost (or will lose) any income through work absence or unemployment
• Any costs to adapt your home or vehicle needed because of your injury
• Training costs for alternative employment where appropriate
• Out of pocket expenses caused by the accident
• Veterinary fees to treat your horse or pony’s injuries
• Retraining costs for your horse or pony, if there are issues when riding on the road
• Loss of value of your horse or pony (if their injuries are likely to cause this)
• Damage to your riding equipment and additional expenses (if you have had to pay someone else to take care of your horse during your recovery).

We’ll make sure your compensation is enough to help you pay for any medical care you need, rehabilitation and any other expenses you’ve had to pay because of your injury.

Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim?

Most of the cases we handle are funded using a No Win No Fee agreement. This means there’s no financial risk* to you when making a claim. You’ll only have to pay anything if your claim is successful - your opponent will pay most of our fees.

Why Choose Irwin Mitchell?

Our personal injury solicitors are based across the country, so wherever you are, we’re on hand to help. We understand the issues you may be facing and our team will work hard to get a positive outcome for you and your family.

We’re the largest personal injury team of any law firm in the country. We’re supported by experienced investigators and medical professionals. With their expert knowledge, we can make sure you get the best possible compensation to cover your needs now and in the future.

We’re one of the few law firms that have a dedicated road traffic accident investigation team, which includes former police investigators. They have experience of road traffic accidents involving horses and they help our lawyers gather evidence for your claim. They help us make sure your case is as strong as possible.

Many of our lawyers have experience riding out on the roads and being around horses, so we have first-hand knowledge of the issues involved.

In the past two years we’ve helped our personal injury clients claim over £1.5 billion in compensation. Our lawyers know how frustrating and traumatic an injury can be and we’ll support you throughout the claims process.

Contact Us

For a free initial consultation about your horse accident claim, call us on 0800 056 4110 or contact us online.