One of the latest personal injury claims in the news involves Robert Uren, who severely injured himself after taking part in a corporate health and fun day at an RAF base. Mr Uren was joining in an event called ‘the pool game’ when he tripped and struck his head on the floor. The end result was a broken neck and a fractured mid-cervical spine, with Mr Uren tragically left a tetraplegic confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Mr Uren filed a personal injury compensation claim against his former employers and the owners of the leisure facilities, claiming that neither party did enough to ensure his safety during the event. Unfortunately, his claim was unsuccessful, as the court ruled that the risk in this particular case was very small and that there are always dangers involved in physical activities such as sporting events.
This is true, and Mr Uren’s case is of course an extreme example of accidents that can occur during sporting events. However, employers have a legal responsibility to ensure your safety during any event or activity you are required or invited to participate in. If you have suffered a personal injury in similar circumstances, the best thing to do is to seek professional compensation claims advice to find out who was responsible and if you have the right to make a claim.
