Beach Accident Claim – How Much Compensation?

Have you had an accident on a UK beach? If so, you might be able to make a beach accident claim for your injuries. 

In this guide, we discuss the eligibility criteria to make a beach accident claim and possible ways a controller of a beach could be negligent. 

We also discuss what evidence you should collect to best support your case. 

Furthermore, we look at how compensation would be calculated if a beach injury claim is successful, and why it would benefit you to use a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. 

Our team will listen to your claim query and answer any questions you have. If your claim is eligible, they can connect you with one of the specialist No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel. So, contact us today:

Two people sat in deck chairs on the beach facing the sea.

Jump To A Section

  1. What Is A Beach Accident Claim?
  2. How Can Negligence Cause Accidents On A Beach?
  3. What Should I Do After A Beach Accident?
  4. How Much Compensation For A Beach Injury?
  5. Can I Make A No Win No Fee Beach Accident Claim?
  6. Read More About How To Make A Personal Injury Claim

What Is A Beach Accident Claim?

A beach accident claim could possibly be made if negligence occurred. Negligence is the breach of duty of care, which leads to an injury. 

Very often, those in control of a beach used by the public have a duty of care to keep them reasonably safe. While beaches may be owned by different parties, such as the Crown Estate or private landowners, local authorities and councils are usually responsible for controlling public beaches.

However, it is important to note that their duty does not extend to protect visitors from obvious risks. So, you won’t be able to claim compensation for some types of beach accidents. This is because it must be proven that the controller failed to take a step that they were expected to take, and this was the cause of your beach accident. 

As such, here is the beach injury claims eligibility criteria:

  1. The controller of a beach, such as the local council, owed you a duty of care. 
  2. The controller breached their duty of care by not taking steps they were expected to. 
  3. You suffered an injury and/or illness as a result of this breach.

In the section below, we look at some steps that controllers of a public beach are expected to take, and how an injury could occur from them not being taken. 

How Can Negligence Cause Accidents On A Beach?

Here are some examples of how negligence could possibly occur on a beach:

  • Some steps leading down to the beach are broken. Despite multiple reports of these broken steps being reported to the council, they have failed to repair them in a timely manner. Thus, you could trip and fall down the broken steps and suffer broken bones. 
  • It had been reported to the local council that there were broken glass bottles on a specific area on the beach. The council made no attempt to have this area cleared within a timely manner. This could lead to children, as well as adults, suffering lacerations injuries to the feet.
  • There were no warning signs implemented about risks in the sea that the public may not be aware of, such as no ‘risk to health due to pollution’ signs next to a polluted area of the sea. Due to this lack of signage, a person could sustain an illness from swimming in that part of the sea. The Bathing Water Regulations 2013 outlines the necessity of putting out appropriate warning signs next to areas of bathing water. 

Making a beach accident claim can be tricky. This is why it is strongly advised to contact us and discuss your circumstances with our team. Our panel of solicitors are legal experts and can help navigate you through the personal injury claims process.

A person walking on the beach during the sunset.

What Should I Do After A Beach Accident?

You should seek medical attention and contact us about your beach accident. After that, you should collect as much evidence as you can. Your evidence must show that duty of care was breached, and your injury/illness was a result of this. 

So, here are some useful types of evidence to show in a beach accident claim:

  • Photographs of any causations and visible effects of your injuries. For example, a photo of broken glass bottles on the floor, and a photo of the cuts on your foot. 
  • Any video footage of the accident occurring, possibly through CCTV or a mobile phone. 
  • Copies of medical records that show the extent of your injuries from the accident
  • Contact details from any witnesses to the accident. Witness statements can be given during the claims process.
  • A personal symptoms diary where you have described how your injury/illness has affected you and what medical treatment you need. 

It may seem daunting having to collect all the evidence needed for your beach accident claim. This is where our panel of solicitors can help. Part of their services includes collecting evidence in order to make the claims process as easy as possible for you. 

So, contact us today to potentially receive help collecting evidence. 

How Much Compensation For A Beach Injury?

If your beach accident claim is successful, there are up to two heads of loss that you could be compensated for. General and special damages are the names of these heads of loss. 

General damages is awarded to all successful claimants. This compensates you for the physical and psychiatric effects of your beach injury. These are some factors that are considered during the calculation of this head of loss:

  • The extent of your medical treatment. 
  • Loss of amenity.
  • The severity of the pain. 

The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is a document that can be referred to during the calculation of this head of loss. The JCG contains guideline compensation amounts for all sorts of injuries and illnesses. 

Guideline Compensation Table

In the table below, you can find some possible types of beach injuries and their accompanying guideline compensation amounts. Apart from the first row, this has all been taken from the JCG. 

However, no set amount can be guaranteed for your specific compensation claim, because all circumstances are unique. 

InjurySeverityGuideline compensation amountsNotes
Multiple serious injuries and special damagesSeriousUp to £500,000+An amount for suffering multiple serious injuries and monetary losses, such as travel costs and lost earnings.
LegSevere (b) (i)£117,460 to £165,860Where a fracture has not united so extensive bone grafting has to be done.
Severe (b) (ii)£66,920 to £109,290Multiple fractures that takes years to heal and requires extensive treatment.
AnkleVery severe (a)£61,090 to £85,070A transmalleolar fracture of the ankle plus extensive soft-tissue damage.
ArmInjuries resulting in permanent, substantial disablement (b)£47,810 to £73,050Serious fractures to one or both forearms with significant permanent residual disability.
Simple fractures (d)£8,060 to £23,430To the forearm.
Digestive systemIllness from non-traumatic injury (b) (i)£46,900 to £64,070Severe toxicosis requiring hospital admission for a few days/weeks.
Illness from non-traumatic injury (b) (iii)£4,820 to £11,640A reaction leading to the alteration of bowel function, stomach cramps, and fatigue. A complete recovery will be made within 1-2 years.
ScarringA large single laceration scar or a number of smaller laceration scars£9,560 to £27,740To legs, arms, hands, back, or chest.

Special Damages

Special damages is awarded to some successful claimants. This compensates you for the financial effects of your beach injury. 

Here are some examples of the types of financial losses you could be reimbursed for:

  • Medical bills, such as prescription costs. 
  • Travel costs to and from medical appointments. 
  • Loss of earnings if time off work to recover is needed. 

Evidence must be shown if you wish to receive special damages. Such evidence includes payslips, receipts, invoices, and bank statements.

To learn about how much compensation could potentially be awarded in a successful beach accident claim, please get in touch with us.

Can I Make A No Win No Fee Beach Accident Claim?

If your beach accident claim is eligible, you can connect with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. 

As well as collecting evidence, here are some of the services offered by our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors:

  • Legal representation can be found on your behalf if your claim needs to go to Court. 
  • Letters of correspondence can be sent to the defendant on your behalf. 
  • Legal jargon can be explained to you. 
  • You can be kept informed of any updates throughout the claims process.
  • The value of your claim can be checked to make sure it is fair and accurate. 
  • Your claim will be submitted within the relevant time limits. 

Additionally, if you are connected with a solicitor from our panel, they could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Here is how you benefit from a CFA:

  • You don’t pay for your solicitor’s services before the claims process starts. 
  • You don’t pay for your solicitor’s services during the claims process. 
  • If your claim is unsuccessful, you don’t pay for your solicitor’s services at all. 
  • If your claim is successful, you don’t pay for your solicitor’s services. Instead, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. A success fee is a small percentage, legally capped to ensure that you receive the majority of compensation. 

A personal injury solicitor shaking hands with a client.

Contact Us

If you have suffered a personal injury from a beach accident, please feel free to have a chat with us today. You may be able to start claiming compensation with an expert No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. Here is how you can contact us today:

Read More About How To Make A Personal Injury Claim

Here are some of our other personal injury claims guides:

Alternatively, here are some external pages that you might find useful:

Thank you for reading our beach accident claim guide today. Please remember that you can contact us at any time 24/7.