Fairground Accident Claims
If you have been the victim of a fairground, amusement park, or theme park accident in the UK and sustained an injury that wasn’t your fault, Tylers Solicitors are here to help you with your fairground accident claims.
Compensation for Fairground Accidents
Fairground and amusement park owners are responsible for maintaining their site, including any rides, buildings, and facilities, to ensure the safety of their visitors. While fairground accidents are uncommon, they can be incredibly serious when they do occur — and if you’re injured through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation.
Whether you’ve slipped, tripped, or taken a fall due to poor maintenance at a theme park or sustained life changing injuries in a fairground ride accident, our no win, no fee personal injury solicitors are here to build your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
If you have any questions about amusement parks, theme parks, and fairground accidents and how to make a compensation claim, call us on 0800 699 0079 or fill in our contact form.
What are the most common injuries caused by fairground and amusement park accidents?
- Whiplash and neck injuries
Serious whiplash and neck injuries occur in amusement parks due to the high speeds and jerky movements of certain attractions. You may wish to make a claim against a theme park if the ride wasn’t properly maintained or wasn’t controlled correctly, leading to ride malfunctions, an abrupt stop, or too much speed. - Broken bones
Broken bones and bone injuries can occur almost anywhere in an amusement park or fairground. Whether you’ve slipped on a poorly maintained walkway or fallen from a ride due to staff error or outdated restraints, you may be eligible to make a claim for your injuries. - Head and brain injuries
From concussions to traumatic brain injuries, you may experience head and brain injuries at an amusement park due to poor ride maintenance or when hitting your head while on a ride operating with excessive force. In the worst cases, you may even be ejected from a fairground ride due to an old, inoperative seat belt or harness. - Back and spine injuries
If you’ve taken a particularly hard landing while on a ride at an amusement park or your body has awkwardly jolted at force, you may experience back and spine injuries. These injuries could potentially develop into more serious conditions, like herniated discs, chronic pain, and even paralysis in the most extreme cases. - Amputation and crush injuries
As seen in the crash of ‘The Smiler’ in Alton Towers, crushing and amputation injuries can occur due to operator error or ride malfunction — especially if you’re in a suspended or inverted roller coaster where your limbs dangle freely. Crushing injuries can occur if your limbs have been caught in the ride or if the safety restraints malfunction, potentially leading to amputations.
Due to the sheer variety of rides at amusement parks, almost any injury is possible, including electrocution burns, food poisoning, soft tissue injuries, and even drownings, as seen in Drayton Manor’s accident in 2017.
If you believe you have been injured by the negligence of an amusement park in the UK, don’t hesitate to discuss your theme park accident and injury case with our personal injury solicitors by calling us on 0800 699 0079.
How much compensation can you claim?
What evidence do you need for fairground accident claims?
For the best chance of winning your fairground accident claim for injuries due to theme park negligence, it’s important to have as much evidence as possible to prove that the amusement park was at fault for your injuries. This will strengthen your claim and increase your chances of winning compensation.
To help you feel confident when making your amusement park injury claim, we’ve compiled a list of documents and sources that will act as strong evidence.
Don’t panic if you don’t have access to all the examples below — our personal injury solicitors will assess any evidence you have and help gather more if needed.
- Medical reports: Including GP, paramedic, or hospital records showing treatment for your amusement park injuries, including any prescriptions and receipts for treatment, physio, or recovery.
- Photographic and video evidence: Including photos of your injuries, the accident seen with any safety hazards present, and video footage of the incident (if available), including CCTV.
You can request footage from the offending amusement park or funfair under the UK Data Protection Act 2018. If they deny the footage, note this down — this could indicate liability, which is integral to your case.
- Incident report from the park: Whether you suffered an injury at a theme park, amusement park, or in a fairground accident, these facilities are legally required to record any accidents in a logbook.
Request the report for your accident and injury, as it will give key information about what happened, where, and how the accident occurred.
- Witness statements: Luckily, amusement parks are busy places filled with people waiting in line for rides. With this in mind, witness reports will be incredibly useful for your claim.
Take down the contact details of any witnesses, and request a written statement to confirm what they saw of your accident. Written accounts of your amusement park accident can verify your side of the story and confirm any safety hazards present to prove theme park negligence and liability.
- Proof of financial loss: Gather any receipts that prove a financial loss due to your amusement park accident, including travel expenses, loss of earnings from time off work, and medical treatment costs.
If you have any questions about gathering evidence for your theme park injury compensation claim, contact our solicitors, and we will be happy to discuss your case and provide more guidance.
How to sue a theme park, amusement park, or fairground in the UK
With 15 years of experience, our personal injury solicitors are here to make your fairground accident claims as stress free as possible.
See below for more information about our process and how we will get you the theme park injury compensation you deserve.
- Initial consultation: Begin your injury claim by filling out our contact form or calling us on 0800 699 0079. We will be in touch as soon as possible to arrange a no-obligation consultation.
During this meeting, we will discuss your amusement park accident and the injuries caused, which will help us determine whether you have an eligible claim.
- Gathering evidence: We will then take a look at any evidence you have available. If strong enough and theme park liability and negligence are apparent, we can proceed to the next steps.
If we need more evidence to support your amusement park injury claim, we can help you gather more. We may bring in a third-party specialist at this point — like a rollercoaster engineer or a medical professional — to submit a report that supports your claim.
- Establishing liability: Once all the evidence of theme park negligence has been gathered, we can establish liability. We will take all physical, emotional, and financial losses into account to finalise your compensation amount.
- Filing the claim: Once you agree with the proposed compensation amount, we can file your claim. Leave it to our solicitors to handle all the legalities, negotiations, and paperwork on your behalf so you can focus on your injury recovery.
- Representing in court: Fairgrounds, amusement parks, and theme parks receive a lot of press coverage in the event of public injuries caused by negligence.
As such, your compensation claim may be settled outside of court so the facility can avoid bad press. However, if the facility disputes liability for your injuries, our solicitors will happily represent you in court.
How much is the compensation for injuries at theme parks?
If you want to know how much money you could receive for your injuries, it’s important to remember that — usually — the more severe your injuries, the higher the amount you can claim.
However, personal injury compensation amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the severity of harm caused, any long-term impacts, financial or lifestyle losses, and psychological distress.
Based on the latest edition of The Judicial College Guidelines, we’ve included the average compensation amounts below so you can get the most accurate estimate for your theme park injury compensation award.
For an exact compensation figure, we recommend contacting our solicitors via our online contact form or call 0800 699 0079 for more information.
Fairground accident claims amounts
Need more information? Don’t worry, one of our professional claims solicitors will advise you along the way
Contact us on 0800 699 0079 or via our online contact form to start your claim today!
Compensation for whiplash and neck injuries
For soft tissue injuries with short term recovery, herniated discs, chronic pain, severe fractures and dislocations, or a permanent loss of neck movement, you could be eligible for compensation ranging from £9,630 for minor injuries to £181,020 for paralysis-related injuries.
Compensation for broken bones and fractures
For simple fractures, ligament injuries, and fractures causing chronic pain or significant disability, you could be eligible for up to £16,770 for simple bone breaks to £85,100 for fractures requiring major surgery.
Compensation for head and brain injuries
From concussions and cognitive issues to severe disabilities and paralysis, you could be eligible for compensation ranging from £2,690 for a minor concussion to £493,000 for injuries resulting in a permanent vegetative state.
Compensation for back and spine injuries
For back and spine injuries resulting in soft tissue injuries and strains to spinal surgery and nerve damage, you could be eligible for compensation ranging from £15,260 for minor back and spine injuries to £196,450 for injuries resulting in severe nerve damage and disability.
Compensation for amputation and crush injuries
For moderate crush injuries with no surgery needed, degloving injuries, loss of joint function, and limb amputations, you could be eligible for compensation ranging from £16,770 for moderate crushing injuries to £366,100 for the amputation of two limbs.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular amusements and theme parks in the UK?
Based on 2025 estimates from IBISWorld’s market research report, there are over 565 amusement and theme parks in the UK, with Alton Towers in Staffordshire being the largest. Some of the UK’s most popular amusement parks include:
- Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire
- Thorpe Park, Surrey
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire
- LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Berkshir
- Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey
- Drayton Manor Resort, Staffordshire
- Paultons Park, Hampshire
- Fantasy Land, Lincolnshire
- Flamingo Land Resort, North Yorkshire
- Oakwood Theme Park, Wales
What were the worst theme park accidents in the UK?
Over the years, UK theme parks have seen a few serious accidents that unfortunately resulted in life-changing injuries and fatalities. Some of the most dangerous include:
- The Smiler, Alton Towers, 2015: Four riders suffered from life changing injuries, including leg amputations. Five others were seriously injured with fractures and trauma. This was due to operator error.
- Hydro, Oakwood Theme Park, 2004: A young girl was thrown from the ride and drowned as a result. It was revealed that restraints were not properly secured, and witnesses of the accident helped validate this account.
- Twister, Lightwater Valley, 2019: A young boy fell 30ft from the Twister ride after slipping out of his seat, suffering from serious head injuries, including a fractured skull. It was found that this accident occurred due to overlooked safety concerns.
- Splash Canyon Rapids, Drayton Manor, 2017: A young girl fell from the popular rapids ride when trying to switch seats. She fell into the water and subsequently drowned. Drayton Manor was held liable due to a failure to ensure passenger safety.
Can you sue a theme park for whiplash?
Yes, if your whiplash injury was caused by the negligence of the amusement park or staff, you may be eligible to claim compensation. Severe, life changing whiplash injuries can grant you up to £181,010 in compensation, whereas minor whiplash injuries with a short term prognosis and no complications could award up to £9,630.
How long do I have to claim chronic pain syndrome compensation?
Whether you developed chronic pain syndrome as the result of a specific injury or developed it over time due to workplace health and safety negligence, you have three years from the onset of the pain to start your compensation claim.
If you’re unsure whether you are eligible, please speak with one of our compassionate solicitors on 0800 699 0079 to discuss chronic pain syndrome compensation claims in more detail.
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For any Personal Injury Claims, call Tylers Solicitors today, a leading UK provider of no-win, no-fee legal services. Our experienced team will work with you to get the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to, following any kind of injury that isn’t your fault!