As a talented young jockey with a promising future, Rebecca* had trained with top-tier stables and competed in elite circuits across the country. But one routine training session brought that future to an abrupt and devastating halt.
Thrown from her horse during a gallop at a respected training school, Rebecca sustained a complex and life-changing ankle injury. Her career was over. Her independence was threatened. And her sense of identity was shattered.
This is how Law Together secured catastrophic injury compensation for Rebecca and helped her find answers, access vital support, and begin a new chapter with strength and hope.
On the day of the incident, Rebecca was taking part in a standard training session on a horse provided by the racing school. There had been no prior indication that the session would be different from any other. But mid-gallop, the horse reared unexpectedly, bucking with force and throwing Rebecca to the ground at speed.
She was rushed to the hospital with a severely fractured ankle, including multiple breaks and torn ligaments. Surgeons confirmed that the injury was complex and would likely cause lifelong pain, reduced mobility, and a high risk of developing early arthritis. For anyone, it would have been a daunting recovery. For someone whose life revolved around elite-level riding, the news was devastating.
Rebecca came to Law Together not just looking for compensation, but for clarity. She needed to understand whether the school could have prevented what had happened, and whether the law was on her side.
Rebecca was referred to Fred Adams, a senior solicitor in our serious injury team, who specialises in catastrophic injury compensation claims and animal-related incidents. From their first conversation, it was clear that Rebecca wasn’t just dealing with physical pain; she was grappling with the loss of her identity, her career, and her future.
Fred and the legal team began a thorough investigation to determine whether the riding school had acted negligently. This included examining:
The Animals Act places strict duties on those responsible for animals used in public or commercial settings. Our investigation revealed that the horse Rebecca was riding had a known history of unpredictable behaviour, and that steps taken to assess its suitability for the session that day had been insufficient.
We secured an early admission of liability from the riding school, avoiding the need for prolonged litigation and allowing Rebecca to focus on recovery and rebuilding her life.
With liability established, our priority shifted to understanding Rebecca’s long-term prognosis and financial needs. We arranged a series of independent medical assessments and worked closely with expert witnesses to build a full picture of her future care and rehabilitation requirements.
These assessments confirmed that while surgery and physiotherapy could offer some improvement, a return to professional competition was out of the question. Rebecca was facing not just a career loss, but a permanent change in her lifestyle and physical capability.
We pursued a comprehensive catastrophic injury compensation settlement that covered:
But for Rebecca, the most transformative element was emotional support. Through private counselling funded as part of the catastrophic injury compensation claim, she was able to process the trauma of the incident and begin visualising a future that, while different, could still involve the animals and sport she loved.
Rebecca’s settlement gave her more than financial security. It gave her choices.
Today, she continues her physical rehabilitation and has started mentoring young riders in a non-riding capacity. She’s also exploring qualifications in equine psychology and hopes to one day own and train racehorses of her own.
Her story is one of resilience, but also of the impact that thoughtful legal representation can have when it’s focused on the whole person, not just the legal claim.
At Law Together, we believe that serious injury claims are about more than just numbers. They’re about people, futures, and giving individuals the tools to rebuild after devastating events.
Rebecca’s case shows what’s possible when legal, medical, and emotional support are provided with compassion and clarity. If you’re looking for catastrophic injury compensation you can trust, you’re in the right place.
If your life has been changed by a serious injury, our team of specialists in catastrophic injury compensation is here to help you take the next step.
Speak to a serious injury solicitor. Call us on 0800 054 2452 or request a callback below.
*The name of our client has been changed for the purpose of anonymity.
