Media and Press

£25,000 payout after football leg break
Tue 22nd Dec 09 - 13:02

As featured in the Nottingham Evening Post and Wigan Today, 23rd November 2009.

A UNIVERSITY student whose leg was shattered in a football tackle has been awarded a £25,000 insurance pay-out.

Jonny Craig, 29, was studying for a doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Nottingham when the accident happened in October 2006.

He was playing for team Boots Wednesday in the EMPAL Sunday League when a player from opposing side New Engine House came in for a late tackle.

"I intercepted the ball and was running towards the goal, next thing I was taken out from the side and my leg had been snapped in half," he said.

"I was just lying on the ground and my bone had come out of my leg."

Mr Craig was taken by ambulance to the Queen's Medical Centre where he underwent an emergency operation on his left leg. It had been broken in three places. He stayed in hospital for five days before being sent home to recover with his family in Wigan.

But his leg became infected and he had to be readmitted to hospital. Mr Craig decided to approach law firm Ralli after learning he would not be able to continue his university course.

He said: "I missed about three months of my course and had to defer for a year, meaning my career would be delayed.

"The bones have now fused in my leg but I cannot run as fast as I used to and have pains from the injury."

The firm looked into Mr Craig's case and he has since been awarded £25,000 from the opposing team's insurers.

James Reilly, personal injury Associate at Ralli, said: "This type of case is notorious due to the lack of insurance cover for players and teams. In Jonny's case, the insurers were prepared to pay as the policy was unclear.

"Sports players must be aware when they play amateur contact sports, they could be leaving themselves exposed to legal action should a tackle go wrong."

Jonny is now continuing his doctorate and will finish next summer. He said: "It's never really been about the money, but I was gobsmacked as I didn't think it would be so much."