Premiership footballer to make compensation claim for career-limiting injury

West Ham man sues after breaking ankle on international duty

West Ham United striker Dean Ashton is to make a personal injury claim against fellow footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Chelsea FC after an injury he suffered in August 2006.  Ashton, who up until that point had had a promising career playing for teams such as Crewe Alexandra and Norwich City was forced to retire earlier this month, after doctors advised him that his injury might get so bad that he would be unable to walk.

The tackle that caused such a serious injury actually took place during a training session with the England squad that Ashton attended just a day before he was due to play his first full international; a friendly against Greece.  At the training session, another England squad member, Shaun Wright-Phillips (who at the time was signed for Chelsea) tackled Ashton in a move that left him with a broken ankle.  This tackle left Ashton unable to play for 11 months.  He made his return to football in July 2007, but played in just 40 games over the next year.

Ashton last played in September 2008, only 3 months after signing a new 5-year contract with West Ham.  Despite being physically fit, the injury to his ankle left him unable to twist or turn or to take the force of any impact.  Doctors are believed to have warned him that unless he retired from professional football, his injury might leave him unable to walk.

Football injury compensation claim

Mr Ashton and his lawyers are thought to be considering a claim against both Wright-Phillips and his club at the time, Chelsea, who would be held ‘vicariously liable’ for the actions of someone employed by them.  Ashton’s club, West Ham, are also considering a claim for around £7 million against Chelsea, which was the fee they paid for Ashton when he moved from Norwich City.

The case of Dean Ashton is not the first injury claim involving a professional footballer to be heard in the courts.  Back in 1998 footballer Matthew Holmes was awarded £250,000 in damages after a bad tackle by another player, Kevin Muscat.  The biggest award in a case similar to Ashton’s was in 1997, when Bradford City player Gordon Watson received £909,000 compensation after having his leg broken in two places by Huddersfield Town’s Kevin Gray.

Sporting injury compensation claims

For advice on a wide variety of injury claims, including those for injuries suffered whilst playing professional or semi-professional sporting activities, call Camps Solicitors.  Our injury compensation lawyers look at each case individually, and if we decide you have grounds to make a claim, we can take your case forwards on a No-Win No-Fee basis, which means you will not have to pay us for our services, whether you win or lose.  Call 0800 092 8586 today to find out more.