Car damaged by football at kid's football match

mikepoole

I am the Club Secretary of a grassroots football club (ages 7 to 15)

Our car park is next to the pitches and has a large sign saying “All vehicles left at owner’s risk”

A lady has emailed me photos of the damage to her car (small crack on rear window) after a wayward ball from a game hit her car. We have public liability insurance through our county FA but just want to find out if we are liable at all for this? 

Seems that parking our car next to a football match (with the sign too) - surely the risks are fairly clear and therefore accepted?

Many thanks

Mark_d

I don't think you could be held liable for this damage to the lady's car window.  You are playing football on football pitches and there is adequate signage.  What more could you be expected to you?  You have not been negligent in any way.

Sometimes there are risks where it's purely down to bad luck.  If a branch of a tree gets blown on your car due to a gust of wind, are you going to make a claim against the owner of the tree?  Assuming the tree is looked after and generally not posing a risk, would it be reasonable to hold the tree's owner liable?

My understanding is that, except in the case of personal injury, the claimant would need to prove negligence.

43722

Same thing happened to me many years ago, except it was a cricket ball. In the end I picked up a second hand window and got it fixed. 

DullGreyGuy

What are the age of the kids that did it?

What is there between the pitches and the carpark to prevent it from happening?

Signage is useful but you still need to take reasonable efforts to ensure others property isn't damaged

mikepoole

DullGreyGuy said:

What are the age of the kids that did it?

What is there between the pitches and the carpark to prevent it from happening?

Signage is useful but you still need to take reasonable efforts to ensure others property isn't damaged

Nothing between the cars and the pitch (as with most local clubs). if you park your car right by the end of the pitch by the goals where 10 year old kids are going to be shooting, I'd say it's obvious your car is at risk of being hit

TELLIT01

I wouldn't think there would be any liability but confirm that with your local FA before responding to the complainant.

DullGreyGuy

mikepoole said:

DullGreyGuy said:

What are the age of the kids that did it?

What is there between the pitches and the carpark to prevent it from happening?

Signage is useful but you still need to take reasonable efforts to ensure others property isn't damaged

Nothing between the cars and the pitch (as with most local clubs). if you park your car right by the end of the pitch by the goals where 10 year old kids are going to be shooting, I'd say it's obvious your car is at risk of being hit

Cant comment on "most" as never been into football but certainly our local club, which we live next to, has circa 12' chainlink fences around the pitches. We still get the occasional ball coming over them but stands them in good stead for arguing they've taken their duty of care seriously... that said they recently got a slap from the planning office as they were supposed to have planted a "living wall" rather than just a chainlink along the boundary between the grounds and the neighbouring buildings. 

Agree speaking to the FA seems sensible, it's part of what your dues are for.