Holiday Illness Claim
Falling ill on holiday is distressing.
In addition to the pain of the illness itself, you miss out on the enjoyment that most of us look forward to all year round. Plus in many cases, you incur substantial and unexpected medical expenses.
If you’ve had your holiday ruined by illness,you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Call us now on 01582 594 290 to find out more, or make a claim.
Under ‘The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992’ we can help holidaymakers recover compensation for sickness caused by a hotel’s poor attention to hygiene on their package holiday.
Holiday Claims
Many holidaymakers have successfully claimed compensation after falling ill on holiday. The most common cases (though not all) are caused by bacteria and are the result of breaching the basic principles of food hygiene, such as:
- Poor temperature and time control/inadequate storage of food
- Incorrect food handling
- Contaminated packaging coming into contact with food
- Inadequate cleaning of food preparation surfaces
We may be able to help you with your holiday illness claim for compensation if your illness is caused by food served in the hotel bar, restaurant or as room service, or as a result of the consumption of food/water during a planned excursion.
Other known causes of holiday illness include:
- Poor hygiene in and around the pool (e.g dirty/broken tiles)
- Incorrect waste disposal
- Poor air conditioning maintenance
- Cross contamination by insects/animals
We work with medical experts who have many years’ experience in this area and who recognise the signs of illnesses contracted by any of these hotel/ cruise ship failings.
Common types of holiday sickness
Our specialist team can help you if you have been diagnosed with any of the following bacterial infections:
- Salmonella
- Ecoli
- Shigella
- Campylobacter
- Cryptosporidium
Common symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fatigue and vomiting and vary in each individual case. Cases of infection can also develop into long term illness such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome.
In recent years there have also been a number of outbreaks of serious illnesses such as Legionnaires Disease linked to cruise ships.
Holidaymakers who are unfortunate enough to suffer from any of the illnesses listed should seek medical assistance right away. Our advice, and the advice of our medical experts, is to:
- Keep a diary of your symptoms, appointments/treatment and expenses. Keep a note of what was eaten and any results/advice if you sought medical assistance. It is also wise to provide us with details of others who became ill during your stay. The chances are if you have been ill as a result of poor hygiene, others have also.
- Photograph examples of poor practice around the hotel/cruise ship can be used as evidence in your holiday claim.
- Compile details of how and when your holiday was booked. Do you have documentation?
Can I Make A Holiday Claim?
- Was your holiday booked as a package?
- Did you mainly eat and drink in the hotel facilities?
There are many other factors we will need to consider but provided you answer yes to both of these questions, we can get started with your holiday sickness claim.
How much is my Claim Worth?
Settlements vary depending on severity, duration and type of illness. A medical diagnosis is very important to securing the compensation you deserve. However a typical claim where symptoms last between a a few days and two weeks will settle for a sum between £1250 and £3000.
Additional Holiday Expenses
In addition to compensation for your discomfort and inconvenience, we can also recover your ‘out of pocket’ expenses such as:
- Medical fees
- Treatment/ prescribed medication
- Appointment travel costs
- Some of the cost of your ruined holiday
Was your trip for a special occasion? E.g your wedding or honeymoon? If so, our experts can also help you recover the cost of abandoning your big day.
Additional Holiday Expenses
In addition to compensation for your discomfort and inconvenience, we can also recover your ‘out of pocket’ expenses such as:
- Medical fees
- Treatment/ prescribed medication
- Appointment travel costs
- Some of the cost of your ruined holiday
Was your trip for a special occasion? E.g your wedding or honeymoon? If so, our experts can also help you recover the cost of abandoning your big day.
How long does a claim take?
The process can take slightly longer than a claim within the UK, as your tour operator legally has 6 months to investigate your claim internally.
As a guide, the average length of a holiday claim is around 12 months and this can be reduced if there are multiple cases of sickness in the same resort. If symptoms are ongoing, with no signs of subsiding, we may advise you to delay settlement until the full extent of your holiday illness is known.
Time Limit
As there are so many varying factors which determine the ‘limitation date’ or time limit for submitting a holiday sickness claim, we suggest you call us on 01582 594 290, so that our team can talk you through the relevant information for the country you visited and the illness you experienced.
No Win No fee
We can represent you in your holiday sickness claim on a no win no fee basis. A “conditional fee agreement” means that you will not have to pay any legal fees should your claim be unsuccessful.