Holiday Accident Compensation: Making a Claim
Now that COVID-19 restrictions are beginning to be relaxed across the world, global travel is taking off once again after a gruelling two years.
For many, 2022 is the first year for a while that they will be jetting off to somewhere sunny and warm.
But with the uncertainty around flights, and the increased demand of people wanting to go on holiday, many may still be wary about travelling abroad and the risk it poses to them.
Of course, travelling abroad usually goes smoothly but you want to be covered just in case anything does go wrong.
If the unfortunate does happen and you do have an accident abroad then the big question is: what should you do?
Typical accidents that happen abroad
Wherever you go on holiday, there is always the risk of accidents and incidents happening. Fortunately, holidays do usually go smoothly and without issue, but when incidents do happen, they often come in the form of:
- Road traffic accidents
- Driving abroad can be completely different to driving in the UK. Inexperience can cause drivers to get into road accidents.
- Holiday sickness
- The most common form of holiday illness is food poisoning and gastric illnesses. This can be due to lack of hygiene or cleanliness at places like breakfast buffets.
- Accidents in hotels and resorts
- Due to days spent around the pool in large hotel complexes, slips, trips, and falls are commonplace and can cause a lot of pain for the person involved.
- Sports accidents
- Many like to get away on sporting holidays, such as skiing, and with this comes a higher risk of getting injured.
Other types of accidents or incidents that can happen whilst you’re abroad include:
- Accidents at sea or in a pool
- Accidents whilst working abroad
- Bacterial infections
- Hijacking or terrorist attacks
- Legionnaires’ disease
Your hotel or travel operator is usually responsible for your health and safety when you are abroad. So if their negligence has caused your injury then you are within your rights to claim compensation for the pain and distress it has caused you.
What to do if you suffer an accident abroad?
The first thing you should do is to seek medical attention if you have been injured. Then make sure the accident has been reported to the hotel or your holiday representative.
This is helpful when the incident is recorded in an accident book, as it can be used as evidence if you start a compensation claim.
Another helpful thing you could do is to take photos of the injuries and where the accident took place.
CCTV is also a useful piece of evidence. It can be used to show the incident in full and can help clarify whether your injury was caused by negligence.
Depending on how or where the injury took place, you may also have to fill in a police report. This can also be useful evidence during the claims process.
Making a holiday accident claim
If the personal injury has happened because of negligence, then you can claim against the hotel, the holiday operator, or a private body such as a taxi company or local council.
As mentioned previously, If you want to make a claim then it is best to begin to collect as much evidence as you can. This can make your claim stronger and give you a higher chance of success.
After this, we recommend that you get in touch with us at First4Lawyers, as our advisors will be able to tell you whether we think you have a claim or not.
If we think you have a claim, then we will partner you with one of our expert solicitors who will take on your case.
How does Brexit affect a holiday accident claim?
If you began your claim before the 31st of December 2020 nothing will change. If you began a claim after this date then things have changed slightly.
For accidents that took place outside of the EU, existing systems before Brexit still stand, and the courts in England and Wales have well-established laws that deal with international injury claims.
Give us at First4Lawyers a call if you are unsure as to whether you can make a claim post-Brexit, and we will be able to let you know.
Making a local holiday accident claim
If you aren’t going abroad this summer, you could still make a claim if you were injured whilst holidaying in the UK.
One of First4Lawyers’ recent holiday accident cases was a slip, trip or fall case where a Mrs R was injured on a caravan site in Norfolk and received £17,250 in compensation.
If you’ve been hurt in any holiday accident – whether in the UK or abroad – in the last three years, First4Lawyers could help you make a compensation claim. To find out, just give us a call or start your claim online.
