Wallace-Challoner v Thomas Cook

The claimant who was aged six at the date of the onset of illness and is now aged 10, suffered a gastrointestinal illness, including symptoms of sickness, fever, diarrhoea and abdominal pain following a family holiday to Egypt in September 2012.

On 24 September 2012 the claimant developed an illness with symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and nausea. As his symptoms were severe he was treated by his parents with liquid medication and tablets. He did not see a doctor, and made a full recovery from the infection on 5 October 2012.

In totality, the claimant’s symptoms persisted from 24 September until 5 October 2012. There had been no recurrence of symptoms and none were expected in the future. He was not absent from school because of the symptoms.

The medical expert advised that he developed infective gastroenteritis while on holiday in Egypt. It was likely that this resulted from ingesting water from the hotel swimming pool or food or drink which had become contaminated as a result of poor standards of hygiene at the hotel.