Holiday Illness Compensation Claims

You’ve packed your suitcase, loaded up the car and are about to board the plane after months of anticipation, waiting for that week or two that you can finally relax. The plane finally lands and as you exit you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and at last you know you are on holiday. The stunning sun and glorious heat provides you with a glimpse of what the next two weeks of your life will be like…

For some people those following days or weeks are far from that vision that they anticipated as they stepped from the plane. Instead of laying in the sun, swimming in the sea and enjoying cocktails by the pool, many find themselves laid in their hotel beds suffering from any number of viruses or stomach upsets that end up ruining both their holiday and the holidays of those with them.

Holiday Sickness Claims Guide

Developing such illnesses on holiday is fairly common and quite often more likely to happen on holiday than at home. There are reasons for this; firstly, it is believed that during your day to day life your body is constantly producing stress hormones that help you fight off infections. The theory is that as you relax the level of these stress hormones in your body drops, making you more susceptible to illness. The second reason is that in your home environment your body has adapted and become immune to certain bacteria and viruses, however, when you visit a foreign country your body is exposed to new bacteria and viruses.

What illnesses might I contract while on holiday?

Common claims for holiday sickness are:

Food poisoning
Salmonella
Staphylococcus aureus
E. coli
Campylobacter
Shigella
Clostridium botulinum bacteria
Legionnaire’s disease

How has the hotel caused my illness?

There are numerous things that the hotel can do that will increase the risk of you getting sick whilst you’re on holiday including:

Using non-filtered water to make ice cubes
Legionnaires disease caused by the ventilation system
Food being left out in heat
Poor kitchen hygiene practices
Use of unpasteurised milk and eggs
Insects contaminating food
Reheating food

Holiday Sickness Claims Procedure

Are there any time limits on making a claim? Yes, time limits do apply. If you are making a claim against a UK tour operator or travel agent then you have three years from the date of the holiday to begin legal proceedings. If the illness was caused from being on a boat or plane (e.g a cruise) then that time limit decreases to two years.

Package Holiday Sickness Claims

If your holiday wasn’t a package holiday then it is still possible to claim against the hotel, but the time limit on making a claim will depend on the country and their local laws.

Do I have a claim?

Not all illnesses suffered on holiday are the fault of your hotel or the tour operator as there are specific holiday sickness claims criteria to be applied, but whatever your situation I can look at your claim and determine whether I can take it further. It is important to speak to specialist holiday sickness claims solicitors about your potential on holiday illness claims. I work on a no-win no-fee basis and you can contact me on 01507 609027 for a free, no obligation consultation.