As the weather begins to heat up and the summer holiday period approaches, thousands of Britons will be thinking about a foreign getaway. Every year, the beaches of Spain and other destinations begin to fill up with tourists seeking a break from the daily grind back home and hoping to either relax or party depending on their mood.
Sadly for a small percentage of these tourists,
accidents and illness can strike at any time while abroad and great care needs to be taken both by the tour operators and the passengers themselves to make sure they don’t fall victim to an outbreak.
Holiday from hell
One man, who had an experience he won’t want to remember while on holiday has recently begun a
no win, no fee claim against what his lawyer described as a 'rogue' tour operator that he believes is responsible for his injuries that were sustained in a bus crash.
The man, who was travelling in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt told reporters that the driver of the bus had not taken a break for the entire six-hour journey in hot conditions and this was responsible for an accident that left him and other passengers injured.
The man said that he has been unable to return to work since the bus accident and would be seeking a href="http://www.accidentsdirect.com/compensation-claims.aspx">compensation from the operator for injuries to his leg including a broken knee, shin and ankle. The traveller also suffered injuries to his face and head during the incident.
He said: "I am still slowly trying to recover from my
injuries. I still have a pin in my leg to support my shin. I am mobile but I have to watch how long I am on my feet for. I can't move suddenly or manage steep slopes".
His lawyer warned holiday-makers to always make sure that they only use a reputable tour-operator and to make sure and pay for trips with a credit card, which will be covered under insurance purchase protection.
Matthew Tomlinson, the injured traveller's
lawyer, said: "[The man’s] devastating injuries highlight the dangers for holidaymakers who book trips through rogue agents. My advice is that only reputable agents recommended by the hotel or travel agent are used for such excursions."
"I would only advice, for insurance protection purposes, that the bookings are made via a credit card. We will continue to fight [his] claim on his behalf despite the logistical difficulties we face" he added."
Illness
Another recent case that has had large legal repercussions involves an outbreak of illnesses at a Caribbean holiday resort that have seen an estimated £2.5 million in compensation awarded to those affected.
Amongst those who came down with infections including Salmonella and E Coli was a number of honeymooning couples and families with children.
Clive Garner, a lawyer who represented a number of the families that were affected, said: "This was an astonishing outbreak at a hotel which should have offered its guests a dream holiday in the Caribbean. It was a comedy of errors from start to finish but one which wasn't funny for anyone caught up in it."
