06/06/2017
Whether it was food poisoning, illness from unclean swimming pools, norovirus on a cruise or an injury abroad, you shouldn’t have lost the time, enjoyment and money being ill or injured while on holiday if it could have been prevented.
Sadly, food poisoning or stomach bugs affect lots of people during their break away. The most common causes can be from unhygienic food preparation, eating undercooked food, being served food not fit for human consumption and incorrect food storage.
Food poisoning claims can also arise from poor basic hygiene standard due to a lack of education amongst its catering staff and management, including:
- Not washing hands
- Cross contamination of infected raw meats and chicken on chopping boards/works surfaces
- Not refrigerating perishable foods
- Failure to wash kitchen utensils/knives/work surfaces thoroughly
- Leaving food uncovered
- A lack of pest and insect control
Holiday resorts can also spread viruses through the water systems. Where there’s poor or ineffective drainage and construction, contamination from toilets, wash basins, sprinkler systems and showers can occur. If you’ve experienced the following symptoms, you may be entitled to claim holiday sickness compensation:
- Sickness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Upset stomach
In order to pursue a claim, it’s helpful if you can provide as many of the following items:
- Evidence that you purchased the holiday
- Photographs of the restaurant or hotel that caused the food poisoning
- Names and contact details of any other holiday makers who can verify the conditions and who may also have also contracted food poisoning
- Details, (and receipts if possible) of any medical treatment received, including medication, the doctor you saw on holiday at the resort or your own GP or hospital
If you’ve been affected by holiday sickness, call us so we can discuss your circumstances to find out if you can make a claim.
Please note that this article is meant as general guidance and not intended as legal or professional advice. Updates to the law may have changed since this article was published.