C A S E S T U D Y
Food poisoning on all-inclusive holiday
Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors successfully recovered £2,700 in compensation from tour operator TUI UK Ltd, for a Claimant after she was struck down with an illness during a family holiday.
In September 2015, Miss H embarked on a 10 day family holiday to Mexico. It was her first trip to Mexico and she was excited at the prospect of visiting the local tourist sites and too spend time relaxing with her family.
Miss H had purchased the all-inclusive package holiday staying at the Riu Palace Peninsula Hotel in Cancun, with TUI UK Ltd which included return flights and transfers to and from the hotel.
Within a few days of her stay at the resort Miss H fell ill after eating undercooked chicken from a grill station at the hotel buffet restaurant.
Miss H states “I had booked this specific hotel as it had a 5 star rating and was described as a luxury resort. I didn’t think that I would ever be at risk of food poisoning booking with TUI and staying at a highly rated hotel”.
Miss H advised Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors that whilst the resort looked clean and well run there was clearly problems in the hotel as she had been served undercooked food. Miss H also instructs of a terrible sewage smell from around the resort and more disturbingly from the drains in her bathroom which she found to be peculiar.
“For anyone travelling abroad, falling ill can be a very scary experience, if you find yourself in this position call the Holiday Illness department at Paul Crowley & Co. Our experienced team will provide you with expert legal advice and representation in all aspects of holiday illness cases ensuring you receive the best possible outcome”.
Paul Crowley & Co.
“For anyone travelling abroad, falling ill can be a very scary experience, if you find yourself in this position call the Holiday Illness department at Paul Crowley & Co. Our experienced team will provide you with expert legal advice and representation in all aspects of holiday illness cases ensuring you receive the best possible outcome”.
Hayley Webster | Head of Holiday IllnessLoss of enjoyment
The symptoms of Miss H’s illness were initially so severe that she was unable to venture out of her hotel room and remained stranded unable to eat or drink without rushing to the toilet.
“Anything I ate in the first few days caused me to experience painful stomach cramps and the vomiting to worsen; I felt dreadful and couldn’t face any food. It was really scary being so ill in a foreign country”
“Although I was suffering with quite bad symptoms, I was too nervous to visit a hospital in another country and so I self-medicated” Miss H adds.
Miss H reported the undercooked chicken to the waiters in the restaurant; however nothing was done about this. When her illness began to develop she reported this to the TUI holiday rep “I explained my symptoms to the holiday rep in the hotel and was advised to drink bottled water and too stay hydrated but nothing further was done to help me”.
“When I returned home I was still not right for a few days, unable to eat as normal and still suffering with stomach pain. As I had returned to the UK I didn’t think there was anything further I could do about my complaint and therefore took no further action”.
Claiming compensation after the holiday
A few months following the holiday Miss H contacted Hayley Webster, Head of Holiday Illness at Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors to enquire about claiming for compensation. Miss H provided details about the holiday and started a formal claim for compensation.
Miss H has stated from the beginning it was never about compensation, she was just frustrated that she had saved and waited a long time to visit Mexico with her family and it was completely ruined by the failings of the hotel and TUI UK Ltd. Miss H adds “We pay a lot of money for our annual family holiday and it is disappointing to be let down by a company such as TUI UK Ltd. The holiday was a complete disaster”.
“I am really pleased with all the help Paul Crowley & Co provided throughout the claim. I was extremely nervous about bringing a claim for compensation especially attending Court. Hayley and the Holiday Illness team made me feel at ease and reassured me throughout the process. I am happy that I have now been compensated for the ruined holiday and would highly recommend Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors”. Miss H.