We all look forward to going on holiday. We expect the experience to match that advertised in the brochures and it is very upsetting when the holiday falls short of these standards. This is even more so when the holiday is ruined by the illness of one or more of your family or friends.

Outbreaks of illness in hotels and resorts can arise from a number of causes including: gastroenteritis, food poisoning, e-coli and salmonella, amongst many others.

These illnesses can have a significant long term impact upon your health, with some people going on to develop serious conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and reactive arthritis.

If you have suffered from illness abroad you may be entitled to receive compensation for your pain and suffering as well as your financial losses including medical expenses and loss of earnings. You may also receive compensation for the loss of enjoyment and value of your holiday. This compensation is likely to be higher where the holiday was for a special occasion, for example a wedding, honeymoon or anniversary.

  • If you are unfortunate enough to suffer an illness abroad you should:
  • Report the illness to the hotel and your tour operator.
  • Obtain a written copy of your complaint.
  • Make a note of what you ate and drank before you became ill.
  • Take photographs and/or videos of any poor food hygiene practices that you believe may have caused your illness. For example, food not cooked thoroughly or birds contaminating food service areas.
  • Take contact details of other people who have fallen ill at the hotel/resort.
  • Keep receipts for any expenses that you incur such as medication or travel expenses.

When you have booked a package holiday, in many circumstances the claim can be brought in the UK, even though the illness was contracted abroad.

Whilst we understand that the last thing that you want to do upon returning from holiday is to bring a claim for compensation, our specialist lawyers will make the process as simple and painless as possible.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.