Holiday accidents and injuries

Suffering an accident or injury on your holiday can be very distressing. If you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury when you should be enjoying your holiday, there is a chance for you to claim your deserved injury compensation.

Making a holiday accident claim can sometimes be a long and difficult process. First of all, if you make a compensation claim abroad this is usually subject to the law of the country where the injury occurred. This affects your right to compensation and the value of your holiday accident claim. In some cases you may be able to recover compensation for both your accident and, where appropriate, the fact that your time was ruined.

It is easier to make a compensation claim if your injury abroad happened on a holiday that was part of package tour. This is because package tour operators have to respect the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992.

Holiday tour operators, hotel staff and all other staff connected with the package holiday have a duty to provide you with a good quality and safe service.

Holiday accidents range from accidents occurred in a hotel to accidents on boats, planes or by doing various sport activities.

The main causes of holiday accidents or illnesses are the following:

- Wet floor or misplaced object
- Injury on foreign transport vehicle
- Food poisoning from the hotel restaurant
- Illness because bad hotel hygiene
- Problems with rental car that lead to a holiday accident
- Water or winter sports accidents

The time limits in which a claim can vary throughout the world, thus it is very important to contact a solicitor and seek advice as soon as possible.

If you happen to have an accident abroad it is advisable to get as much information at the time as you can. Our recommendation is to take photos of what caused the accident, writing down or sketching the scene, and taking note of the names and numbers of witnesses – as well as any injuries which have been sustained. It’s best to gather this information straight away, as it would be hard to do this at a later time.

In recent years, there have been recent changes in UK and European legislation which have made claiming holiday accident or injury compensation much easier. If your claim is successful, you will be awarded financial compensation which will depend on the individual circumstances of your case – like the extent of your injury and financial losses you have sustained because of the injury.

If you’ve suffered an accident whilst being on holiday abroad, it is imperative that you get the compensation you are entitled to. Don’t hesitate and contact your injury lawyers now!

Accommodation is one of the most important deciding factors when going on holiday. Getting a good night’s sleep is paramount for a relaxing and enjoyable break. There is a huge range of accommodation on offer but choosing to stay at a bed and breakfast is often overlooked.
Check out these Pros and Cons to help you decide:

Pros
1. Meeting New People
The smaller numbers and relaxed atmosphere often enable you to meet more people and discuss your holidays. You can even discuss your plans for the day with fellow guests over breakfast.

2. Comfy and Cosy Rooms
Rooms in bed and breakfasts are often less clinical and cosier reminding you of home. Bed and breakfasts usually provide a comfy home style mattress for their beds, which is another bonus.

3. Cost
Bed and breakfasts can in some circumstances be more economical. They’re definitely worth checking out as an option for your holiday accommodation, as they may well be cheaper than a hotel.

4. A More Unique Place to Stay
If you’re visiting a new area in the UK or abroad then staying at a B & B can also help to give you a better feel for a place than staying in a hotel where you are far removed from everyday life. You can also stay in some more unique buildings full of character. You could end up in a castle, a lighthouse, a former jailhouse, or even a treehouse.

Cons
1. Less Facilities
Although you will hopefully find yourself in a cosy room full of character it is unlikely you will have facilities like a fridge, kettle, trouser press and you may not even have a TV. However, if these are items you won’t require then there is no problem!

2. Slower Service
Although not the case for all B & Bs, service is likely to be slower than a hotel. There is unlikely to be a 24 hour reception and if you have a problem in the night you may either have to lump it or go and wake up the owner!

3. Privacy
You will probably have less anonymity in a bed and breakfast than a hotel. If you want to keep yourself to yourself and not interact with other travellers it might not be the best place to rest your head.

4. Food
Not all bed and breakfasts will have options for an evening meal/snacks etc. If your bed and breakfast is located in a remote area then you may have difficulty finding food and a hotel might be an easier choice where food is always readily available.