If you fall ill or suffer an injury while holidaying abroad, you may be entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation.
Are You Eligible to Make a Claim?
There are a number of factors that will influence your eligibility to make a personal injury claim, and a solicitor will treat each case according to individual circumstances. However, there are a few standard guidelines which could provide you with an idea as to whether you have a claim or not. These may include:
Was the accident/injury your fault?
If you were abroad for work and the accident was the fault of your employer, you may be able to claim against the company - assuming it is a UK-based organisation. This can then be sought in the UK, just like a regular accident at work claim.
If you were on holiday when the accident occurred and you booked through a UK-based travel company, then you may be eligible to make a claim here in the UK if you can prove the agent or its representatives (the hotel, transfer provider etc.) were responsible. This could include anything from poorly maintained walkways causing you to trip or catering that gives you food poisoning.
Did you take out holiday insurance?
If you took out a holiday insurance policy for your trip, you may be able to make a claim through this. The provider is likely to recommend their own solicitors to handle your claim, but you are not obliged to do this and you may choose any representation you wish.
It is important to take note of the conditions of your policy as many do not cover extreme sports and if the accident was caused during such an activity you may not have a claim.
How to Claim for a Personal Injury Abroad
In order to make a personal injury claim, it is important to collect evidence; this will help strengthen your claim.
Report the accident or illness to your employer/holiday provider as soon as possible and ensure they make a note of it for their own accident book or personal records. You should also take down names and contact addresses of anyone else affected, for example if more than one of you gets food poisoning.
If you suffer an injury, take photographs of the location where the accident happened and keep a copy of your medical report, as well as any receipts for treatment received at the time or for ongoing care since.
Speak to Our Solicitors About Your Claim
Our friendly solicitors are experts in personal injury claims, so whether you became ill abroad or had an accident here in the UK we can help. Call us on 0808 178 2773 to arrange a meeting with one of our team.
If your illness or injury means you can’t come to us, we are more than happy to can come to you.
To learn more about personal injury claims, follow our series of blog posts here.
