International Personal Injury Lawyers Secure Justice After Holidaymaker Was Left With Ongoing Gastric Illness
A holidaymaker whose four-star holiday in Cuba was ruined when he fell ill with ‘horrendous’ gastric symptoms has won his battle for justice after expert travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell secured an undisclosed settlement from the tour operator.Irwin Mitchell’s illness lawyers specialise in helping victims of illness outbreaks in the UK and abroad to gain justice. The team have successfully represented victims who have fallen ill in outbreaks of illness and have recovered compensation for tens of thousands of illness victims in the UK and abroad,
Specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell secured the settlement after Mr Thompson, 50, instructed them to investigate the ‘nightmare’ two-week holiday at the Brisas Guardalavaca resort in July 2012.
Just days into the holiday, Mr Thompson began to suffer with severe symptoms of gastric illness, including diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, headaches and a loss of appetite.
After returning home Mr Thompson visited his GP and was later confirmed to be suffering from Salmonella.
Mr Thompson also suffers from Type 2 diabetes and it is vital that he eats food regularly and stays hydrated. However, the illness he suffered on holiday and the on-going symptoms he suffered when he returned to the UK made this extremely difficult, as he was visiting the toilet regularly and had very little appetite.
Mr Thompson from Buckinghamshire, recalled issues such as raw chicken and cooked meats often being prepared with the same knives, birds seen to be nesting in the eaves of the restaurants and meat sometimes being served undercooked or at the wrong temperatures.
He also stated that sometimes pizza bases were left uncovered throughout the day and staff regularly handled food with their bare hands.
Despite denying liability for the illness, tour operator TUI UK Limited agreed a settlement for Mr Thompson following the issue and service of formal legal proceedings.
Mr Thompson, a company director said: “I was appalled by the food and hygiene standards at the hotel. I was looking forward to two weeks’ of relaxation in the sun, but I was only able to enjoy a few days there without needing to stay near a toilet.
“I was not able to go on any excursions or explore the local area as I had hoped to do because after I became ill I had to stay at the hotel as I felt too ill to travel. A number of other people staying at the resort also told me that they were suffering with similar symptoms, but the support offered by my tour operator was simply not good enough.
“I continued to suffer with symptoms once I returned home and I am still wary of what I eat and where we go on holiday. I was shocked when my GP confirmed I was suffering with Salmonella, as it is not something you expect when booking a holiday abroad.”