13.03.2015

Expert Public Health Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell Investigating Cause Of Illness

Expert public health lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have been instructed to investigate the cause of an illness outbreak after a number of people reportedly suffered with severe gastric illness after staying at the Beresford Hotel, Newquay.

A coach trip of people from the Sheffield region visited the hotel in February this year. A large number of the group fell ill and suffered with symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, headaches and fever. The guests have also reported that other people who had stayed at the hotel were also suffering with similar symptoms.

So far more than thirty members of the group have instructed specialist illness lawyers at Irwin Mitchell and this number continues to rise. The law firm has successfully represented many thousands of victims of illness outbreaks both in the UK and abroad, and has now begun an investigation into the cause of the illness.

Amandeep Dhillon, a Partner and expert public health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell leading the case, said: 

Expert Opinion

Reports of an illness outbreak of this kind amongst guests staying at a UK hotel are very concerning.

“It is vital that steps are taken to discover the cause of this outbreak and whether more could and should have been done to prevent it spreading to other guests. It is too early to say, but it is possible that there could be important lessons to be learnt here, which might reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring in the future.

“We are very keen to hear from anyone else affected who may be able to help us with our enquiries.

“We would urge any holidaymakers who have stayed at the Beresford Hotel during this outbreak to contact us about the issues they may have had.” Amandeep Dhillon - Partner

One of the group, Louise Edwards, 45, from Meadowhead in Sheffield, suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps and aching limbs during her stay at the hotel. The self-employed contract cleaner had to take a week off work as her symptoms continued after her return home.

Louise said: “We were expecting a relaxing short-break in Newquay, but instead many of us on the trip contracted this illness which ruined our holiday. 

“On the coach journey back, we were joined by two additional guests who were originally members of a coach party who had stayed at the hotel the previous week and who had suffered from similar symptoms. They had been unable to return home with their party due to the severity of their symptoms.

“Some of us, including myself, had to take time off work when we got back home as the symptoms continued and we were in no fit state to work. Thankfully, I am now starting to feel better, but I hope the investigation will find out what caused the illness so that other guests don’t go through the same ordeal we did.

“We hope that by instructing Irwin Mitchell to investigate what caused us to fall ill we will get the answers we deserve and find out what was responsible for the terrible symptoms we experienced.”