Expert Travel Lawyers Secure Four-Figure Sum After Illness At Esra Hotel, Turkey

A family of four from West Yorkshire say they are finally able to put their terrible Turkish holiday experience behind them as expert travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell secured them a four-figure settlement after both parents were placed on IV drips following severe gastric illness symptoms.

Mark and Debra Pryor, from Castleford, booked a two-week stay at the Esra Hotel in Bodrum, Turkey in August 2012 with Thomas Cook. But just a week into what was supposed to be a relaxing break with their two children they both began suffering with diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

The severe symptoms continued for the remainder of the holiday and they both visited the medical centre at the hotel where they were placed on intravenous drips because of dehydration.

Mark, 45, also suffered with vomiting at the hotel and was affected by symptoms on his return to the UK and did not make a full recovery until the end of September 2012.

The family instructed specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the cause of the illness, which led to them missing out on a number of planned excursions during the second week of their holiday.

Their expert legal team at Irwin Mitchell has now secured a four-figure settlement from Thomas Cook, despite the tour operator denying liability for the illness.

Debra told specialist travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell that during her family’s stay at the Esra Hotel they regularly saw some of the food left uncovered during the day, on occasions fresh meals mixed with old food and some food being reheated for different meal times.

They also said hygiene standards within the kitchen and bar area were not what they expected, with crockery and cutlery appearing to be washed without detergent and the public toilets they used had the appearance of being cleaned infrequently.

Jennifer Downing, an expert travel illness lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represented the Pryor family, said:

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“The ordeal this family went through shows just how much of an impact gastric illness can have, as Mark and Debra required medical treatment at the hotel, which must have been frightening for their young children, and Mark continued to suffer symptoms for a month after his return to the UK.

“We are now delighted to have secured a settlement for Mark and Debra to cover the cost of their ruined holiday and the illness they suffered. It is important tour operators take the appropriate steps to ensure the hotels they are sending holidaymakers to have appropriate systems and policies in place.

“Hopefully, Debra, Mark and their children will now be able to put their nightmare at the Esra Hotel behind them and begin to look forward to their next family holiday together.” Jennifer Downing - Solicitor

Debra, 42, said: “Holidays are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable, but the time we spent at this hotel was absolutely awful. Both Mark and I suffered significant symptoms and the children were extremely frightened to see both of us on IV drips in a foreign country.

“We’re just thankful that we have now made a full recovery from the illness we suffered and that Irwin Mitchell has now secured us a settlement for the ordeal we went through.