International Personal Injury Lawyers Irwin Mitchell Secure Four-Figure Settlement

A man, whose dream birthday cruise became a nightmare when he fell ill with gastric illness, has received a four-figure settlement from Thomson Cruises. 

The man instructed expert international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to take legal action against TUI UK LTD, trading as Thomson cruises. But after the cruise operator initially denied liability, the couple from Ayrshire have now secured settlement for their ordeal. 

Robert, 69, suffered agonising stomach cramps, spasms and diarrhoea during the Mediterranean voyage he and his wife, Rona, booked to mark his 67th birthday in April 2014.

While on board the ship, Robert was diagnosed with severe gastroenteritis by the ship’s doctor and both he and Rona were confined to their cabin for 48 hours. This led to them being unable to leave the ship when it docked in Italy and go and see the Colosseum on Robert’s actual birthday, something they had been excited to do since booking the cruise.

Robert, a grandfather-of-five, said: “We were really disappointed with the whole experience as it essentially turned into a nightmare. 

“Both me and Rona returned to Scotland from the cruise utterly deflated at having missed out on a really special holiday to mark my birthday.

“I am thankful to my legal team at Irwin Mitchell for their hard work on securing this result for us. It seems only fair that we should be compensated given we paid good money for the cruise and excursions but weren’t able to enjoy our holiday in full.”

Robert, who has been married to Rona for 47 years, still continues to experience gastric problems after the trip almost three years ago.

Jennifer Downing, the expert international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who represented Robert and Rona, said: 

Expert Opinion

“The ordeal Robert went through and the on-going health problems he suffers as a result shows just how much of an impact gastric illness can have.

“We are pleased to have secured a settlement for Robert to cover the cost of the ruined birthday cruise and the illness he suffered. There are a number of guidelines in place on board cruise ships which relate to health and hygiene and it is important that all operators take the appropriate steps to ensure that the health of their passengers is not put at risk.” Jennifer Downing - Solicitor

If you have fallen ill whilst on a cruise ship, our accident and illness abroad solicitors could help you to claim compensation. Visit our Cruise Illness Claims page for more information.