Macclesfield Mum-Of-Two Sustained Brain And Spinal Injuries During Canary Islands Holiday

The husband of a Macclesfield woman who suffered life-changing injuries in a fall on holiday has spoken of his ‘relief’ after an agreement was reached which will allow his wife to access the specialist rehabilitation she needs.

Wendy Brown, 57, from Bollington, fell ten feet onto concrete from an unguarded staircase at the La Palma and Teneguia Princess Hotel in Tenerife in January 2018.  At the time, she was on holiday with her husband Gary.  She sustained serious brain and spinal injuries and was placed in an induced coma in a hospital on the island.

After the couple returned home, Gary instructed international serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate what happened during the holiday, which was booked with TUI UK Limited, and to help Wendy access the specialist rehabilitation required to support her ongoing needs.

Following legal discussions, an agreement regarding liability has been reached between TUI and the family’s legal team. The agreement has been approved by the High Court paving the way for mum-of-two Wendy to access funds which will ensure she can continue with the rehabilitation process.

Expert Opinion

“This is a devastating case, with Wendy’s family still struggling to come to terms with her life-changing injuries.

What was meant to be an enjoyable holiday turned into a complete nightmare, and while nothing can change what happened, we are pleased to have successfully reached this agreement. Our focus will now turn to ensuring Wendy has access to the expert treatment she now requires to maximise her recovery and help her live as independently as possible.

It’s also vital that tour operators learn lessons from what happened to Wendy to improve safety for tourists.”
Cheryl Palmer-Hughes - Partner and Head of our International Serious Injury Desk

Wendy and Gary, who had been married for six months, were only three days into their holiday when the incident occurred on 3 January, 2018.

The couple remained in Tenerife while Wendy underwent brain and spinal surgery, before she was taken by air ambulance back to the UK.

She spent time at a hospital in Manchester and a rehabilitation centre, before being discharged home. Her injuries mean she has had to give up her job as an administrator.

Gary, 56, said: “It has been an incredibly stressful three years and I am still finding it difficult to come to terms with what my wife has gone through and what the future means for us all.

“We had only been married six months when we went on holiday to Tenerife, and we returned home with our lives in pieces.

“All we want is for Wendy to receive the best possible care she can to make the most of life. It’s such a relief that this agreement has been reached and we can now look at getting Wendy the support she needs.

“We hope this agreement means we can now start to look to the future a little bit more. We now call on TUI to work with us and our legal team so we can get all the care and support Wendy needs in place as quickly as possible.” 

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling international serious injury cases