Legal Action Taken Against First Choice After 'Nightmare' Holiday Left Child On An IV Drip

Specialist travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have launched legal action against TUI UK Limited t/a First Choice Holidays & Flights Limited after a Port Talbot family’s ‘nightmare’ holiday that left a toddler requiring hospital treatment and an IV drip.

Jeffrey and Nikki Williams, from Port Talbot booked a luxury trip to the all-inclusive Holiday Village resort in Sarigerme, Turkey with their daughter Lily, who was 10 months old at the time of the holiday, in June 2013.

Just days into the week-long holiday Lily began to suffer from diarrhoea at the resort and was then referred to the local hospital, where she was admitted as she was losing weight and was dehydrated.

She was placed on an IV drip in the hospital and was discharged the following day. Her symptoms continued on her return to the UK and she was taken to her GP for further treatment.

The family instructed specialist travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, who have represented holidaymakers affected by similar problems at the Holiday Village resort in the past, including in 2009, when 595 people affected by illness received £1.7 million.

Now the expert travel lawyers have launched court proceedings against First Choice after hearing first-hand about the problems suffered by the Williams family.

Nikki, a Care Assistant, explained that the food at the buffet was -sometimes left uncovered and food was on occasions served undercooked and did not taste hot enough. She also told her legal team that on one occasion she saw officials wearing laboratory coats taking samples of the food at the Holiday Village during the sitting.

She also recalled the swimming pool being closed on one occasion and she reports seeing faeces in the pool on two occasions.

Nikki reports that there were other holidaymakers who were suffering similar symptoms to Lily.

Nichola Blackburn, the expert in Irwin Mitchell’s International Personal Injury team, who is representing the family, said:

Expert Opinion

“It is very worrying to learn of Lily’s illness and of the problems the family encountered at the Holiday Village in Sarigerme.

“Gastric illnesses can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable people, such as young children, and it is extremely worrying that Lily became so ill she required hospital treatment in Turkey. These conditions can cause long-lasting health problems for those unfortunate to suffer from it.

“First Choice has admitted liability subject to causation of illness. Settlement has been reached for Mr Williams but unfortunately not for Nikki and Lily and therefore we have now forwarded papers to Court for legal proceedings to be issued against First Choice.” Nichola Blackburn - Paralegal

Nikki, 36, said: “Our holiday at the Holiday Village was a nightmare and ruined by the illness Lily suffered. We put our trust in First Choice when we booked the holiday but we feel let down.

“It was absolutely terrifying for us to see Lily fall so ill and heartbreaking to see her hooked up to a drip in hospital. It is the last thing you expect when you book an all-inclusive holiday at a luxury resort and we have been left regretting going on the holiday as the illness has really affected Lily and she is scared of eating food because she fears being ill again.

“The standards at the Holiday Village were not at all what we were expected and we hope by taking legal action we will get the answers we need from First Choice as to what caused Lily to fall so ill.”