Expert International Personal Injury Lawyers Investigating Severe Gastric Illness At Riu Bambu Resort
A number of holidaymakers who suffered severe gastric illness at the Riu Bambu resort in the Dominican Republic have instructed expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the cause of the illness they suffered.
One holidaymaker affected was Kirsty Jarvis, 23, from Rotherham, who suffered diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps during her holiday at the luxury resort in June 2016.
The illness Kirsty suffered on the holiday was booked through tour operator Thomson Holidays.
Kirsty continued to suffer illness on the plane home and when she landed in the UK she immediately visited A&E where she received emergency treatment for her gastric symptoms.
She has now instructed expert International Personal Injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the cause of her illness at the four-star resort in the Punta Cana area of the island.
The specialist travel lawyers, who have vast experience from helping thousands of victims of illness outbreaks across the world to gain answers and access vital financial support to aid their recovery, have now begun their own investigations into the reported problems at the Riu Bambu resort.
Kirsty continued to suffer severe gastric illness symptoms for two weeks after her return to the UK. Kirsty has also had to undergo an iron infusion in hospital to help with the lethargy she was experiencing as a result of the illness. Unfortunately, Kirsty continues to experience on-going bowel problems and has done so since her return to the UK.
Jennifer Mullins, an expert International Personal Injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said:
Expert Opinion
“The illness Kirsty suffered during and after her trip to the Dominican Republic has obviously been extremely difficult for her to deal with. The terrible symptoms continue to impact her and she is understandably frustrated that the problems she is suffering are likely to be linked to the illness she developed at the Riu Bambu resort.
“The last thing Kirsty expected when she booked the holiday was to be admitted to hospital as soon as she returned home. She has told us of a number of hygiene concerns she has about the resort and we have launched an investigation into the hygiene practices in place at the time of her stay.
“Kirsty is not the only person to contact us about these issues and we currently represent other holidaymakers who suffered similar problems after staying at the resort.
“We would urge anyone else who suffered with illness or encountered similar problems during their stay at the resort to contact us as they may be able to help with our investigations.” Jennifer Hodgson - Associate Solicitor
Kirsty told her legal team at Irwin Mitchell that she was served undercooked meat and further served foods that were lukewarm or cold, when they should have been served hot. She also saw fresh food being placed on top of older food at the buffet, rather than older food first being removed, and she informed that there was a constant and strong sewage smell in the toilet facilities at the resort.
The 23-year-old said: “I simply can’t believe I fell ill and that I’m still experiencing the effects of the illness now, four months after my holiday. It really has changed my life quite considerably. For the amount of money that the holiday cost us the quality of the hotel was not what we were expecting.
“I booked this holiday to relax and spend some quality time with my friend but it was an absolutely awful experience and I regret booking it. The eight hour flight home was excruciating for me and I spent the whole time in pain.
“The illness has changed my life and I want Thomson to take responsibility for what happened to me and the problems I am still suffering with. I’ve been left truly disappointed by my experience and I won’t ever be returning to the resort again.”
If you or a loved one has suffered an illness whilst in a hotel abroad, our accident and illness claims team could help you to secure compensation. See our Hotel Illness Claims page for more information.