What to do if you Have Been Injured Whilst on Holiday

Injuries are unwelcome at any time, but even more so if they occur on foreign soil. The unfamiliarity with medical procedures and the law, can be overwhelming for someone who has suffered the trauma of an accident. Of course, it depends on the severity of the injury, and in some cases, medical air transport might be necessary, and this is very costly.

Liability

Whether or not the injury will be covered by your tour operator’s insurance, very much depends on who was at fault. If it can be proven that the accident was not your fault, then you might be able to make a claim for compensation against the tour operator.

Package holidays

It is important to clarify that a UK solicitor can only initiate a claim if the holiday was booked in the UK, to a foreign country, and included at least two major items, such as air travel and accommodation. In the event a person buys an air ticket, and makes their own accommodation arrangements, then there is no package holiday insurance. If one experienced a problem during the flight, one would have to make a claim against the airline, and if an injury should occur in the hotel, the injured party would have to make a claim against the hotel directly, and in a foreign country this can be difficult.

Keep all relevant bills

If a person is to make a claim for injury compensation, it is essential to keep all of the medical bills incurred as a result of the injury. This could also include transport or accommodation costs, so make a note of taxi fares, or other travel expenses that were incurred as a result of the injury.

Take pictures

Everyone has a smartphone these days, and for situations like this, one should take pictures of the scene of the accident, the injury, and also take the names and addresses of any witnesses, as their testimony might be required in the future. Copy any police reports, and generally document the event as best as possible. Report the incident to your travel operator at the earliest opportunity, and ask to see their accident book, and make an entry, giving as much information as possible. This will help your claim once the process begins.

Making a claim

Once the person has returned to the UK, they can initiate a claim against the tour operator. There are online claims lawyers, such as ukclaimlawyers.co.uk, who can assist you in every aspect of making a claim.

Don’t delay

There are strict time limitations in effect for holiday injury claims, so, if one has returned from a vacation, it is wise to contact a reputable claims lawyer as soon as possible. The online process is simple and efficient, and the claimant will very quickly know whether they are entitled to compensation.

Other situations

If the tour operator was not liable for the injury, one can consider taking out private legal action against the negligent party, however, in a foreign country that would involve using a local lawyer, and there would be considerable expense, with no guarantee of a satisfactory outcome.