In our work supporting those who suffer as a result of accidents on holiday, swimming pools are a common cause of injuries.
Thankfully, most of the cases we see result in injuries which don’t have a long-term health impact, such as cuts, bruises and lacerations. However, they undoubtedly cause pain, discomfort, anguish and bring an abrupt end to holiday enjoyment for the injured party, and those with them.
We have successfully helped many people secure compensation following swimming pool accidents when they have travelled as part of a package holiday, led by our holiday accident specialist lawyers.
As part of the terms of package holidays, people are protected by an agreement that the facilities and services provided at their hotel or resort will be of a satisfactory standard and maintained with reasonable care and skill to ensure they are safe.
The common failings we see in which basic standards of maintenance and management have not been met, leading to injury, include:
- Damaged tiles surrounding the swimming pool area.
- Damaged / missing tiles within the swimming pool.
- Defective or broken drainage systems/grids around the pool.
- Lack of safety signage in and around the swimming pool.
Regardless of whether your injuries resulted in cuts and bruises or if they were more severe resulting in fractures or head and spinal injuries, you may be eligible to bring a holiday injury claim for compensation.
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£3,500 damages secured for child who needed hospital treatment
In a recent case led by our team, damages of £3,500 were secured from national holiday operator TUI after our client, a 12-year-old girl who was on holiday with her family at the Odessa Hotel in Cyprus, suffered a deep cut to her big toe on her right foot, caused by a cracked step beside the pool.
She needed to be taken to hospital by ambulance for the wound to be cleaned and dressed, had to return to the hospital two days later so they could re-dress the wound, and then again on the day the family left the resort.
On returning to the UK she needed to see her GP twice a week to have the dressing changed, and when she returned to school she was still walking on crutches.
Damaged pool tiles caused cut to toe which ruined holiday
In another case in which damages were agreed with TUI, another client suffered a foot injury when getting out of the swimming pool at the Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic.
The swimming pool floor was found to have several tiles missing or not laid properly and sharp edges were exposed. The injury caused significant bleeding and our client was taken to the doctors by a hotel staff member.
Our client needed to change the dressing three times a day, could not apply pressure to the injury and was limping for the duration of his holiday, forcing him to cancel two planned excursions.
What you should do if you have a swimming pool accident abroad
If you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury whilst using a hotel swimming pool you should:
- Seek medical advice and treatment straight away.
- See what caused your accident.
- If there is a defect, take photographs and video.
- Take down the contact details of any witnesses.
- Report your accident to the hotel staff.
- Report your accident to your tour rep.
- Make a note of the date and time of your accident and weather conditions if relevant.
- Keep a diary of your injuries and symptoms and how they progress.
- Obtain copies of all medical records and reports.
- Obtain a copy of the accident book entry.
- Do not sign a report you do not agree with.
- Keep receipts for any expenses you incur such as taxi fares and hospital fees.
- Seek legal advice as soon as you can.
Can I claim for being injured in a swimming pool on holiday?
In cases where the injury has been caused by a hotel’s failure to maintain its pool and the surrounding area to expected standards, damages can be pursued to compensate for the injury suffered, and the loss of holiday enjoyment at the very least.
We would advise making a complaint to the hotel and requesting that a written report of the incident be recorded.
When we take a case on we will often request to see the hotel’s accident book entries for an extended period before the accident, as this will highlight if any areas of concern were not appropriately addressed.
We will also check staff training records and qualifications, and investigate inspection and cleaning records, audits and customer service reports, to ensure standards are as they should have been. We will also check that the facilities comply with relevant local standards.
Specialist holiday injury compensation specialists – no win no fee
Our expert lawyers work with foreign law experts across Europe, America and beyond to get justice for those affected by preventable injuries and injuries overseas.
Holiday accident claims are usually pursued on a no-win, no-fee agreement, which means you won’t have any financial risk surrounding your case.
Read more: Holiday Accident & Injury Abroad Compensation Claims
