A holidaymaker who suffered serious food poisoning while on holiday at a Dominican Republic all-inclusive resort was admitted to hospital on returning home to the UK.
The man had booked a two-week stay with his partner at The Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort & Spa in July of this year. The resort is booked by tour operators which include TUI, British Airways and Love Holidays.
However, a large proportion of the holiday was ruined due to sickness and the man was hospitalised on return and has still not yet fully recovered. He is now being represented by Hudgell Solicitors in his holiday illness abroad compensation claim.
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Returning home to the UK
On returning home he was diagnosed with salmonella, a bacterial disease most often caught by eating contaminated foods.
Our Travel Litigation Team at Hudgell Solicitors is aware of many more complaints from other guests, both from the UK and the US, who claim to have suffered illnesses and poor hygiene standards.
Many travellers have described symptoms of gastric illnesses such as diarrhoea, vomiting and pains while away, and in some cases lasting until after they have returned home.
In one review on TripAdvisor a guest who stayed in June wrote: “I was with a group of 21. During our trip 9 of us were sick. When I say sick, I mean violent vomiting and diarrhoea. By the time we got home the other 12 were sick as well.”
In response to the review the hotel’s management replied that a system was being “managed on a daily basis to provide a significantly reduced risk of illness caused by food. Therefore all our consuming products and ingredients are being subject to strict sanitary controls.”
Other guests complained of “flies all over the buffet” and “terrible food poisoning” while another reported being there a week and “being home a day, still have diarrhoea as does my friend and half of the plane full of people leaving this resort.”
In July other guests posted reviews to say, “Family member ended up in hospital overnight due to food poisoning from the sports bars food,” while another said, “Don’t drink tap water or ice cubes because my whole group caught traveller’s diarrhoea.”
Legal advice from Hudgell Solicitors
Hudgell Solicitors’ travel litigation executive Anne Thomson, who has many years experience of representing clients with group holiday sickness claims, says illnesses involving shigella, e.coli and salmonella are often due to poor hygiene standards in food preparation areas. Anne said:
Of course, sickness bugs can never be completely avoided, and it can be common for people to suffer as a result of a change in diet and climate.
However, when we are alerted to situations where a number of holiday guests are affected by similar symptoms, particularly when they are not part of the same travelling group, we feel an investigation is needed to contain any wider outbreak and prevent future problems.
Holidaymakers becoming ill having only ever eaten at the specific hotel they are staying at, and concerns raised by guests over standards of hygiene and cleanliness throughout premises, and not just in dining areas, are often red flags to potential underlying problems.
Holiday Illness compensation can be claimed from tour operators and hotels
At Hudgell Solicitors, we have experience in successfully claiming compensation from package holiday tour operators, hotels and their insurers and from cruise ship operators for health and safety breaches leading to food poisoning and bacterial infections.
If it transpires there has been an illness outbreak within hotels that could and should have been prevented, holidaymakers could receive compensation for their illness and suffering, and the loss of enjoyment on holiday, which is of course what so many people look forward to, and save money for, for so long.
If you want to speak to our team about illnesses experienced whilst staying at a holiday resort or think you might be entitled to make an accident abroad claim, call our team today for free legal advice or you can begin by contacting us via our claim form and selecting Holiday Accident.
