To make a compensation claim for an accident or illness abroad, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with us for a free initial consultation. We'll discuss the circumstances surrounding your accident or illness, advise you on whether or not we think you can claim, and whether you could benefit from a No Win No Fee arrangement.
If you choose to go ahead, your claim will usually go through the following four stages:
- Investigation. We'll establish who's responsible for your accident or illness, and arrange for a medical examination to find out the full extent of your condition.
- Rehabilitation. If you have any medical care or support needs, we'll help you to access the necessary treatment and advice that you are entitled to.
- Compensation. We'll work out how much compensation you should get based on the severity of your injuries and your pain and suffering, any medical expenses you've had, and your ability to get back to work. We'll put this amount to those responsible, and they can either accept blame or contest the claim.
- Conclusion. If your opponent accepts blame, you'll be awarded compensation. If not, the case will be settled in court – although this is rare. If you do have to go to court, we'll be there support you every step of the way. If we agreed to handle your claim under a No Win No Fee arrangement, then you won't have to pay anything if you were unsuccessful.
If you have any questions about the claims process, please contact us today on 0800 056 4110 and we'll be happy to discuss your options in a free initial consultation.
How much compensation you receive after an accident or illness abroad will depend on a number of factors related to your injury or illness, its circumstances, and the support and rehabilitation you need.
The amount of compensation you could claim is based on:
- Your condition, and its severity
- Psychological trauma experienced
- Current and future loss of earnings if you've had to stop working in the short or long-term
- Medical expenses you've had to or will have to pay both abroad and in the UK, as well as travel expenses to any appointments
- Your care and support needs – both now and in the future
- Modifications to your home
- Mobility aids
- The amount you had spent on your holiday or travel abroad, and the loss of enjoyment you've experienced
- Your pain and suffering
- Other financial loss or expense due to your injury
For more information, call us on 0800 056 4110 and we'll be happy to discuss your options in a free initial consultation.
Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk to you when making a compensation claim.
At the start of your case, we'll discuss funding options with you, advising you which we think is most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI) or are covered by a trade union policy, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household, travel or car insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.
If we think you're best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we'll explain the process clearly. You'll only have to pay anything if your claim is successful – even then your opponent will pay most of our fees, with the remaining costs coming out of your compensation settlement.
Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.
In the UK, you usually need to make a compensation claim within three years of your accident or illness.
In fatal cases, the family of the deceased has three years to make a claim, starting from either the date your loved one died, or the date you received the post-mortem results.
However, these time limits vary a great deal from country to country and are much shorter in some countries, so when an accident or illness has taken place abroad, it's vital that you contact us as soon as possible. We are experts in international law, and have a worldwide network of partner law firms that we work with, so we'll be able to advise you on specific time limits. Contact us today on 0800 056 4110 for a free consultation on your case, and we'll be happy to help.
If you contracted food poisoning while you were on holiday, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Food poisoning is a common problem when on holiday abroad. Negligence on behalf of the venue is often to blame through issues like:
- Not covering or storing food properly
- Allowing insects to get to the food
- Not cooking food properly, particularly meat products
- Poor hygiene standards in the kitchen, such as not cleaning surfaces, allowing cross contamination to occur.
Most people make a full recovery from food poisoning. But some cases can cause complications that could lead to long-term health issues, such as:
- Irritable bowel syndrome, which can cause long-term abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation
- Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome, which can cause anaemia and kidney problems
- Organ impairment or failure
- Chronic fatigue syndrome, which causes persistent fatigue that affects everyday life and doesn’t go away with rest or sleep.
These long-term effects often result in the need for medical treatment and support, something we can help you to access as part of the claims process. The ongoing impact on your health and quality of life will also affect the amount of compensation you can claim.
The first step to making a holiday food poisoning claim is to get in touch with us. We’ll listen to your circumstances in a free initial consultation and advise you on whether you could claim compensation. We’ll also discuss your funding options and how we’d advise proceeding.
Once we’ve established who was to blame for your food poisoning and any associated complications, we’ll make formal contact with them to say you intend to claim against them. If they accept responsibility and agree with how much compensation we think you’re entitled to, your claim will be settled.
If they dispute accountability or the proposed amount of compensation, we’ll begin court proceedings. Food poisoning claims can still be settled out of court even if trial dates have been set.
We’ll always act on your instructions and do everything we can to make the claims process as stress-free as possible for you.
The amount of compensation awarded in food poisoning claims varies from case to case.
The best way to get an idea of how much compensation you could be entitled to is to speak to us in a free initial consultation. Once we know a little more about the events surrounding your situation, we’ll be able to put an estimate value on your claim.
How much compensation you could get depends on:
- The severity of your illness and any on-going symptoms or conditions that have developed as a result
- The level of neglect on the proprietor’s part
- Any expenses you have (such as medical bills, travel costs, or sanitary items)
- If you’ll need any long-term treatment.
In the UK, you normally have three years to make a claim for compensation. This three-year limit starts from the date you became ill, or the date you learned your illness was due to food poisoning.
However, if you contracted food poisoning while on holiday abroad, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible. Time limits for claiming differ from country to country, with some countries having much shorter time limits. So, it’s vital you start the claims process as quickly as you can.
Most of our personal injury claims are handled using a no win no fee agreement.
To make a no win no fee claim, you must enter into an agreement that’s linked to a suitable insurance policy. We’ll discuss the finer points with you before we start working for you and advise you on what we believe would be the best funding option for you.
