As I have spent the past week sat sweltering under a broken air conditioning unit (due to be fixed just as the weather is due to return to more tepid tempretures), I have to keep reminding myself - I've not long returned from Holiday! A lovely, sunny week on the breezy coast of Morocco.
Hmmmm. Breeeeze.
Perhaps it’s the industry that I’m in, or perhaps I was just staying in the Moroccan equivalent of Faulty Towers, but the whole time I was away, (a bit like the heater setting on this #%*$$# air conditioning), I just couldn't seem to switch off.
Everywhere I turned, there seemed to be a potential hotel injury hazard!
The idea of being injured abroad is a scary thought... if you think about it too much. In 2012 just under 4,000 British holidaymakers had to stay in an overseas hospital. In 2013 an average of 4,600 travellers a week needed emergency medical treatment while abroad, with insurers paying out the equivalent of £4 million a week in medical treatment costs. And it’s not just the financial implementations that terrify us (although a quarter of Brits still travel abroad without insurance) but language and cultural differences can be daunting too.
The hotel that we stayed in is part of a global chain which, to keep its impressive star rating, has to meet a certain standard. None-the-less, there were a few lapses in health and safety about then place that I couldn't stop myself from picking up on as I tried to relax.
A Catalogue of (Potential!) Injuries Abroad
A Broken Foot - or Worse!
Our rooms included a dressing area with floor to ceiling wardrobe doors - a visually impressive feature. However, on our second day, one of the 9ft high, heavy wooden doors came off its hinges as I was opening it, and the corner of it made an impressive dint in the floor, just an inch from my bare foot. Fortunately, I'm a well-built fellow and could support the weight of the door without too much trouble, before it fell on me and I was able to rest it against the wall before calling maintenance. Had it happened to my petite partner or a child, the outcome may have been very different.
Injured by a Falling Parasol
The next day we were lounging by the pool, surrounded by parasols offering some welcome shade. These were the big wooden parasols with heavy canvas shades and weighted bases. A particularly strong gust of wind sent one crashing down onto the bed next to us. Luckily the man occupying it had just risen to get a drink when it fell - a thick wooden spoke of the parasol going through the lounger’s mattress & leaving a rather alarming hole in the bed.
Crushed by a Laundry Truck Rolling Down the Stairs
Later that same day, we were walking up some steps in the hotel and found a laundry trolley precariously balanced half way up. It appeared to have been left near the top of the stairs without the brake being set and had since rolled down the stairs, only stopping mid-way down the staircase because a wheel had swivelled in such a way as to prevent it falling further. This was a well-used set of stairs in the resort but luckily no one was injured.
Cut by Falling Glass
A little later in the holiday, I was still finding it hard to switch off. As I lay sprawled by the pool, from the corner of my eye I could see a pane of glass, hanging precariously above a walkway. Usually part of the facade of the rooftop bar, the pane had succumbed to the constant battering of the coastal breeze and was now only held in place by a solitary screw - seemingly waiting to fall on to the head of an innocent passer by.
Injured Abroad on a Package Holiday?
Reassuringly, the issues were speedily corrected once reported - although I'm sure guest services were convinced I had some kind of 'problem' by then end of my stay.
If we had been injured by any of these hazards, we would have been safe in the knowledge that any resulting costs in medical treatment, extended hospital stays or early flights home, would have been recoverable, as we had booked the hotel as part of a package holiday.
A 'Package Holiday' is when at least two elements of the holiday were booked together through a UK company. In our case it was the flights and hotel, but it could also include any activities or excursions. Having done so, we would be entitled to make a personal injury claim against the travel agent, should the worst have happened.
The wardrobe door, parasol, laundry trolley and loose pane of glass, were all at the hotel and therefore part of the package. The same would be true if an accident occurred on an excursion or activity which was part of a booking.
Food Poisoning at the Hotel
If we had contracted food poisoning, from food consumed at the hotel, we would be eligible to claim against the tour operator. Food poisoning whilst on holiday contracted through food from an impromptue visit to a restaurant in a nearby town however, would not be covered, as it would not form part of the package.
For the latter you’d need to bring a claim against the restaurant. If abroad, this may not be covered by UK law and can be a difficult process. For tips on how to avoid food poisoning abroad please read our article "Top Tips on Avoiding Food Poisoning Whilst on Holiday"
Slips, Trips and Falls on Holiday
Slips, trips and falls are a common injury both here and abroad. The floors at our hotel were a mix of marble and polished concrete, which were mopped every morning. As you can imagine these were particularly slippy when wet but at no point were any signs put up warning people. (Help me, I just can't turn it off!)
Injuries caused by a slip or fall on wet floors (or poorly maintained pavements) in the hotel could result in a claim against the travel agent. If the injury occurred when you were out and about, popping into the local town for instance, then the travel agent would not be liable.
As mentioned above, activities booked as part of your package would also be covered in a claim against your travel agent. So if you booked to take part in diving, jet skiing or even a cycling holiday and were injured you could make a personal injury claim. For further information read our article on sporting injuries abroad.
6 Steps to Take if You’re Injured Abroad
- Immediately report the accident to your travel rep, owner of the premises (i.e. hotel) and your UK travel agent, if you have one.
- Seek medical advice and get a copy of the medical report (this is a pre-requisite to compensation schemes in some countries)
- Take names & contact details of those involved, including any witnesses to the accident.
- Write down an account of what happened while it’s fresh in your mind and take pictures of the area where the injury occurred.
- Keep all documents relating to the holiday and injury. This includes receipts, travel documents and paperwork (such as medical & hospital discharge letters)
- To be able to claim expenses such as prescription costs and travelling expenses, you need to keep your receipts as evidence.
Had an Accident Abroad?
If you’ve suffered an injury abroad then you may be entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. Call our friendly consultants on 0800 756 7774 to see if you have a valid compensation claim. Or complete the 'Quick Claim Form' at the top of this page and we'll get back to you. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/350664/4-600-British-Travellers-Injured-Abroad-Every-Week
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