Holiday Accident Claims

With so many of us working and travelling abroad and exploring the world, holiday accidents are unfortunately bound to happen.

Making a holiday accident claim has always been difficult. Compensation claims for accidents which happened abroad are usually subject to the law of the country where the injury occurred, which affects your right to compensation and the value of your holiday accident claim. Injury lawyers' fees may not always be recoverable, even if your holiday compensation claim is successful.

However, there are regulations and bodies set up to help victims claim their deserved compensation.
The 1992 Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tour Regulation aids holiday accident claims. It helps enable victims of a foreign package holiday accident to claim compensation for their injury in the UK.

Alternatively, there is the 4th EU Motor Directive 2003, which aids car accident claims abroad because the directive dictates that all European cars are listed on one database – making it easier to identify foreign cars involved in an accident. There is even a body set up in case the foreign insurance company can’t be identified, called the Motor Insurers Bureau, who handle compensation claims.

Holiday tour operators, hotel staff and every company you encounter on your travels have a duty of care to provide you with a safe service. Hotels have to provide a hygienic and clean environment, tour operators have to ensure you’re going to stay safe in your hotel and while travelling to and from the airport, and excursion companies have to assess the risk of the planned trips. in order to prevent an injury occurring.

Remember that holiday accidents don’t just include accidents in a hotel, but cover injuries on boats or cruises, in airplanes, travelling in cars or rental vehicles or even on the beach.
The causes of a holiday accident could include:

• Wet flooring or misplaced objects causing a slip or trip accident


• Injuries which occurred on foreign transport


• An injury that happened when on a day excursion


• Food poisoning from the hotel restaurant/ buffet


• Illness resulting from bad hotel hygiene


• Problems with your rental car that lead to a holiday accident


• Water sports accidents


• Skiing accidents

Even if you’ve had an accident on a holiday outside the EU, National Accident Helpline™ will strive to help with your compensation claim in the country of your accident.

Of course, holiday accidents can happen in the UK, too. National Accident Helpline™ will help with all cases involving accidents that were the fault of someone else. In either case, it’s advisable to get as much information at the time as you can.

This could include taking photos of what has caused the accident, writing down or sketching the scene, and taking a note of the names and numbers of witnesses - as well as any injuries which have been sustained. It’s better to take these notes straight away, as it’s hard to return to take photos and gather information at a later date.

At the National Accident Helpline™, we go out of our way to help people who have been involved in accidents on holidays abroad or in the UK. The recent changes in UK and European law mean that it has become much easier to make holiday accident compensation claims. If you think you may be eligible for compensation, call our friendly advisors or fill in our online claim form.