What to Do If You Have an Accident on Holiday

Let's talk about how The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (The Regulations) can help you make a personal injury claim if your holiday takes an unfortunate turn.

What's Considered a 'Package'?

According to The Regulations, a 'package' is a mix of at least two different types of 'travel services'. These can include:

• Transport
• Accommodation
• Car hire (and other vehicle rentals)
• Other tourist services like concerts, sports events, excursions, guided tours, ski passes, and spa treatments

Even cruises count as a package!

Making a Personal Injury Claim

If you get injured or fall ill during a package holiday covered by The Regulations, you can make a personal injury claim in England and Wales, even if it happened abroad. You can file the claim against the package organiser if the incident was due to poor performance of any travel service in your package. This applies whether the organiser or another provider (like a hotel) was responsible.

Local Standards

To win your claim, you need to prove that local standards were breached. This means looking at the rules, regulations, practices, and customs of the country where the accident happened. If the package organiser denies responsibility, you might need expert evidence to support your case.

Be aware, the package organiser can also present their own expert evidence to challenge yours.

In Summary

If you find yourself injured or ill on a package holiday, remember you might be able to make a claim under The Regulations. You'll need to show that local standards were breached, but with the right support and evidence, you could succeed.

Holiday mishaps can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. If you or someone you know suffers an injury while on holiday, getting the right advice is crucial.

For free and impartial guidance, call Dan Thompson on +44 (0)7788 313 461 or email dthompson@vwv.co.uk.