Holidaymaker Suffers Kidney Failure on 5* Holiday
James Lewis, from Strafford, was left hospitalised and suffered a broken rib after he contracted a severe stomach bug during his stay at the Liberty Hotels Lykia in Turkey.
The 25-year-old is taking legal action against the five star hotel after claiming his illness was caused by alleged hygiene problems, including being served under-cooked food.
Severe Gastric Illness
James and his partner Josh Faultless booked their holiday with tour operators Thomas Cook and had been looking forward to the trip for some time. Just halfway through their getaway however, both began to suffer with severe gastric illness. Their symptoms included diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
After two days of illness, James sought medical attention from a hotel doctor. Despite this, his condition worsened and he collapsed, breaking a rib as he fell. The holidaymaker was put on an IV drip to replace any lost fluids, but his health still failed to improve.
James was eventually taken to hospital and doctors explained that due to severe dehydration, his kidneys had started to fail. He was kept in hospital overnight in Turkey before flying home to the UK. James is still suffering the effects of his illness.
Poor Food Hygiene
The couple, who spent £1,000 on the break, have reported a number of concerning issues surrounding the levels of hygiene at the hotel.
According to James, food served in the hotel restaurant appeared to be under-cooked on more than one occasion. James also claims that the buffet style food available was often left uncovered for long periods of time, meaning it was exposed to birds and insects. He said:
“The illness I suffered on holiday is still having a serious impact on me.
“It wasn’t just us who were suffering, we could see other people around the hotel struggling with illness. We want to know what caused the illness and make sure these issues are investigated. “
Josh added:
“This was meant to be our annual holiday to relax and spend time with each other. But as soon as we arrived we felt the hotel was not up to the standards we had expected.
“When we both fell ill we spent majority of our time in our room, which was annoying, but when James collapsed it turned into an absolute nightmare. It was awful to see him in such a terrible state and being rushed to hospital.
“The last thing we expected when we booked with Thomas Cook was for one of us to be spending the night in a Turkish hospital due to illness and suffering with a broken rib. We’ve been left extremely disappointed with what turned into an absolutely appalling holiday.”
Response from Thomas Cook
A spokesman for Thomas Cook told the Mail Online:
“We know how important holidays are and we work hard to make sure that our customers enjoy their time away. We are always concerned to hear of any reports of illness, and when we receive this case we will investigate thoroughly.”
Holiday Illness Claims – Expert Advice
Head of Travel Law here at Hampson Hughes Solicitors, Shiamli Mehta-Cronie, said:
“The severe illness Josh and James suffered is concerning but unfortunately is not uncommon. Poor practices of food and hygiene standards in resorts abroad are on the rise.
“If you believe that you have contracted food poisoning during a package holiday, contact our dedicated Travel Team today. Whatever your circumstances, we may be able to help you to secure maximum personal injury compensation.”
For more information as to whether or not you are able to claim compensation following illness whilst on an all-inclusive package holiday, contact Hampson Hughes today for free and friendly, no obligation advice on 0800 888 6 888 or email .
