Food Poisoning Abroad Claims

Compensation for food poisoning abroad may be available where your symptoms are linked to poor food hygiene standards within your package-deal hotel. If you are unsure as to whether the details of your holiday qualify as a package-deal, speak to our expert team of personal injury solicitors today to discover how we may be able to help you – remember, we offer a FREE no-obligation consultation.

Staff were a delight to deal with, regular updates, worked really hard for us, dealt with our claim with great efficiency and the process was smoother and far quicker than we had anticipated.
Joanne R

Food poisoning abroad – compensation guide

Your holiday food poisoning claim may include aspects such as any lost value of your holiday, any loss of enjoyment, and any loss of earnings as a direct result of your illness. We also advise you to keep all receipts for any out of pocket expenses relating to your illness abroad (e.g. receipts for taxi fares incurred as a result of your illness, and receipts for any medications or other medical expenses).

£31,075 – £42,460	Severe pain, vomiting, diarrhoea Hospital admission for days or weeks Some continuing impact on ability to enjoy life
£7,700 – £15,510	Severe pain, vomiting, diarrhoea Some continuing impact on ability to enjoy life Hospital admission (symptoms diminish over 2 – 4 weeks)
£3,190 – £7,700	Discomfort, stomach cramps, fatigue Hospital admission (symptoms diminish over several days)
£737 – £3,190	Pain, stomach cramps, diarrhoea Symptoms diminish over several days or weeks

Holiday food poisoning symptoms

Depending on the type of food poisoning that you have contracted, and depending on your level of exposure, your symptoms may develop within an hour or days. An illness abroad is often mistakenly believed to be an expected possibility whilst travelling – if you have suffered an illness abroad due to food poisoning, you could be entitled to maximum personal injury compensation.

Signs and symptoms of food poisoning

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever & chills
• Abdominal pain
• Muscle weakness/stiffness

Food poisoning is also commonly associated with dehydration. The earliest symptoms of dehydration include severe thirst and dark coloured urine. Where symptoms are not treated, symptoms may develop to include headaches, dry mouth, light-headedness, poor concentration, dizziness, an increased heartrate, and passing little or no water. In extreme cases, dehydration may also lead to fits and seizures.

Causes of holiday food poisoning

Food poisoning occurs as a result of contact with contaminated food or water. The main causes of food poisoning include contact with foods that have not been stored or cooked at the correct temperature, and the cross-contamination of surfaces and utensils. There are several main types of illness that are commonly associated with holiday food poisoning:

Type of food poisoning	How does it spread?
E. coli	E. coli typically spreads through contact with animal faeces. Meat that is not properly processed may come into contact with animal waste. Unwashed raw fruit and vegetables may also carry the bacteria.
Salmonella	The salmonella bacteria is commonly found in raw meat, raw eggs, and un-pasteurised milk. The bacteria is also found in human waste, and may be spread through contact with domesticated animals.
Campylobacter	Campylobacter is the most common cause of foodborne diarrheal illness. The bacteria typically spreads through water and meat that has been contaminated with infected animal faeces.
Cryptosporidium	The cryptosporidium parasite is typically found in animal and human faeces. The virus commonly spreads through drinking infected communal water, such as recreational water (e.g. swimming pool).

Food poisoning abroad claim – what to do

You may not feel physically able to begin your holiday food poisoning claim until you return home. However, where possible, we advise gathering evidence in support of your claim.

CAUTION: you may discover upon reporting your illness to your holiday rep that you are offered a form of immediate compensation such as vouchers. This may appear to be a gesture of goodwill on behalf of your tour operator, but accepting any form of compensation may directly affect your future ability to make a successful compensation claim for your illness abroad.

Food poisoning abroad claim time limit

We advise speaking to us as soon as you believe that you may be entitled to holiday food poisoning compensation. Any cause for delay in beginning your illness abroad claim may be taken into account regarding your claim time limit. For further information, please contact us today for instant answers and professional guidance.

Holiday food poisoning – speak to the experts

Depending on your circumstances, we may be able to help you to secure private medical care as part of your claim. For further information on the types of rehabilitation that may be available, please contact our dedicated team of personal injury solicitors today for instant answers and valuable advice – remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation.

Discover today whether you have a claim:

0800 888 6 888