It is Now Possible to Seek Compensation When Things Go Wrong Abroad

For the most part, travel is a pleasure. Provided you plan well, book with a reputable firm, remember to pack what you need and follow the advice given by your tour operator things go well. You return home refreshed and with some great memories.

Unfortunately, every now and again, things go wrong. Accidents happen and people fall ill, and there are quite a few press stories that reflect this.

You regularly see stories about hundreds of cruise passengers picking up norovirus and being confined to their cabins. Having your holiday ruined because of lax hygiene standards is bad enough, but not as bad as picking up a parasite and ending up with bacterial gastroenteritis. A case of bacterial gastroenteritis can be lethal and many of those who survive end up with long-term health issues and disabilities.

The prevalence of these stories is making people think, and take precautions. Today, more travellers take the time to buy good travel insurance. They do so to ensure that if they fall ill or have an accident they can get the medical help they need and be repatriated if necessary. With the help of local doctors and their insurance firm, the vast majority of people get home and make a full recovery.

Unfortunately, that is not always what happens. Some people return home, but end up suffering from long-term health issues or disabilities because of something that went wrong while they were abroad.

In that situation, many turn to their travel insurance provider for help and compensation. Usually they discover that their travel insurance provider cannot help.

Some travel insurance policies include an element of personal accident coverage, but it is very limited. The level of compensation available is low and normally will only be paid out for injuries that occurred as the result of a physical accident. That means that someone left with long-term disabilities after contracting bacterial gastroenteritis cannot claim compensation on most travel insurance policies.

In the past people in that situation would have been stuck. They would not be entitled to any compensation and, once home, would be responsible for paying their health bills.

Fortunately, that is now starting to change. Firms like http://www.on-holiday-claims.co.uk/ are now helping holidaymakers affected by incompetence abroad to successfully claim for compensation.

They are using legal expertise to bring hotels, travel firms, attraction owners and others to book for their incompetence. Many of the claims they deal with are related to food poisoning cases that have left people out of pocket financially.

Access to this kind of legal service means that it is now possible to claim for financial losses relating to:

• Medical costs
• Travel insurance excess
• Loss of earnings
• The cost of extra care needed following an accident or illness
• Future losses including loss of pension rights
• Holiday experience and enjoyment compensation

If you have suffered an accident or a bout of food poisoning, you can now make a claim and secure compensation. Doing so helps to ensure that you are not left out of pocket.

It also sends a strong message to those involved in the tourist industry that they need to show due diligence and take the necessary steps to look after their guests. Compensation cases are helping to raise awareness of safety across the world and making travelling as safe as possible.