Holiday Food Poisoning Compensation Claims

A holiday abroad should be a time for rest and relaxation, away from stress and complications. Sadly, travelling abroad can bring its own set of troubles, and food poisoning is one of the most common issues people face.

Any proprietor serving food anywhere in the world has a duty of care to follow all health and safety procedures to the letter. If they don’t do this, they’ve failed in their duty of care. If you’ve experienced food poisoning on holiday abroad, our specialist solicitors can help you to make a claim for compensation.

Our lawyers have a great deal of experience in holiday food poisoning claims. We’ve represented and currently act for people who’ve contracted food poisoning in:

Egypt
Spain
The Dominican Republic
Greece
Turkey
Mexico
Cape Verde
Morrocco.

If you've contracted food poisoning on holiday in another destination, we could still help you claim. Contact us today to discuss what happened to you in a free initial consultation. We’ll be able to advise you on whether you could make a food poisoning claim.

If you’ve contracted food poisoning in the UK, we can also help you to make a claim for compensation.

We’ve helped people claim compensation for a range of illnesses caused by food poisoning, including:

Gastroenteritis
Norovirus
Campylobacter
Salmonella
E-coli
Shigella
Listeria
Giardia
Cryptosporidium
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS).

Why choose Irwin Mitchell to handle your holiday food poisoning claim?

Our specialist team of international personal injury solicitors have the knowledge and experience to get you the compensation you deserve in a food poisoning claim.

Food poisoning can sometimes be a debilitating illness. If you need any extra help, our Support and Rehabilitation coordinators will make sure you get it. We’ve nationwide connections with local charities and support groups, and we’ll use these connections to ensure your needs are met.

Our Asset Management team are also on hand once your claim’s been settled. Getting a large sum of money can often be overwhelming for people, as they struggle to manage how to make the compensation work for them. Our team of financial experts can give you tailored advice on how to make your compensation pay for all you need. They can also advise you on ways you can invest your money, making it last for as long as possible.

Our offices are located all over the UK, meaning you can get legal advice that’s local to you. If you’re unable to visit our offices, we can arrange to meet you at your home or in hospital. We’ll always work in a way that’s best for you, so we can also communicate with you by phone, video call, or email.

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Over £100 million claimed for overseas accidents and illnesses

Longstanding links with foreign law experts

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More information on holiday food poisoning claims

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prove I have food poisoning?

Common incubation periods for food poisoning range from 12 to 96 hours, so the time leading up to when you fell ill is very important. You should think about what you ate or drank during that period, and where you were.

Keeping a diary of events can be useful, and receipts can help prove that you ate in a certain place. Other people might have fallen ill at the same time as you. It can support your case if they experienced similar symptoms after eating the same food, or at the same restaurant.

If you completed a customer service report form at the resort, or wrote a letter of complaint, these can help us with our investigation. You should visit your GP when you return home if you didn't seek medical help while you were away, as these records are also very useful. Your GP might recommend you submit a stool sample to identify if you contracted a bacterial, parasitic or other type infection which caused your illness.

We’ll use independent medical experts to give you a medical examination. Their expert opinion will be invaluable in supporting your claim for food poisoning.

It’s also important that you contact your holiday representative as soon as possible to let them know you became ill while on holiday. You’re entitled to ask for a copy of the report form, which can also be used as evidence in your food poisoning claim.

If possible, capture photos/videos of the food or examples of poor hygiene standards within the venue you ate. This can also be submitted as evidence.

What causes food poisoning on holiday?

Food poisoning is a particular risk abroad. Warmer temperatures make it harder to keep food fresh and different countries may have less strict food hygiene regulations.

Food poisoning is generally caused by food or drink that's been contaminated with bacteria, parasites, or viruses. These are often things that occur naturally in food (particularly meat) but are made safe during preparation and cooking processes. The most common causes of food poisoning are:

Undercooked food – particularly chicken, the cause of campylobacter
Wrongly stored food – either at the wrong temperature, or with other foods that can contaminate it
Fresh or cooked food left out in warm temperatures for too long
Food that has been exposed to flies
Not reheating food properly
Contaminated surfaces – such as if vegetables are prepared on the same surface as raw meat
Person-to-person contact with someone who is infected.

What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

Diarrhoea and vomiting are the main symptoms of most kinds of food poisoning. Most people will experience a combination of the following symptoms:

Stomach cramps
Abdominal pain
Blood in the stool
Loss of appetite
High temperature or fever
Aches and pains
General feeling of weakness.

What are the different types of infections that cause food poisoning?

There are a range of infective causes of food poisoning. The main infections we come across are Campylobacter, Salmonella, E-Coli, Shigella, Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

The main routes of infection for these pathogens are through the oral route, often by consuming contaminated food or water, or direct contact with infected individuals or animals. Here’s a breakdown for each:

1. Campylobacter:

Foodborne: Undercooked poultry, contaminated meat products, and unpasteurized milk
Waterborne: Contaminated water or ice
Contact: Direct contact with infected animals or their environments.

2. Salmonella:

Foodborne: Raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, meat, and unpasteurized dairy products
Waterborne: Contaminated water
Contact: Handling reptiles, birds, or other animals that carry the bacteria.

3. E. coli (particularly Shiga toxin-producing E. coli):

Foodborne: Undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, raw fruits and vegetables
Waterborne: Contaminated water
Contact: Person-to-person transmission, especially in childcare settings.

4. Shigella:

Foodborne: Contaminated food handled by infected persons
Waterborne: Contaminated drinking water or recreational water
Contact: Direct person-to-person contact, particularly in crowded settings like daycares.

5. Giardia:

Waterborne: Contaminated drinking water or recreational water (lakes, rivers, swimming pools)
Foodborne: Contaminated food
Contact: Person-to-person transmission, especially in childcare settings.

6. Cryptosporidium:

Waterborne: Contaminated drinking water or recreational water (pools, water parks)
Foodborne: Contaminated food
Contact: Person-to-person transmission, particularly in childcare settings and among immunocompromised individuals.

These pathogens are often linked to outbreaks due to their ability to survive in various environments and their ease of transmission through common activities. Ensuring proper food handling, water treatment, and hygiene practices can significantly reduce the risk of infection.

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