Booking.com Holiday Accident Claims Guide – How to claim compensation for a Personal Injury Claim Against Booking.com

How Much Could I Claim For An Accident On Holiday With Booking.com?

Booking.com holiday accident claims information

On this page, you will find a guide to making a claim for an accident on holiday with Booking.com. It explains why in general, you would not make a hotel accident claim against Booking.com, but against the actual hotel operator. It covers many of the kinds of claims that a person may need to make, and why you could be eligible to make such a claim.

You may have questions that this guide does not answer. Every claim is unique. If this is so, please speak to a member of our claims team on 0800 073 8801. They will evaluate your claim, and let you know if you are eligible to claim, as well as answer any questions you may have.

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A Guide To Claims For An Accident On Holiday With Booking.com

This guide looks at how a holiday accident claim solicitor can help you, by processing your claim for a holiday accident or a holiday illness on your behalf. It provides useful information needed to begin making sensible choices about how best to proceed with your own claim. This guide begins by giving a basic definition of what a hotel accident is, and why you could be eligible to pursue a claim. It will also explain why Booking.com may not be liable to pay compensation.

The guide then moves on to discuss many of the kinds of holiday accident claims that a UK resident may need to make. Each of these kinds of claims is covered in its own section, along with pertinent information such as the risks or hazards that could lead to the claim.

The next part of the guide moves on to cover some of the legal implications of making a claim. We will cover the duty of care that a hotel owes its patrons and employees, as well as the time limits for making a claim that will apply. We also give a number of steps that should be taken, to prepare for making your claim at the end of your holiday.

The final section of this guide is related to the financial aspects of the claim. You will find a table that details potential compensation ranges for different kinds of injuries and illnesses. You will also find a list of damages that a successful claim might result in, as part of the overall settlement. Finally, we introduce our No Win No Fee claims service. This is a simple to use, financially risk-free way for you to have your claim processed by a specialist personal injury team.

What Is A Hotel Accident Claim Against Booking.com?

Booking.com is not a traditional hotel/flight/holiday booking firm. It is a price aggregate service that pulls in pricing and availability from thousands of different hotels, guesthouses, B&B, etc. It offers a unified booking platform for these businesses, acting as an intermediary between the public and the individual travel vendors.

Therefore, Booking.com is generally not liable for any harm a holidaymaker suffers whilst staying at one of the properties it manages bookings for. Instead, if you had an accident at a hotel you booked via Booking.com, you would make your claim against the hotel operator directly.

In order for you to be able to make a claim, you must be eligible to do so. This means that a third party must have been directly or indirectly responsible for causing you harm in some way. Consider the following two examples:

  1. A person staying at a hotel, trips over cleaning supplies left outside the door of their hotel room. This results in an injury
  2. A person staying at a hotel, trips over their own suitcase, that they had left on the floor of their hotel room. This results in an injury

In the first example, the cleaning staff who work for the hotel have caused a trip hazard by leaving cleaning supplies in a hazardous place, and the hotel could be liable for this. In the second example, the trip hazard was caused by the injured party themselves, and therefore the hotel would not be liable.

What Accidents Could Happen When Staying At A Hotel?

There are many ways that a person could come to harm whilst staying at a hotel, which could result in them making holiday accident claims. Typical examples of hotel accidents include:

  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Accidents in the hotel gym
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Fire-related accidents
  • Food-related illnesses
  • Insect bites and infestations (bed bugs)

No matter how you have been caused harm, if the hotel operator or one of its employees can be proven to be at fault, causing the accident, the hotel could be liable for compensation. For more information on how to go about proving liability, please contact one of our advisers.

What Injuries Could Hotel Guests Suffer?

In the section above, we looked at some of the accidents and incidents that could cause harm to a person staying in a hotel. In this section, we look at the kinds of injuries the accidents could case. These could include:

  • An upper or lower back injury
  • A traumatic head injury
  • Sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries
  • Fractured bones
  • Cuts, lacerations, scrapes of grazes
  • Food-related illnesses and allergic reactions

These are just some of the kinds of injuries that could become the basis of a claim, if the hotel is even partially responsible for the hazard that caused them. If you suffered some kind of injury while staying at a hotel abroad and you would like to know if you could seek compensation, please get in touch today.

Hotel Swimming Pool And Leisure Facility Accident Claims

A hotel swimming pool can be a hazardous place. Alongside serious accidents involving drowning, swimming pool users can suffer less serious injuries, due to hazards such as:

  • Cuts and lacerations caused by chipped, broken or cracked tiles
  • Head injuries or concussion caused by diving into the shallow end due to insufficient warning signs
  • Fractured bones and soft tissue injuries caused by slipping on surface water around the pool
  • Waterborne viruses or bacteria causing an illness

No matter how you came to harm using a hotel swimming pool, if the hotel operator was to blame in any way, it could be possible to make personal injury claims.

Hotel Slips And Fall Compensation Claims

Slips, trips and falls are a simple yet often serious kind of accident. They can result in injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises, to paralysis of a limb or even death in extreme cases. A hotel presents slip, trip and fall hazards such as:

  • Damaged floor coverings such as ripped carpets, cracked tiles, or warped wooden floorboards
  • Broken paving slabs, or uneven pavement surfaces such as cobblestones
  • Water or food that has been spilt on the floor of the hotel restaurant
  • Cleaning supplies of maintenance equipment that has been left casing an obstruction

If you would like to learn about slip and fall compensation amounts, and whether you have a claim yourself, please speak to one of our claims team.

Hotel Burn Accident Claims

A burn or scald could be a valid cause to make a holiday accident claim abroad, if the hotel or one of its staff was the indirect or direct cause of the injury. Hazards at a hotel that can result in burns and scales include:

  • Faulty water heaters, electric kettles and coffee machines in a hotel room
  • Faulty electrical fittings such as plug sockets and light switches
  • Hotel fires
  • Hot food or drink in the hotel restaurant

No matter how your burn or scald was caused, if the hotel operator or one of its representatives was to blame for the accident that caused it in any way, you could be able to make a claim.

Hotel Bed Bug Bites

When you stay at a hotel where the bedding, towels, etc. have not been cleaned properly, you are at risk of contaminated linens resulting in bed bug bites or other insect-related problems.

Bed bugs are particularly troublesome, as it is very easy for you to carry them home in your luggage. You may not be aware this has happened, as they can take several weeks to hatch from eggs. They could be carried in your clothing, and then infect your home.

Bed bug bites are itchy, and cause unsightly welts, especially if the victim scratches them too much, before they realise that they have been bitten by bed bugs. Any physical harm related to bed bug bites, could be claimed for, if it can be proven the hotel was to blame for the infestation.

What Reasonable Expectations Should Hotel Guests Have?

As we mentioned previously, it is unlikely that you would make any hotel accident claims against Booking.com. Instead, you would be making your claim against the hotel operator themselves. Each hotel has a duty of care towards their customers and staff and if they fail in any way, it could entitle you to file a personal injury claim against them.

The hotel is required to adhere to all local regulations and legislation related to customer and staff safety, in the country that the hotel operates within. At a bare minimum, the hotel is expected to provide a healthy, safe environment for its patrons. However, some countries have a more stringent legal framework for ensuring this than others. You should speak to one of our claims team, and explain how your accident came about, they will be able to tell you whether a claim could be possible against the hotel, no matter where it is located.

I Was Injured At A Hotel, What Should I Do?

If you are injured at a hotel booked through Booking.com, there are a number of steps you can take which will help prepare for making a claim at the end of your holiday, these include:

  • Be sure to follow the process for reporting an accident to the hotel
  • Visit the hospital to have your injury treated
  • Take photographs of the cause/scene of the accident
  • Get the contact details of any witnesses to the incident

Taking these steps will lay the groundwork for making a claim, and ensure that you have created a document trail that shows how your injuries were caused.

How Much Time Do I Have To Begin A Claim Against Booking.com?

There will be a personal injury claims time limit that you must begin your claim within. This time limit can vary from country to country so it is important to discuss your case with a personal injury solicitor based in the UK as soon as possible so that you don’t run out of time to file a personal injury claim against a negligent third party.

The table below gives examples of these time limits.

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Claim Circumstances Time Limit
If you were injured staying in a hotel in the UK. Three years from the date of the incident.
If you are staying in a hotel overseas Generally, two years, but can vary, check with a solicitor.

Hotel Booking Site Personal Injury Claims

You might be able to find an online personal injury claims calculator, that could give a rough estimate of how much you may be able to claim. Or you could use the table below to get a rough idea.

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Illness or Injury How Severe? Compensation Information
Hand injury Minor to serious Up to £54,307 From cuts, lacerations, bruises, etc. through soft tissue damage and fractured bones, to paralysis or total loss of the hand.
Wrist injury Minor to severe Up to £52,467 From bruises, cuts, burns, etc. through damage to the soft tissue as well as fractured bones, to some level of paralysis of the wrist.
Arm injury Moderate to severe Up to £114,837 From simple skin damage such as lacerations, burns, scalds, grazes, etc. through sprains, strains and other STI as well as fractured bones, to partial or full amputation or paralysis of the arm.
Finger injury Minor to severe Up to £21,947 From damage to the skin (cuts, bruises, burns, grazes, etc.) through dislocation and all forms of STI as well as fractured bones, to amputation to one or several fingers.
Thumb injury Minor to severe Up to £48,047 From damage to the skin (cuts, bruises, burns, grazes, etc.) through dislocation and all forms of STI as well as fractured bones, to amputation to one or both thumbs.
Back injury Minor to severe Up to £141,177 From damage to the skin of the back such as bruises, scrapes, burns, cuts, etc. through soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains, as well as fractured vertebrae, to partial or full paralysis of the back.
Neck injury Minor to severe Up to £130,087 From damage to the skin of the neck such as bruises, scrapes, burns, cuts, etc. through soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains, as well as fractured vertebrae, to partial or full paralysis of the neck.
Toe injury Moderate to severe Up to £49,147 From damage to the skin (cuts, bruises, burns, grazes, etc.) through dislocation and all forms of STI as well as fractured bones, to amputation to one or several toes.
Ankle injury Minor to severe Up to £61,147 From bruises, cuts, burns, etc. through damage to the soft tissue as well as fractured bones, to some level of paralysis of the ankle.
Foot injury Minor to very severe Up to £96,147 From cuts, lacerations, bruises, etc. through soft tissue damage and fractured bones, to paralysis or total loss of the foot.
Leg injury Minor to severe Up to £119,247 From simple skin damage such as lacerations, burns, scalds, grazes, etc. through sprains, strains and other STI as well as fractured bones, to partial or full amputation or paralysis of the leg.
Illness Minor Up to £3,007 A short-term illness with symptoms such as nausea, sickness, muscle or abdominal cramps, that would clear up in a few days, with little treatment.
Illness Moderate Up to £7,257 An illness with symptoms such as nausea, sickness, diarrhoea muscle or abdominal cramps, that would clear up in a few days, using over the counter medication.
Illness Moderate to severe Up to £14,607 An illness with symptoms such as nausea, sickness, diarrhoea muscle or abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and fever, that would clear up in a week or so, using prescription medication.
Illness Severe Up to £39,907 An illness with symptoms such as nausea, sickness, diarrhoea muscle or abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and high fever, that would clear up in more than a week, using prescription medication. And requiring hospitalisation.

If you speak to one of our claim advisers, they will be able to give you a much more accurate estimate of the level of compensation you could possibly receive.

What Compensation Could My Claim Against Booking.com Include?

When a personal injury solicitor is successful in processing a claim for you, the settlement you receive will be made in of a number of different kinds of damages, for example:

  • Compensation for monetary and other losses (special damages):
    • For lowered income potential
    • For loss of earnings
    • For the cost of care
    • For medical fees
    • For travel costs
  • Compensation for physical harm (general damages):
    • For loss of life quality
    • For permanent disability
    • For long and painful recovery
    • For psychological damage
    • For pain and suffering
    • For mental shock and trauma

To find out which kinds of damages you may be able to claim, speak to one of our claim advisers today.

No Win No Fee Claim For An Accident On Holiday With Booking.com

When you use our claims No Win No Fee service, you won’t pay any fees when we first take your claim on. We also don’t charge a fee during the time it takes for us to process your claim for you. If we are unsuccessful, and you don’t get any compensation, we still won’t charge you a thing. We only charge a fee when we have received a compensation payment for you. At this stage, we take our fee out of the money we received on your behalf which is called a ‘success fee’, and then give you what is left.

Contact Accident Claims UK Today

Have you been injured while staying in a hotel? Do you think the hotel was to blame in some way? Are you ready to begin making a personal injury claim? If so, call 0800 073 8801. One of our claims team will go over your claim with you, explain your legal options to you, and then advise you on how best we can help you proceed with your claim.

Further Advice

The external links below, will provide you with additional useful information:

Package holiday regulations

UK hotel Health & Safety

Reporting accidents and leisure facilities

These additional guides, published elsewhere on this site, may also be of some use to you:

How to make package holiday claims

Claiming for a hotel accident

Article by MW (Mac)

Editor Honey