Croatia Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For A Personal Injury In Croatia? On Holiday

Holiday accident claims Croatia

Holiday accident claims Croatia

Lots of people visit Croatia either by cruise, as part of a package holiday or a skiing holiday. This guide covers everything you need to know about claiming compensation for an accident on holiday in Croatia.

Accident Claims UK are a very experienced, law firm and have helped to make many holiday compensation claims on behalf of our clients. If you’d like to begin a claim then please call us on 0800 073 8801 today and, after assessing your claim, we could help you to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

First though, you may wish to read through this guide on Croatia holiday compensation claims which covers the most common types of accidents and how to get medical care while in Croatia.

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How To Deal With An Accident On Holiday In Croatia

A Guide Injury Or Illness Claims In Croatia

When you’ve been involved in an accident on holiday in Croatia you may be stuck when wondering whether you’ve got a valid claim for compensation or not. A lot of people are worried that their case isn’t strong enough and risk ending up with a large legal bill but no compensation which is where our experts can help. They can assess your claim, for free and advise on its chances of success.

When considering if a claim is strong or not, we need to look at whether or not somebody else was to blame for your accident and subsequent injuries. If they have made a mistake or been negligent in some way, then you could have a chance of making a claim against them.

If the accident was caused by you or someone you were with then you wouldn’t be able to claim, even if it was in a hotel or other building where you could claim against the owner if it had been their fault.

The next question any personal injury lawyer will ask is ‘Did you see a doctor?’ because, after visiting a GP or hospital you’ll be able to obtain medical records which will act as a basis for your claim and prove that you did in fact sustain injuries. Without medical records a claim would be very difficult to procced with.

Another key element in your claim will be the date it happened as there is a strict time limit for accident claims and personal injury claims to be made within. Generally, the claim time limit for accidents in Europe is 3 years from the date of the accident but that can vary depending on how you booked your holiday or where it happened (we’ll discuss this in more detail later on in this guide).

If you weren’t aware of your injuries at the time of the accident, as some symptoms can take months or even years to develop fully, then your time limit begins from the date your injuries were diagnosed by a doctor (so long as it can be traced back to the accident on holiday).

This should give you an idea if you’ve got the base for making a valid claim i.e. the accident was caused by somebody else, you saw a doctor and you’re within the time limits.

This guide will provide all of the information required to help you with what to do next and also provides important information for anybody travelling to Croatia including how to get treatment, what to do in the immediate aftermath of an accident, how to contact the emergency services and lots of other useful information.

The Top Ten Destinations In Croatia

Here at Accident Claims UK we are able to help with claims that have happened anywhere in Croatia, from cities to villages, in the mountains, and in a resort, but just for your information here are some of the most popular destinations that tourists visit in Croatia:

  1. Dubrovnik
  2. Plitvice Lakes
  3. Istria
  4. Zagreb
  5. Hvar Town
  6. The Makarska Riviera
  7. The Island of Brac
  8. Korcula Town
  9. The Island of Vis
  10. The Elafiti islands

What To Do If You Have An Accident On Holiday?

If your involved in an accident on holiday in Croatia, then there are a number of steps you should take that’ll make the claim much easier when you return to the UK. Remember that the accident must have been caused by somebody else’s wrongdoing or negligence for Accident Claims UK to be able to holiday compensation.

  • Visit a GP or hospital: To be able to make any claim you are going to need to prove you’ve sustained injuries. The best way to do this is to visit a GP or hospital where you’ll receive a full assessment and treatment. At the same time, it will mean medical records will be created that can be obtained by your solicitor at a later date.
  • Obtain as many details from the person or business you believe caused the accident, including the name of who you reported it to. If possible, a copy of any accident report would be useful as well. In the event of a car crash it is vital to obtain the number plate and driver details (including their insurance companies contact details)
  • Photograph the scene of the accident to show where it happened and try to capture the cause of the accident in the photograph (i.e. if you tripped on a damaged kerbstone then ensure that is in your photograph). Write down what happened and where it happened as you can easily forget details like this after the event.
  • Inform the emergency services if required (we’ll provide details about this in the next section). Also, it is important to inform your travel insurance provider in all cases, they may provide information about which medical establishments you should use. Finally, if the accident happens while you’re on a package holiday and you’re at the hotel the holiday company provided or using any part of their package holiday (car, excursions, flights etc) then you should let your holiday rep know about your accident.
  • Gather any contact details for witnesses who saw what happened at the time of your accident. If possible, get their names, contact numbers, address and email address so that your solicitor can make contact with them at a later date if needs be. If they are able to do so, ask them to write down what happened while it’s still fresh in their memories.
  • Contact our team at Accident Claims UK. We are able to help with any personal injury claims and always provide a solicitor on a no win no fee basis for any cases we take on. This ensures that your claim is risk and stress free.

For more information you can read this guide about holiday accident claims or this one about claiming while on a package holiday.

Emergency Telephone Numbers In Croatia

If you’re injured in an accident in Croatia or believe a criminal act has taken place (such as drink driving or dangerous driving) then you may need to contact the emergency services.

The Croatian authorities operate a single emergency number that operates in the same way as our own 999 number where you will be connected to an operator who will get you through to the service you require.

To contact the emergency services, you can call 112 from any phone or mobile.

In an extreme accident where there’s been a fatality or very serious injury you may need to contact the British Embassy for support. They will help all British Citizens in emergencies, and we’ve included all of their contact details at the end of this guide.

Healthcare And Medical Care In Croatia

If you require medical treatment in Croatia (either by dialling the 112 emergency number or by attending a hospital or GP) then you should show them a European Healthcare Insurance Card (EHIC).

You should apply for an EHIC card prior to travelling, it’s free and takes around 10 days to arrive. It allows you to get free treatment while on holiday in Croatia but won’t cover the cost of private healthcare (which is usually better) or additional travel costs to back to the UK so you should still take out travel insurance.

Either way, you should present your EHIC card or travel insurance documents at any medical establishment you attend to ensure you are not charged for treatment.

How Long Do Holidaymakers Have To Claim Compensation For An Accident In Croatia

As mentioned earlier in this guide, there are time limits for all personal injury claims and when making Croatia holiday compensation claims, the time limits can vary depending on how you booked your holiday.

This table explains what time limits you have when making a claim:

Edit
Type of claim being made Time Limit to Make Claim
On a package holiday that was booked in the UK 3 Years may very
On a privately booked holiday, flight or trip Varies (please call to discuss) may very
On a flight, booked privately, to or from:
Dubrovnik Airport,
Split Airport,
Zadar Aiport,
Pula Airport 		2 Years may very

If you’re unsure which claim time limit your accident relates to then please speak with one of specialists to discuss further.

Holiday Accident And Injury Compensation Claims

Package Travel Holiday Accident Claims

Croatian package holiday accident claims have slightly different rules associated with them as the UK government has extra regulations in place to protect tourists who book their holiday through package holiday providers.

To be deemed a package holiday you need to have booked 2 or more elements of your holiday from the same provider i.e. your flights and hotel or your hotel and excursions (or all 3 together).

You need to ensure that you report your accident to the holiday rep or their emergency contact numbers. You should be provided with these, either when booking your holiday, or when arriving at the resort.

It is important that you choose the right personal injury lawyer to help you with personal injury claims. Accident Claims UK have dealt with all types of holiday accident compensation claims for many years and will always offer honest advice about the chances of success for any claim we consider.

Foreign Hotel Holiday Claims

When you stay in a hotel, either as part of package holiday or a self-booked stay, there are many types of accidents, illnesses and injuries that can occur such as food poisoning, slips and falls, hotel gym accidents, swimming pool accidents and even injuries caused by damaged or faulty furniture.

If any accident happens in a hotel and leads to you becoming injured then you could claim compensation against the hotel or package holiday provider if the accident was caused by hotel staff negligence.

Food Poisoning And / Or Waterborne Illness Claims

Food poisoning happens when food is stored, prepared, cooked or reheated incorrectly. All restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes and fast food outlets have a duty of care towards their customers to ensure that they don’t become ill.

If you become ill with suspected food poisoning, or water borne illnesses which can present with very similar symptoms, then you should visit a doctor ASAP because the infections that cause food poisoning, such as e-coli, salmonella, norovirus and campylobacter can lead to very serious illnesses which require immediate treatment.

You can claim compensation for food poisoning so long as it has been confirmed by a doctor. Please get in touch with one of our team as soon as possible following your return to the UK.

Can I Claim Compensation For A Fall On Holiday?

One of the most common accidents that lead to holiday compensation claims in Croatia are slips and trips that lead to falls.

As with other accidents, if the fall happened purely because you weren’t paying attention (or even messing around) then you won’t be able to claim any compensation but if the injury happened because of an accident that could’ve been avoided had the hotel done something differently then we could help you to claim compensation from the hotel.

The types of accidents where the hotel could be liable include:

  • Wet or slippery floors that don’t have any warning signs to alert you to the danger. It could be a floor that’s just been cleaned, a spillage that’s not been cleared up or excessive rainwater that’s been transferred into a building by visitors.
  • Damaged or uneven flooring such as potholes, paving slabs that are loose, damaged or missing kerbstones and torn carpets.
  • Trip hazards that aren’t visible because of poor or inadequate lighting. This could be because the lighting is off, damaged or simply not in place.
  • Damage to support rails that cause you to lose your footing, such as a damaged handrail on a stairway.

With any type of slip and fall accident it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible because some of the injuries caused can be very serious and require multiple operations to try and resolve them.

Watersports And Activity Holiday Accidents

If you’re a more adventurous tourist and don’t want to just sit by the beach, then you may wish to partake in a water sport or activity type activity.

Some of these activities can be classed as extreme sports and, if not planned properly, can lead to compensation claims during your holiday in Croatia if the injury was caused by staff negligence.

All activities, especially extreme ones, should be carried out by fully trained staff who risk assess each participant is suitable for the activity (maybe by a health questionnaire), provide full training to participants, provide the correct safety equipment and supervise everybody for the whole of the activity.

If any of the above were not true and you became injured while participating in an activity, then you could contact Accident Claims UK to assess your claim for compensation.

Hire And Rental Car Accidents In Croatia

In 2017 there were 331 fatal road traffic accidents in Croatia, which is 7% higher than in 2016. If you’re involved in a car crash in Croatia, you should contact the emergency services on 112 if there are injuries or if you believe the driver responsible has committed a crime.

If you’re car is a hire car you should contact the hire company to ask for recovery of the vehicle and, if there is a dashcam fitted to the car, ask for a copy of the video files.

How Our Specialist Team Could Help You

Do I Have To Use A Croatian Solicitor To Make My Claim?

Clients often ask us if they have to use a Croatian solicitor to make their holiday accident claim and the answer, quite simply, is always ‘No’. Accident Claims UK are based here but can help with compensation claims for injuries in Croatia on a no win no fee basis.

This is a great relief for potential clients as it means there’s no language barrier to deal with, no need to understand Croatian compensation rules, and no time difference.

No Win No Fee Croatian Holiday Accident Claims

No win no fee compensation claims work in essentially the same way as a claim where you pay the solicitor by the hour in that the solicitor has to go through all the same processes and procedures, but the difference is you don’t have to pay your solicitor anything up front.

In fact, when using a no win no fee agreement, you never actually send your solicitor any funds at all because: if they lose your case, then they don’t get paid and if they win your case then they receive your compensation, retain their agreed percentage for winning the case and then send the rest of the compensation directly to you.

This removes a big barrier to claiming compensation for a lot of people and we believe it is the fairest way to operate.

Why Use The Team At Accident Claims UK?

Our team are specialists in personal injury claims and don’t deal with anything else. We deal with holiday accident claims commonly and always offer a no win no fee service for all cases that we take on.

Furthermore, we’re available during your claim to answer any questions that you may have and to offer advice on what steps to take next and whether to accept any offers that we receive on your behalf.

Our claims process is:

Edit
You make contact with us via live chat, email, phone or post. We listen to your claim and then assess it. When you’re happy to proceed, we begin the claim process on your behalf

Start Your Claim Today

Now that you’ve read this guide about claiming compensation for an accident on holiday in Croatia, we hope you’re happy to use Accident Claims UK to make your claim. If so, you can contact us today by:

  • Telephone: Call free on 0800 073 8801
  • Email: Send a message to office@accidentclaims.co.uk
  • Online: Fill in our easy online form to begin your claim
  • Live Chat: Our specialist advisors are available 7 days a week

However you choose to get in touch we’ll begin by offering you a free, no obligation, initial assessment of your claim and let you know what chance of success we believe your claim has.

Where To Get Help Or Find Out More

Now that you’ve read all of the information about how we can help with compensation for an accident on holiday in Croatia, here are some more useful resources that may help in the event of any claim:

Healthcare in Croatia – A guide from the NHS about what level of treatment to expect in Croatia

NHS Food Poisoning – Another guide by the NHS, this one covers the symptoms and treatments for food poisoning.

Slip and Trip claims – A comprehensive guide to slips, trips and fall accidents including compensation amounts available.

British Embassy Croatia – Zagreb
Ivana Lucica 4
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel: +385 (1) 6009 100
Web: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-zagreb

Opening Times: Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 2pm

British Consulate – Split

Obala Hrvatskog Narodnog Preporoda
10/111
21000 Split
Croatia

Tel: +385 (1) 6009 100
Web: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-split

Opening Times: Appointment only, please phone first to arrange an appointment.