Tenerife Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For A Personal Injury In Tenerife

By Joanne Jeffries. Last Updated 24th November 2021. Welcome to this guide to claiming after an accident on holiday in Tenerife.

Laying just of the North African coast, the Canary Islands and Tenerife have been one of the most popular holiday destinations for British tourists for decades. The island chain is popular with couples, families, group holidays, and for golfing holidays, all seeking sunshine and beautiful scenery in a safe environment.

Tenerife holiday accident on holiday in Tenerife

Tenerife holiday accident

However, not every visitor will have a good trip and for some their visit will end with an accident on holiday in Tenerife. So, what happens if your summer or winter sun break goes wrong and you end up with a serious case of food poisoning, or sustain an injury caused by your hotel or because of an activity run by your tour operator which you participated in? That is where the team at Accident Claims UK can help you.

At Accident Claims UK we work with a panel of personal injury lawyers and solicitors who can be on hand to provide you help and assistance when you have returned to the UK. Whether you were injured in a slip, trip, or fall, or were harmed in an accident caused by your airlines negligence, we are here to help you in taking legal action against whoever was responsible for you coming to harm.

From your initial enquiry to receiving your compensation payment, we are here to help you. From how personal injury claims work, to answering questions such as “can you claim if you get food poisoning”, and explaining how you can fund your claim, we will explain everything you need to know in a simple and straightforward way.

Please read the rest of our guide and when ready you can get in touch with our team by using the number or email address at the bottom of this guide.

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Dealing With An Accident On Holiday In Tenerife

A Guide To Holiday Accident Claims In Tenerife

Tenerife is one of the most enduringly popular places for British holidaymakers to visit, and in 2016 around two million British tourists visited the island, making up 36% of the islands visitors. As the largest and most prominent of the Canary Islands, the island enjoys year round warm weather and is home to some of the best rated beaches in the whole of Spain, alongside high quality golfing resorts.

Whilst most of those visiting the Canary Islands and Tenerife will have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday, for some, the trip could be ruined by illness, or injury. People may be injured in road traffic accidents, suffering whiplash, or they may contract food poisoning or another waterborne illness due to contaminated water in a swimming pool, or improperly cooked foods in a hotel restaurant. However you were harmed whilst on holiday, if we can show your holiday tour company or another service provider was to blame, you could claim compensation.

Please read on to find out more about claiming compensation for an accident on holiday in Tenerife with our comprehensive travel accident guide.

Popular Destinations, Resorts, And Beaches In Tenerife

At around fours hours flight time, and with a plethora of seaside and beach resorts, Tenerife is a very popular destination for visitors from the UK. People visit to enjoy the sun, golf, and relax on what are some of the best beaches in the Canary Islands, or Spain as a whole. Popular and large destinations on the island include;

  1. Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  2. Puerto de la Cruz
  3. San Cristóbal de La Laguna Spain
  4. Las Americas
  5. Los Cristianos
  6. Fañabe
  7. Del Duque
  8. Los Gigantes
  9. San Eugenio
  10. Torviscas
  11. Callao Salvaje
  12. Golf del Sur (resort and golf course)

Popular and recommended beaches in Tenerife include;

  1. La Tejita
  2. Las Teresitas
  3. El Duque
  4. Fañabé
  5. El Bollullo

If you have suffered an accident on holiday in Tenerife whilst visiting or staying at any of these locations, please contact our team today for advice on how to start your claim.

What You Must Do If You Are Injured On Holiday

Even if you do not know whether of not you have grounds to make a claim, or are even thinking of doing so, there are a few simple steps which you can take to give your the best chance of making a claim when you do return to the UK. Taking these simple steps will allow you to keep your options for making a package holiday accident (or other holiday accident) claim open.

  1. Firstly, make sure that you seek any medical attention you need. Below you will find information on how to get help in an emergency on the island, and how to access and pay for medical services in Spain as a tourist. Make sure to request a copy of your medical report, this could be used in evidence.
  2. Contact and inform any relevant parties such as your hotel if it happened on their property, your tour operator if they are responsible, and your travel insurance provider. Your tour operator or travel insurance company may also be able to provide ‘in country’ help or assistance getting you home if needs be.
  3. Gather together any evidence. This might be your medical records and reports to the parties listed above. It can also include witness statements and additional information such as photographs of the scene and cause of the accident.

Taking these few steps can help put you in a good place if you do decide to make a personal injury claim.

Emergency Medical And Other Services In Tenerife

In the event of a medical (or other) emergency in Tenerife, you may require assistance from the islands emergency services. Useful emergency numbers include;

  • Accident & Emergency services and island security – 112

For information about 24 hour medical services or pharmacies close to you, call.

  • Servicio Canario de Salud (Canary Islands Health Service) – 012

In the event of very serious or even fatal accidents, injuries, and illnesses, you may be able to get help from the British Consulate for the Canary Islands, located on the island, or from the main British Embassy located in Madrid. You can find details of at the bottom of this guide.

Hospitals And Medical Care In Tenerife

Before traveling to the Canary Islands, mainland Spain, or any other destination for a holiday we recommend that you take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy which includes medical cover. At the same time we also recommend that you also make sure that you have a valid Global Health Insurance Card. Presenting this card means that you can use the Spanish healthcare system under the same terms as local residents or nationals. This does mean you may have some costs to pay and as such should not be seen as a replacement for travel insurance with medical cover. The GHIC does not help with costs such as returning to the UK.

You can go directly to the islands hospitals if you require treatment. You can also contact them by calling these numbers when on the island;

  • Hospiten Sur, Playa de las Américas – 922 75 00 22
  • Hospital Costa Adeje – 922 79 10 00

How Long Do I Have To Make A Personal Injury Claim In Tenerife?

If you have been involved in an injury or illness in Tenerife, you need to be aware that you have a certain amount of time in which you can bring a personal injury claim, and that these time limits can be different to those which are applicable in the UK. These time limits may also vary depending on the circumstances of your accident.

We have included this table with personal injury claim time limits applicable to Spain so that you can see at a glance how long you have in which to make your claim.

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Cause of illness or accident in Tenerife How long you have in which to claim compensation
Compensation for a holiday accident, injury or an illness which happened on a package holiday in Tenerife. 3 years
Accidents, injuries or illness which happened on a holiday which you booked yourself. 1 year (but time limits may vary)
Iinjury or illness caused on a flight you booked (not as part of a package holiday). Must have been traveling to or from an international airport. 2 years

Travel Claims In Spain And The Canary Islands

These are some of the top ten most common types of holiday accident in Tenerife which our team could help you claim compensation for.

  1. Pedestrian accidents on Tenerife
  2. Scooter or moped accidents
  3. Motorcycle accidents
  4. Car accidents in Tenerife
  5. Pedestrian accidents
  6. Food poisoning in Tenerife
  7. Falls, trips, and slips
  8. Coach and bus crashes or accidents
  9. Accidents on your flight or at the airport
  10. Water sport accidents

We will now look at some of these in more detail.

Package Holiday Injury Compensation Claims

If you have been hurt or became ill whilst on a package holiday on this island, then your package holiday company may be responsible for your injury and you could be able to claim compensation from them.

If your package holiday accident was the fault of your hotel, or happened on their grounds, you may be able to make your claim against either the hotel, or the package tour company. However, in most cases it is best to make your claim against the package holiday company. This is because they are likely to have overall responsibility for your health and safety on your trip.

As a customer of the holiday company, you are much more likely to make your personal injury claim against the package holiday company in the UK, rather than against the hotel itself. Also, if the package holiday company is based in the UK, and this is where you booked your trip, it is usually best to bring your case here.

Tenerife Hotel Accident Claims

If you have suffered an accident or injury on holiday for which your hotel was responsible for, if suffered on their grounds, you might be able to claim compensation from the hotel for the accident which you suffered. A personal injury lawyer experienced at helping people with holiday accidents could help you claim against a hotel on this Spanish island if you were;

  • A guest who was staying at the hotel, either for a holiday or for business reasons.
  • Someone visiting a hotel, such as dining at a hotel restaurant.

Our team can help you make holiday injury claims against hotels responsible for injuries and illness suffered whilst in Spain.

Tenerife Food Poisoning And Illness Claims

Can you claim if you get food poisoning is a question which we are very often asked. There are numerous ways in which a person could contract food poisoning whilst on holiday which is caused by someone else, such as your hotel, or a hotel restaurant. Undercooked foods, those which could have been contaminated with bacteria, or poorly prepared foods in a hotel buffet could all contribute to or cause illnesses. Any of these could confine you to your hotel room for (potentially) the duration of your holiday.

If it is not regularly cleaned, your hotels swimming pool can also be home to bacteria harmful to your health. Our team have helped numerous people to make holiday accident claims against hotels and hotel chains after suffering food poisoning or similar waterborne illnesses from a swimming pool.

Claims For Slips, Trips And Falls On Holiday

Slipping or falling over could be harmless, with the only injury being to your pride. However, sometimes a fall can lead to much more serious injuries, such as broken or fractured bones, or sprains and strains. For some victims, their injuries could take months to heal.

If you have suffered a slip, trip, or a fall whilst at your hotel, or on their grounds, we could help you to make a claim with a personal injury lawyer.

Beach, Swimming, And Watersport Activity Claims

If you were unlucky enough to be injured whilst at the beach you may be able to claim compensation from your hotel or travel company if it happened on a private beach managed by your tour company. Even at the beach or when participating in organised watersports, they are still responsible for your health and safety. They may have failed to properly instruct you in how to participate safely in a activity, or they may not have indicated where and when it is or is not safe to swim. If your accident and injuries could have been prevented by your hotels actions, you could have a case to claim for your injuries.

Road Traffic Accidents And Car Accidents In Tenerife

Our team can help you to claim claim compensation for car accidents in Tenerife as well as other forms of accidents on the road. The rate of accidents on the road in Spain is around 30% higher than the rate of road traffic accidents in the UK. Spanish motorways are more dangerous than those seen in the UK.

If you are involved in a car or other road accident in Spain, you need to report your accident to the police and other local authorities. In Spain, criminal law supersedes civil law and so your claim and compensation may be exercised under this. As such, it is common for people to lodge their claim under criminal law.

How Could The Accident Claims UK Help You

Do I Have To Use A Spanish Solicitor For My Tenerife Holiday Accident Claim?

Whether you were injured or experienced an illness in Tenerife and wish to make a package holiday accident claim, or claim for harm suffered on an independently booked holiday, you would be forgiven for thinking that you need to use a solicitor based in Spain or the Canary Islands. You might also think that you need to make your claim in the Spanish courts. But, this need not be the case.

If your accident or illness was caused by a UK based package holiday company, or on a flight to or from the South or North international airports on the island, you could bring your claim in the UK with one of our personal injury solicitors.

If you think that you do have a claim against a holiday company, hotel, or other service provider, we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible to start your claim. You need to bring your claim within the time limits we looked at above.

Contact us today for an informal chat about how our UK based team could help you.

Tenerife Holiday Accident Compensation Calculator

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How were you injured? How serious was it? Details of the injury Settlement amounts
Neck injuries Minor – severe Covering a plethora of different neck injury types and severities. £2,150 – £130,060
Knee injuries Moderate – Severe From more moderate through to more severe levels of knee injury. Up to £84,360
Back injuries Minor – severe From minor to severe, this can cover a very wide range of different back injuries. £2,150 – £141,150
Hand injuries Minor At the high end, this includes the effective loss of both of your hands. £800 – £176,660
Shoulder injuries Minor – severe Can also relate to neck and shoulder injuries – those affecting both. £2,150 – £42,110
Fractured clavicle N/A Settlements are based on the severity of the fracture. £4,520 to £10,730
Arm injuries Minor/ moderate – severe From minor soft tissue injuries up to just below amputations Up to £114,810
Pelvis and hip injuries Lesser – severe Breaks, fractures and even damage to surrounding organs. £3,460 – £114,810
Wrist injuries Severity A – F Severity A – F, the more serious the injury, the more compensation awarded. Up to £52,490
Thumb injuries Trivial Injuries relating to and affecting the thumb. Up to £48,080

No Win No Fee Tenerife Holiday Accident Claims

No win no fee holiday injury claims work the same whether you are claiming for an accident which has happened in or outside of the UK. Many of the cases which our team works on are conducted under no win, no fee agreements. These agreements or contracts mean that there are no financial risks whatsoever to you.

At the beginning of the process, we will talk to you about different ways to fund your claim, and which is best suited to your needs. You might find that the cost of making a claim is covered by your household or travel insurance policy, so it is always best to check if you are covered.

With a no win no fee claim, you will only have to pay for your legal teams costs if your personal injury claim is successful. If not, there is nothing at all which you will need to pay. For more information on how no win no fee claims work, talk to our team.

How Our Team Can Help You

Our team works with a leading panel of personal injury solicitors who are experienced in helping people to claim compensation for holiday accidents and illnesses. We know what causes accidents and illnesses, such as food poisoning, and can help make the process of claiming compensation much easier.

We can offer many of our clients a personal injury solicitor who will work through a no win no fee agreement, meaning that if they do take on your case as such, it means you can rest assured your claim has a good chance of happening.

1. Contact our team using the methods below.
2. We will then assess your case and determine if you are eligible to make a claim.
3. If you are happy to go ahead, we will then begin working on your case.

How To Begin Your Claim

The best way to begin your claim for an accident on holiday in Tenerife is to get in touch with our expert team. You can get in touch with us in the following ways.

  1. You can call our team and talk to us directly by calling 0800 073 8801
  2. You can send us an email to us with details of your accident, injury, or illness to our email address Office@AccidentClaims.co.uk
  3. Or you can simply fill in our contact form, the link for which is at the top of this page. .

However you do get in touch with us, our team is ready to start working on your claim today.

Additional Resources

We hope to have equipped you with everything you need to know before starting your claim. However, we have also included pointers to other resources on our site which could help you, as well as external services, such as the closest British Embassy.

British Consulate

British Consulate Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Plaza Weyler, 8, 1º
38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Spain
Telephone enquiries: +34 928 26 25 08
In case of emergency: +34 928 26 25 08.
Website: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-santa-cruz-de-tenerife

Main British Embassy In Spain
British Embassy Madrid
Torre Espacio
Paseo de la Castellana 259D
28046 Madrid
Spain
Telephone enquiries: +34 917 14 64 00
Website: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-madrid

A Guide To Using Healthcare Services In Spain By The NHS
This guide by the NHS looks at how you can access services and how you can or need to pay for them.

Holiday Accident Claims Guide
This article looks at how you can make a personal injury claim for an accident which has happened whilst on holiday abroad.

Could I claim for someone else for an accident on holiday in Tenerife?

There are some occasions in which you could claim for another party who was injured in an accident on holiday in Tenerife. If you are considering making a claim on behalf of somebody else, you may be a relative of someone who has lost their life in a fatal accident. Or, you may be a parent of a child who has been injured in an accident that was not their fault. You may even be claiming for somebody who lacks the physical or mental capacity to claim. If you are acting on somebody else’s behalf and making a claim for compensation, you would need to apply to be their litigation friend. It is important to understand that usually, when you make a claim for a third party such as a child, their compensation would be for their benefit. So, it would not usually come to you. However, if you make a claim for a fatal accident, compensation could come to you, in the form of a bereavement award, compensation for funeral expenses or even compensation for your loved one’s pain and suffering before they passed away.

 

How can I maximise compensation for an accident on holiday in Tenerife?

In order to make sure you have the best chance possible of securing compensation, we would urge you to collect as much evidence as possible. This could include photographs of the scene of the accident, or details of witnesses from the scene. It could also include documentary evidence of any costs move incurred, and medical reports relating to your injuries. You would, however, need to attend an independent medical examination as part of your claim. This is so that you could have independent medical evidence to support your injury claim.