Legal News

A mother on holiday in Spain has lost part of a finger, after slamming a glass patio door on her finger.

Elaine Battersby, 42, from Farnworth in Bolton, Greater Manchester was on holiday in Benidorm with her seven-year-old son Corley when the accident happened just a few hours before she was due to fly home.

Local publisher The Bolton News reports that Ms Battersby travelled to Benidorm on 19 July with her son.

She had taken out travel insurance with travel insurer Atlas Direct before leaving home – but was told by her travel insurer that her cover had ended just a few hours before she had the accident, which happened on 26 July.

Mrs Battersby said she had had a “brilliant” holiday – but had tripped over a chair while having a cigarette on her hotel room balcony on the last day.

As she tripped, her left hand had pushed the hotel room’s glass sliding door, which trapped her right hand, causing serious injury to her finger.

Ms Battersby was taken to Imed Levante Hospital in Benidorm, where surgeons operated on her finger the following day.

However, although she had taken her travel insurance documents with her to the hospital, she was told after regaining consciousness following surgery that she would have to pay the £4,500 medical bill herself, as her travel insurance cover had ended before the accident occurred.

Her son and a friend she was on holiday with had flown home already and Ms Battersby said she also had to borrow the money to fly home later.

“I was gutted — I had saved up for 18 months to go on holiday and had no idea how I could afford the bill,” she said.

Ms Battersby has returned home and has had to have the wound dressed regularly – she has also been told she may need a skin graft on her finger, or part of it may need to be removed.

“It wasn’t nice – it took a chunk of my finger off which landed on the floor,” said Ms Battersby.

“There was a lot of blood and you could see the bone. I don’t remember feeling pain at the time, I was just trying to be brave for my son, but now I am in a lot of pain.”
Atlas Direct travel insurer has now agreed to pay the cost of her medical treatment in Spain, however, because it was a “genuine mistake” that her cover ran out two hours before the accident.

“I was so relieved to hear that the insurance company would pay. I am just waiting for the confirmation,” Ms Battersby said.

“I want to warn other people to make sure you get travel insurance for the right amount of days so you avoid going through this.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – Holiday accident & Illness Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and can advise holidaymakers who book package holidays on making no win no fee claims if they are injured or fall ill as a result of someone else’s negligence.

Accidents on holiday which can be claimed for include (but are not limited to):

• Burns and scalds from badly maintained electrical equipment in self catering apartments

• Falls from staircases or balconies which are unguarded or unsafe

• Glass injuries from doors which shatter
• Road traffic accidents on holiday
• Slips and trips on broken stairs or slippery floors
• Sports injuries as a result of poor equipment or supervision.

Under the Package Travel Regulations 1992, claims for Holiday Accidents & Illness have to be made within three years of the accident or illness. Children can make a compensation claim up to the age of 21.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Holiday Accidents & Illness Claims, contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.