Group Claim for Illness at Aguamar Hotel, Majorca

We won compensation for 652 holidaymakers who stayed at the Aguamar Hotel, Majorca in 1997 and 1998 after their holidays were ruined because of illness.

521 of the holidaymakers became ill as a result of failings in food hygiene procedures at the hotel, suffering from unpleasant symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.  At one point, so many people were ill that doctors were going round the hotel knocking on doors to see who needed help and many people were admitted to hospital in Palma.  162 of them were later diagnosed as suffering salmonella infections.  Over 110 of the 652 holidaymakers went on to develop permanent Irritable Bowel Syndrome as a result of the infection acquired on holiday.

We succeeded in recovering £3,071,000 in compensation for our clients and the tour operator, JMC Holidays Ltd, admitted that they were liable for every claim.  The highest award for the most seriously ill of our clients was over £38,500.

Belinda Kavanagh, her husband and their two children holidayed at the Aguamar Hotel in June 1998 on an all inclusive package with JMC.  On the third day of the holiday Belinda became ill with severe gastric symptoms.  The rest of her family fell ill soon afterwards. Hundreds of other guests were also affected during their stay, and the holiday was completely ruined.

Despite complaints about the poor standard of the food, the hotel manager, tour operator representatives and local doctor insisted the illness was caused by a virus.  This was later proved to be entirely wrong when tests showed that Belinda and both of her children were suffering salmonella poisoning.

Belinda has never regained her full health and is likely to have permanent problems as a result of her holiday illness.

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