Shooting in Turkey

Published date: 07 Aug 2007

Our client and his family booked a holiday at the Murat Apatrments in Side, Turkey, with the Tour Operator Sunworld.  During the holiday in August 1996. The Claimant was awoken one night from his sleep by a burglar who had entered his hotel room.  Our client shouted at the burglar who attempted to flee.  Our client gave chase until the burglar turned and without warning shot our client. Our client’s claim proceeded on the basis that the Defendants and the hotel management had failed to take reasonable security precautions to ensure that the apartments were safe and to prevent incidents of this kind occurring.  We discovered a history of untoward events at the hotel including seven separate incidents of night time burglary during June and July 1996.  One of these incidents involved a holiday maker at the Murat Apartments being awoken during the night by an intruder attempting to remove rings from her fingers.  The Defendants however, denied liability until a few days before Trial on liability was listed to occur.

After the entry of Judgment on liability, but before quantification of his claim, our client sustained injuries including perforation of the small intestine and vena cava as well as damage to the sciatic nerve.

Our client made a good recovery from his more severe injuries, although he was left with some ongoing pain in his left leg and foot and was forced to take early retirement from his employment as a school teacher.  It was accepted by our client’s medical experts and employment consultant that he did have a residual earning capacity and would be likely to obtain alternative employment by the year 2005, although there would be a continuing partial loss of earnings.

This resulted in a negotiated settlement in the sum of £495,000 plus costs and the Judgment was entered accordingly.  

 

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