Anyone serving food to the public, wherever they are in the world, has a responsibility to ensure they’re following health and safety procedures properly. Hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, shops or tour operators have a responsibility to ensure that food safety best practice and health and safety procedures around food hygiene are followed. If you have become ill with food poisoning because of a failure to do this, you may be able to claim compensation for your illness from the venue that served you. If you were on a package holiday you may be able to claim compensation from the tour operator, as they have a responsibility to ensure that the hotels and other venues they use are safe for holidaymakers.

Holiday food poisoning claims

Undercooked, reheated food and food that is uncovered and open to contamination are often the main causes of food poisoning on holiday.

Food poisoning is a common collective name for a number of different conditions, mostly with similar symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting. These conditions not only ruin a holiday, but can have long term health effects too. Our lawyers have a great deal of experience making holiday food poisoning claims that involve:

• Gastroenteritis
• Norovirus 
• Campylobacter
• Salmonella
• E-coli
• Shigella
• Listeria
• Giardia
• Cryptosporidium
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS)

Spreading to others

Food poisoning can spread quickly and, if someone has food poisoning, there should be procedures in place to make sure it doesn’t spread to others:

• Reporting and recording all incidents
• Minimising the movement of people who have food poisoning
• Warning other guests or passengers of the risk
• Ensuring extra cleaning and sanitation is done to eliminate contamination

If you’ve experienced food poisoning because of another party’s failure to put these measures in place, you may be able to claim.

What Are The Symptoms?

Diarrhoea and vomiting are the main symptoms of most kinds of food poisoning. Most people will experience a combination of the following symptoms:

• Stomach cramps
• Abdominal pain
• Blood in the stool
• Loss of appetite
• High temperature or fever
• Aches and pains
• General feeling of weakness

Cases of Salmonella

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it has detected an increase in gastrointestinal infections in travellers returning from Turkey, with over 200 cases of Salmonella detected since the beginning of 2023. Salmonella is an infectious disease that causes food poisoning with symptoms including feeling and being sick, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, a fever above 38C, and feeling generally unwell. While salmonella infections usually resolve with self-care at home, they can be more serious in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

Handling every aspects

Claiming for something that happened in Turkey, like food poisoning on holiday, can be a daunting prospect. With so many different rules and regulations, not to mention the potential of a language barrier, some people can be put off pursuing a claim, even though they’re entitled to do so. When you make a claim with us, we handle every aspect of your case so you don’t have to worry about language barriers or Turkey regulations.

We believe that no one should be put off claiming compensation that they deserve, and we aim to make the whole process as simple as possible for you, wherever in Turkey you need to make a claim. We work with an international network of partner law firms who will attend any case hearings that take place overseas and navigate any local laws, but we’ll be your only point of contact, making things easier for you.

Food poisoning outbreaks can often affect a large number of people, and we’re experts in helping groups make claims. In situations like this, tour operators may offer a settlement early on, before a claim is made, and we have a proven track record of ultimately settling cases for more than is offered. 

Claim Process

To make a compensation claim for an accident or illness abroad, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with us for a free initial consultation. We’ll discuss the circumstances surrounding your accident or illness, advise you on whether or not we think you can claim, and whether you could benefit from our legal services.

If you choose to go ahead, your claim will usually go through the following four stages:

Investigation: We’ll establish who’s responsible for your accident or illness, and arrange for a medical examination to find out the full extent of your condition.

Rehabilitation:  If you have any medical care or support needs, we’ll help you to access the necessary treatment and advice that you are entitled to.

Compensation: We’ll work out how much compensation you should get based on the severity of your injuries and your pain and suffering, any medical expenses you’ve had, and your ability to get back to work. We’ll put this amount to those responsible, and they can either accept blame or contest the claim.

Settlement: If your opponent accepts blame, you’ll be awarded compensation. If not, the case will be settled in court – although this is rare. If you do have to go to court, we’ll be there support you every step of the way.

How much compensation can you expect?

How much compensation you receive after an accident or illness abroad will depend on a number of factors related to your injury or illness, its circumstances, and the support and rehabilitation you need.

The amount of compensation you could claim is based on:

• Your condition, and its severity
• Psychological trauma experienced
• Current and future loss of earnings if you’ve had to stop working in the short or long-term
• Medical expenses you’ve had to or will have to pay both in Turkey and abroad, as well as travel expenses to any appointments
• Your care and support needs – both now and in the future
• Modifications to your home
• Mobility aids
• The amount you had spent on your holiday or travel abroad, and the loss of enjoyment you’ve experienced
• Your pain and suffering
• Other financial loss or expense due to your injury

Can you Claim If you have Fully Recovered From your Illness?

Food poisoning is a painful and unpleasant condition that typically puts someone out of action for at least a few days. While a full recovery is common after a case of food poisoning, it can often last long enough to ruin the remainder of a holiday, or keep you out of work for a while.

Even if you don’t have any ongoing healthcare needs, you can still claim compensation for any costs you incurred in the short term and any lost wages from being out of work, as well as simply for the fact that you’ve missed out on your holiday because of someone else’s negligence.

What Can The Long-Term Health Effects Be?

Although most people do make a full recovery from food poisoning, some cases can cause complications that could lead to long-term health issues, such as:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause long-term stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation
• Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS), which can cause anaemia and kidney problems
• Organ impairment or failure
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which causes persistent fatigue that affects everyday life and does not go away with rest or sleep

These long-term effects often result in the need for medical treatment and support, something we can help you access as part of the claims process. The ongoing impact on your health and quality of life will also affect the amount of compensation you can receive.

The most severe cases can tragically result in death, with hundreds of deaths linked to food poisoning in the World every year. It’s also possible to claim compensation following the death of a loved one from food poisoning.

How we help you receive the food poisoning compensation you deserve?

At Bicak, our aim is to help you receive the compensation you deserve with as little hassle as possible. Our dedicated lawyers will deal directly with service providers on your behalf throughout the process of your claim, keeping you up to date every step of the way. By choosing us, you will have a solicitor with a wealth of experience on your side to negotiate the best possible settlement for your case. To talk to one of our experienced food poisoning compensation specialists, call us now on +90 532 377 01 06 or write us on contact@bicakhukuk.com.

When you call us or contact us, we’ll ask some questions and make an initial assessment of whether you are able to claim compensation. If we think you are eligible, and if you’d like to proceed, we’ll connect you with a solicitor with experience of food poisoning claims in Turkey. It can help your claim if you can provide some evidence of what happened:

• Write down as much as you can remember about where you ate and what you ate at each meal. 
• If you have receipts or records on your bank account, that may also be helpful. 
• If possible, provide details of whether other guests also fell ill.
• A claim for holiday food poisoning is usually helped by a diagnosis from a doctor. Visit a GP and explain what happened so that there is a record of your illness – and of course to see what medical help you might need. 

Please don’t worry if you can’t do all the above. Get in touch with us and we’ll support you to take your claim enquiry forward.