Holiday Accident Claims In Cancun – How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Personal Injury?
Do you need to make a holiday accident claim in Cancun? In this holiday compensation guide we look at the circumstances in which a tourist to Cancun may become injured or ill and how they can claim compensation for this.
Cancun is increasing in popularity as a destination for British holidaymakers. However, as it has become more popular (especially as a destination for package holidays) questions have arisen as to how safe it is for people to visit. Cancun has seen numerous high profile cases of food poisoning as well as other factors affecting visitors health. These include the sale of counterfeit alcohol. Visitors have also reported a worrying number of assaults with some reports of sexual assaults.
In this guide we will look at how no win no fee holiday accident solicitors can help you to claim compensation if you have been affected in any way highlighted.
To get in contact with our team, please follow the directions at the bottom of this guide.
Select A Section
- A guide to Cancun holiday accident claims
- What steps should you take after an accident or injury in Cancun?
- Contacting the Cancun emergency services
- Where and how to get medical services in Cancun
- Holiday accident compensation claim time limits in Cancun
- Cancun package holiday accident and injury claims
- Examples of accident and injury claim we can handle in
- Hotel accident and injury claims in Cancun
- Food poisoning and other sickness claims in Cancun
- Slips, trips, and falls on holiday in Cancun
- Diving, swimming, and watersports accidents in Cancun
- Road traffic accidents and car crashes in Cancun
- Can I use a UK based solicitor?
- No win no fee travel accident claims in Cancun
- Start your claim
- Useful links
A guide to Cancun holiday accident claims
Cancun is a resort in Mexico, situated in the Caribbean coastal region. Whilst in the past it has typically been a destination for American tourists, today it is increasingly becoming a popular destination for people visiting from the UK. Many of the holidays taken in and holidaymakers travelling from the UK to Cancun are for all inclusive and package holidays.
Whilst at many of the resorts and hotels you could expect to find very high levels of hygiene and overall service, there have at times been lapses in these hygiene standards. These breaches have often led to people contracting food poisoning. The most common food poisoning of this are poor hygiene in the preparation of food. Such illnesses can often be contracted through hotel buffets, thus passing contaminations on to large numbers of guests in a single resort in an outbreak.
In order to best avoid suffering such illnesses in Cancun, you should follow this advice;
- Do not eat any foods which have not been properly cooked or prepared.
- Do not eat in unhygienic locations.
- Use alcohol hand gels to clean your hands at regular intervals.
- Do not eat any foods from street vendors.
- Do not eat uncooked vegetables and fruits, such as salads or hand fruits.
If you do become sick or injured whilst in Cancun and require medical treatment please follow the steps below.
What steps should you take after an accident on holiday in Cancun
With the right legal assistance and having taken the right steps, making a holiday accident claim in Cancun can be relatively straight forward. By following the steps which we have set out below, you make the process of submitting a claim when you have returned to the UK even easier.
In order to make Cancun holiday compensation claims for injury, illness, or damages, you will need to be able to provide evidence to support your claim. You will need to show that your illness, accident and/ or injury did happen, show in what way you suffered, and clearly show that someone else was liable for this. You also need to clearly show that a person or organisation such as a travel company, service provider, airline, or hotel were to blame for the accident. For example, this could be through negligent behaviour.
If you do wish to make a Cancun holiday compensation claim, you should follow these steps.
- You should start by reporting what has happened to you. This may be to staff at your hotel, your tour company rep, travel company and any other relevant parties such as your travel insurance company and the authorities in Cancun.
- Ensure that your accident and any resulting injuries are recorded in log books, or any other relevant places.
- If anyone witnessed what happened to you, ask for their contact details such as name and contact number or address.
- If you need to pay for any medical expenses or costs, keep all records of this. You may be able to claim this back later. They also serve as further evidence in your claim.
Ask for copies of any medical records. This should record what advice and treatment you were given.
Following these steps will help you to support your holiday accident claim in Cancun. It will also allow your solicitor and the courts to set a fair level of compensation for your accident and injury.
Contacting the Cancun emergency service
If you have been hurt or otherwise require help from the emergency services in Mexico, there are several different numbers which you can call. These emergency numbers include:
- General emergency services, call 911 from a mobile phone only.
- Detective police services, call 061
- The fire services, call 068
- Missing persons cases, call 5658 1111
- Tourist Police services, call 5250 8221
- Federal Police for the Highway, call 5677 2227
You can also contact the British Embassy in Mexico city for emergency advice and help, such as how to return to the UK in an emergency. There are three hospitals in the centre of Cancun. Medical care can be good in Mexico, though you may find standards will vary between healthcare providers. If possible, it is best to research the best facility for your needs before going. You could ask your tour company, or contact the British Embassy for local advice.
Where and how to get medical services in Cancun
Before visiting Cancun you should make sure that you have comprehensive travel insurance which is adequate for covering any healthcare or other eventuality which you may encounter whilst in Cancun. If you plan to take part in diving or water sports, you should make sure that your travel insurance policy covers this type of activity.
If you do need to use a hospital in Cancun you should be aware that not all medical facilities in Mexico will agree to deal directly with your travel insurance provider. As a consequence, you should be prepared to meet any medical bills from your own pocket, before later claiming this back. You may be able to claim this either from your insurance provider, or as part of a compensation claim. If you need to return to the UK early, you should also have funds in place to do so.
We have included links to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as well as NHS resources at the bottom of this guide. There you can find additional health advice for Mexico. You should be aware that Mexico has had cases of the Zika virus and women in particular should take care when travelling to Mexico. You can find additional information at the travel health pro website.
It is generally recommended that visitors to Mexico only drink bottled water as other sources may be contaminated. Instances of food poisoning, cholera, and general water and food bugs have increased in Mexico and more so in Cancun in the last few years. You should also make sure that you take precautions to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes.
Holiday accident compensation claim time limits in Cancun
As with any type of personal injury claim, you will need to bring any holiday accident claims in Cancun within the allowed time limits. These vary depending on whether you can bring your claim in the British courts (Scotland or England & Wales), or whether you need to bring your claim outside of the UK. In the table below we have included information on the time limits for different types of personal injury compensation claims for accidents abroad.
Type of injury or illness | Time limit within which to make a claim |
---|---|
Claims against a UK based package holiday company for accidents, injuries, or sickness suffered on a holiday in Cancun, caused by the package provider, a service provider, or subsiduary. | 3 years |
Accident or injury which happened on a cruise. | 2 years. |
Cancun package holiday accident and injury claims
If you have been injured in an accident, or if have contracted a sickness whilst staying in Cancun whilst on a package holiday, you could make a Cancun holiday illness or accident claim. If you have been affected in this way, you could make a personal injury compensation claim against the travel company involved through the British courts. You can claim against the package holiday company for injury or illness which you suffered during:
- Flights, transfers, and any other transport bought as part of the package,
- Accommodation, such as your hotel,
- Inclusive foods and drinks at a resort,
- Inclusive activities booked as part of your package.
There are several UK based tour operators offering trips to Cancun and Mexico. These include;
- British Airways, 0843 837 5401
- Thomas Cook, 01733 224808
- TUI, 020 3451 2688
- Virgin Holidays, 0344 557 8830
If you booked your holiday independently, any Cancun holiday compensation claim you do make will need to be brought against that particular business or service provider.
Examples of accident and injury claim we can handle in Cancun
There are many different ways in which you can be injured or become sick whilst you are on holiday in Cancun (or any other destination). In the sections below we look at some of the most commonly seen types of holiday accidents in Cancun. If the type of accident you were involved in is not listed below, don’t worry, these are simply an illustration of those most frequently seen.
To find out if one of our expert personal injury lawyers can work on your claim, talk to us today.
Hotel accident and injury claims in Cancun
Accidents and injuries can happen in hotels in a variety of different ways. One of the most serious ways in which people can be injured, potentially fatally, whilst staying in a resort hotel are slips and falls from balconies. Depending on the fall and the height, this could lead to very serious injury or even death.
We can help you to make a Cancun holiday accident claim against a hotel if there are insufficient health and safety precautions in place, or if the hotels negligence led to your accident.
Other ways people can become injured or ill whilst staying in a hotel include:
- Tripping on stair or floors which are damaged in some way,
- Suffering from food poisoning or similar illness,
- Injury caused by damaged furniture in your room or the rest of the hotel,
- Assaults or thefts,
- Burns in showers caused by broken thermostats.
- Insect bites such as from bed bugs.
If you have suffered from any of these or other conditions, we can help you to make Cancun holiday illness claims or accident claims today.
Food poisoning and other sickness claims in Cancun
In 2018 there have been outbreaks of potentially deadly food poisoning conditions in Cancun and the surrounding areas. These instances have been reported in newspapers across Mexico and the UK as they involved British tourists. In previous years, British tourists have also suffered bouts of food poisoning and similar illnesses across the Cancun area. In such cases people have been eligible to make Cancun holiday illness claims.
There are several different ways in which people can suffer from food poisoning or similar Cancun holiday illnesses. The most common ways in which people can suffer from food poisoning whilst in Cancun are from foods which have not been cooked, prepared, or stored in the right ways, or similarly with improperly prepared beverages. People can also suffer similar Cancun holiday illnesses contracted from contaminated water in a swimming pool, or even in other waters. It is possible to become ill after swimming or diving activities.
Slips, trips, and falls on holiday in Cancun
Slipping over or tripping up on something is one of the most common causes of accident or injury, whether on holiday or back in the UK. You may find you slip over due to the floors inside your hotel or elsewhere in the resort have not been properly repaired, leaving exposed or damaged floors.
Similarly, if cleaning has not been carried out properly, floors could be left slippery and wet. In restaurants accidents can be caused by foods or drinks being spilled on the floor. Slips can also often happen in leisure facilities, such as swimming pools where the area is left wet, or gyms where equipment is not correctly stored. If there are hazards on a floor, the hotel, restaurant, shop, or other responsible party should make sure it is properly marked out and that it is rectified as promptly as possible.
If the negligence of your hotel or another party caused you to fall over and be injured you can claim compensation. Talk to us today to learn more about making a claim.
Diving, swimming, and watersports accidents in Cancun
Cancun, and the coastal regions of Mexico are popular destinations for diving, cave diving, and other water sports. Cancun has many locations close by where people go for diving excursions, and Cancun is often used as a base for these types of holiday. There are both special tour operators offering package deals to Cancun for diving holidays, as well as many diving companies operating in the area. Water sports in general, and diving in particular, can be very dangerous activities if they are not carried out by instructors who are fully trained and accredited. Before booking this type of activity, make sure that the operator follows international standards and that they have comprehensive insurance in place in case anything does go wrong. If you are harmed due to negligence on the part of an instructor, or the company they work for, talk to us today about seeking accident abroad compensation after a Mexican holiday diving accident.
Road traffic accidents and car crashes in Cancun
Whilst we do not have specific statistics for the number of road traffic accidents in Cancun, or the frequency of injuries from car crashes in Cancun, statistics do show road safety and the rate of accidents in Mexico as a whole.
Mexico (and thus Cancun) have a higher rate of accidents on the road and casualties. Over 16,700 people die as a result of road traffic accidents in Mexico each year. A large percentage of those involved in road traffic accidents in Cancun and Mexico are under 30 years old. Visitors to Mexico and Cancun are advised to pay particular attention walking as a pedestrian or whilst cycling as these account for around a third of casualties from road traffic accidents.
If you are involved in a car crash in Cancun, you should notify the authorities using the emergency service numbers above. If driving a hire can you should also inform the rental agency you hired the car from, your travel insurance provider, and any other relevant parties.
Can I use a UK based solicitor?
Taking legal action can always seem a daunting thing for people to do. The prospect of having to work with a solicitor or lawyer who is based in another country could cause worries about differences in time zones and barriers, such as speaking different languages. Thankfully, for many types of holiday accident claims in Cancun, you can use a personal injury solicitor who is based in the UK to make your claim. Personal injury lawyers in the UK can help you to make claims for accidents abroad in Cancun in a variety of different circumstances. The most common of these are for accidents and injuries suffered on an all inclusive or package holiday booked through a British based company. This means you are covered by UK law and the British company was responsible for your safety at the hotel, on flights, or on activities booked as part of the package. You can also use a solicitor or lawyer in the UK to bring a claim if you were injured whilst on a cruise ship in or around Cancun.
Find out more about making a Cancun holiday accident claim by calling our specialist team.
No win no fee travel accident claims in Cancun
A holiday to Cancun, whether independently booked, or as part of a package holiday can be costly and for many people it will either be the holiday of the year, or the holiday of a lifetime. As such, the disruption and extra expense which comes from first being injured or contracting an illness and needing treatment followed by the cost of legal action can put a strain on finances. Many people are often worried about how much it will cost to make a compensation claim for an accident overseas.
This is where Legal Expert and our no win no fee solicitors can help. Under a no win no fee agreement, a personal injury solicitor will provide services to a claimant without asking for any payments to start doing so. The majority of the claims we process are done so through no win no fee solicitors. This means that you have one less financial concern to worry about. As well as being able to work with you through this type of agreement, we can also help you to recover medical costs and expenses you may have had to pay in Cancun.
Making a claim through a no win no fee personal injury solicitor means that you have no financial risks in doing so and that you can be fully confident that if we do not win your case, you will not have anything to pay. Before you sign your agreement, we will ensure that you fully understand how the contract and the fees work.
To find out whether or not you can make a claim, please speak to our team today.
The top 15 biggest resorts and hotels in Cancun
Package holiday resorts in Cancun
- Le Blanc Spa Resort
- Excellence Playa Mujeres
- Beloved Playa Mujeres
- Hyatt Zilara Cancun
- Hyatt Ziva Cancun
- Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort
- Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun
- Secrets The Vine Cancun
- Beach Palace
- Sun Palace All Inclusive
- Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
- Paradise Cancun
- Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun All Inclusive
- The Royal Sands
- Hard Rock Hotel Cancun
Start your claim
Holiday accident claims in Cancun don’t have to be difficult. With the specialist legal team at Legal Expert we have the knowledge and experience to help people who have become sick or injured whilst in destinations such as Cancun, or elsewhere across Mexico.
You can find out more about how we can help you by getting in touch with out team. Depending on the severity of your injuries or the circumstances of your accident, you could be owed thousands of pounds in compensation. Our aim is always to secure you the best possible settlement and help you on the road to recovery.
There are various ways in which you can contact Legal Expert. You can send either an email or use the contact forms on this page to request a call back from out team, or, you can also call us directly.
Email: info@legalexpert.co.uk
Phone: 0800 073 8804
Useful links
If you have had an emergency whilst in Cancun or elsewhere in Mexico you may need assistance from the British Embassy in Mexico. Find out how to contact them below. We have also included information on NHS travel advice for Mexico.
British Embassy Mexico City
British Embassy
Río Lerma, No. 71,
Col. Cuauhtémoc, CP. 06500
Mexico City
Mexico
Phone: +52 (55) 1670 3200
General enquiries: ukinmexico@fco.gov.uk
Consular enquiries: mexico.consulate@fco.gov.uk
Web: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-mexico-city
NHS guide to healthcare in Mexico
Find out additional information about healthcare which you may need to know before you visit Cancun or Mexico.
Personal Injury Claims In Mexico Compensation Guide
If you have had a personal injury in Mexico get free legal advice today.