Antigua And Barbuda Accident Claims – How To Claim
On this page, you will find a guide to if you have been injured or made ill through negligence on holiday in Antigua and Barbuda. Within it, you will learn the process of making an injury claim if you have suffered harm due to an avoidable accident while in Antigua and Barbuda so that you will have the knowledge that you need to begin making the right choices about your own case.
Reading this guide could leave you with unanswered questions. No two claims are the same, and you may need specific information related to your own case. If this is so, then please do call our claims team on 0800 073 8804. They will be able to answer all of your questions using their 30 years of experience in achieving maximum compensation. And they can explain how we can offer you a simple way to get your claim moving forward.
Select A Section:
- What Is A Antigua And Barbuda Accident?
- I Had An Accident On Holiday In Antigua Or Barbuda, What Should I Do?
- Emergency Phone Numbers Antigua
- Healthcare In Antigua And Barbuda
- Time Limits To Claim For An Accident On Holiday In Antigua
- Claims For Accidents On A Package Holiday In Antigua And Barbuda
- Examples Of Accidents You Could Have On Holiday
- Accident And Illness Claims That Could Happen In Antigua And Barbuda Hotels
- Illness That Could Occur At A Restaurant
- I Slipped While On Holiday, Could I Claim?
- Potential Watersport And Sailing Accident Claims
- Driving And Car Accidents In Antigua And Barbuda
- Personal Injury Calculator
- Does My Solicitor Have To Be Based In Antigua?
- No Win No Fee Accident Claims For Holidays In Antigua And Barbuda
- Contact Our Holiday Accident Advisors Today
- Additional Advice And Where To Get Help
What Is An Antigua And Barbuda Accident?
An accident, in general, is an unexpected event or unpredictable incident that could leave a person or people with injuries as well as damaged property. So an accident on holiday may be an unplanned incident that has happened and may have caused a person to injure themselves and possibly damage their property. Not all accidents leading to injuries or illness will result in a compensation claim.
It must be proven that the incident which caused you to suffer an injury or illness was due to the negligence of a third party that owed you a duty of care and subsequently beached this.
If the claimant themselves contribute to the harm they have suffered, it could still be possible to claim against the third party involved. In this case, both legal teams would negotiate a reduced percentage of liability. The third-party would pay compensation based on this percentage, lowering the amount of compensation they are liable for. But feel free to ask us any questions about making personal injury claims in Barbados.
I Had An Accident On Holiday In Antigua Or Barbuda, What Should I Do?
If you travel to Antigua and Barbuda, and if you suffer an injury abroad, what to do first is to get the initial care that you need to have your injury or illness treated. However, there are also several steps that you could take if you may want to pursue a claim for damages once you are back in the UK if you think that proper precautions could have prevented the accident you were involved in;
- Now, if you are involved in a violent crime or a serious accident, ensure that the police have been informed.
- Always visit a hospital or clinic to have your injuries checked, even if they appear trivial so that a record of them is made.
- If there were any witnesses to the incident, ask them for their contact details to become witnesses at a later stage if needed.
- Use your smartphone to take photographs of the cause of the accident and anything else you believe might be useful to support your claim.
- If you are on a package holiday, then be sure to report the incident to the local representative of the travel company you booked with.
You may also like to take a look at these two guides, which will give you some additional information:
How to make accident abroad claims
A guide to package holiday claims
Emergency Phone Numbers Antigua
If you are injured in St Lucia, you need to know how to contact the emergency services. You also need to know how to get healthcare as a UK citizen. There are several key emergency service numbers on the island, and these are:
- General emergency number – 911 or 999.
- Fire brigade – 462-0044.
- Police emergency number – 462-0125.
- Ambulance service – 462-0251.
- Air/Sea rescue – 462-0251.
Healthcare In Antigua And Barbuda
When it comes to getting healthcare on the island, the situation is very simple to understand. There is no free healthcare; even emergency medical treatment in the region is needed. Therefore, you will need to a) have a valid medical or travel insurance policy to cover the cost of treatment or b) pay for the cost of medical care from your own pocket. In the latter case, it could be possible to claim the costs back as part of your overall settlement if your case is successful.
UK Government health advice for Antigua
Time Limits To Claim For An Accident On Holiday In Antigua
To be eligible to make a holiday claim, you must begin the claims process within the applicable personal injury claims time limit. These time limits are detailed in the table below. Check with one of our claims team to make sure which applies in your own case.
Claim Circumstances | Time Limit |
---|---|
If you were injured or made ill on a flight and pursuing a claim using the Montreal Convention. | Two years may vary |
Injury or illness on a package holiday booked through a UK tour operator in the UK. | Three years may vary |
Claims For Accidents On A Package Holiday In Antigua And Barbuda
When accident claim lawyers process a claim for an accident or illness that a holidaymaker suffered during a package holiday booked in the UK by a UK tour operator, the situation is different. A package holiday is any travel deal that combines any of the following features into a single price:
- Transport (plane, train, coach, etc.).
- Accommodation (hotel, guest house, etc.).
- Activities and excursions.
When such a package holiday is booked through a UK based travel vendor, if a negligent accident happens to lead to an injury on the parts that are booked as a part of the package deal, your compensation claim may be against the UK tour operator. This could cover travel firms such as:
- TUI
- First Choice
- Thomas Cook
- Olympic
- Skytours
- Airtours
- Balkan Holidays
- Manos
- Red Sea
Tour operators are legislated under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992. Details of these regulations can be found at this link:
Package Tours Regulations 1992
Examples Of Accidents You Could Have On Holiday
Different types of accidents could result in holiday accident claims. For example:
- Plane or airport accidents, possible slip trip, and falls if the floor is damaged or wet.
- Unhygienic swimming pools causing illnesses.
- Falling from a balcony due to the balcony being damaged.
- Boating, yachting, sailing and cruise accidents if the correct instructions are not given or the right equipment.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning at a hotel.
- Damaged furniture collapsing causing crushing injuries.
- Road traffic accidents due to negligent drivers on the road.
Accident And Illness Claims That Could Happen In Antigua And Barbuda Hotels
Different potential hazards could cause hotel accidents leading to injury or illness in St Lucia. For example:
- A dirty or contaminated swimming pool.
- Faulty equipment in the gym.
- Breakfast buffet food left out for too long and causes food poisoning.
- Damaged floor coverings such as torn carpets or cracked tiles causing a fall injury,
- Faulty room fittings such as light switches and plug sockets causing electrocutions.
- Damaged or ineffective balcony railings causing a guest to fall over the balcony.
Illness That Could Occur At A Restaurant
If you suffer food poisoning due to food you have consumed in a restaurant, have your condition confirmed by a doctor if you are thinking of claiming food-related illnesses. Food poisoning could be due to improper cookery, storing or preparation of food.
Illness could also occur in the form of an allergic reaction. It is vital that if food contains one of the 14 common allergens labelled on the food packaging, detailed in the menu, or the serving staff are aware of the allergen content of each meal.
I Slipped While On Holiday, Could I Claim?
Slips, trips and falls are common types of accidents that could occur due to many different hazards. These accidents could happen anywhere, and at any time, being caused by hazards such as:
- Uneven or damaged pavements.
- Water spillages.
- Food dropped on the floor.
- Damaged floor coverings.
- Obstructions left on public walkways.
If you have had a slip trip or fall accident causing an injury while on holiday due to the negligence or error of a third party that owed you a duty of care, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for your injuries, amongst other areas.
Potential Watersport And Sailing Accident Claims
When taking part in watersports or excursions, you must be given the correct safety information. You are provided with the right equipment for the activity. Above all, the instructions you are given are accurate to keep you safe. If any of these important aspects are missed, it may cause an accident that could undoubtedly lead to an injury. Health and safety should be key when doing activities such as watersports.
Examples of watersports and other activities;
- Sailing, yachting or boating.
- Riding a jet ski.
- Scuba diving or snorkelling.
- Accidents on a cruise liner or other type of ship.
- Surfboarding or bodyboarding.
- Water skiing.
Any of these might result in you suffering harm, thus potentially resulting in personal injury claims in Barbados. Please get in touch if you have any further questions.
Driving And Car Accidents In Antigua And Barbuda
Holidaymakers could be able to make road traffic accident abroad claims for:
- Accidents where they are the vehicle driver, they are injured, and a third party is liable.
- Any accidents where they are passengers (including public transport) and the vehicle they are in are involved in a collision, and they are injured.
- Accidents where they are a pedestrian and hit by a vehicle driving negligently.
Personal Injury Claim Calculator
The table below has figures to estimate damages for physical injuries and illnesses. So, the figures are taken from the UK Judicial Court Guidelines used by solicitors and courts alike for UK based personal injury claims. Please remember that this is only one part of the compensation claim.
If you would like a more accurate estimate of what you may receive in terms of compensation, call Legal Expert today.
Type Of Injury | Compensation Amount | Injury Information |
---|---|---|
Moderate Neck Injury | £6,920 to £33,750 | Brackets will start with moderate soft tissue injuries, possibly accelerate a pre-existing condition, wrenching-type injury and disc lesion of the more severe, serious limitation of movement and persistent reoccurring pain to fractures and dislocation of the neck, vulnerability to further trauma and limitation of activities. |
Moderate Back Injury | £10,970 to £34,000 | Brackets start from disturbance of ligaments and muscles giving rise to backache, soft tissue injuries to compression/crush fracture of the lumbar vertebrae where there is a substantial risk of osteoarthritis. The amount will depend largely on the severity of the original injury, the degree of pain experienced, the extent of any treatment required in the past or in the future. |
Less Severe Arm Injury | £16,830 to £34,340 | Significant disability but a substantial degree of recovery will occur. |
Very Minor Wrist Injury | £3,090 to £4,160 | Displaced fractures or soft tissue injuries. Recovery estimated 1 year. |
Minor Pelvis Injury | Up to £3,460 | Soft tissue injuries. Full recovery will be made. |
Moderate to Very Serious Leg Injury | £34,370 to £74,150 | Brackets will begin with multiple fractures and severe crushing injuries, imperfect union of fractures muscle wasting, serious compound or comminuted fractures, ligament damage resulting instability to permanent disability, severe multiple fractures which may take years to heal. |
Moderate Knee Injuries | Up to £12.050 to £22,960 | Twisting, bruising of the knee, dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus which results in minor instability. The position in the brackets will take note of the seriousness and prolonged pain caused to the knee joint. |
Modest Injury | Up to £12,050 | Sprains, ligament damage and undisplaced fractures. |
Minor Injuries | £1,200 to £2,150 | Complete recovery within 3 months. |
Food Poisoning | £800 to £8,360 | Cramping, stomach pain, diarrhoea, alteration of bowel function and fatigue. Possible hospitalisation. |
Trivial Scarring | Up to £3,090 | Minor scarring. |
Does My Solicitor Have To Be Based In Antigua?
When choosing the right legal firm to handle St Lucia personal injury claims, you need to understand that there is generally no real reason to use a local solicitor based on the island. Indeed, communicating with a local firm once you return to the UK would be problematic at best. A much better option is to use a UK based team of solicitors to process your claim for you. They will have just as much chance of a successful outcome, and it will be a much simpler way to communicate. Furthermore, we have plenty of experience with overseas claims. So call Legal Expert to see if we could help with your personal injury claims in Barbados.
No Win No Fee Accident Claims For Holidays In Antigua And Barbuda
We use a no win no fee service for UK residents looking to make holiday accident claims. Our national No Win No Fee claims service is a simple to use service that has proven very effective. So, the fee structure works like this:
- No charge – to take your claim on.
- Also, no charge – to process your claim.
- And no charge – if you don’t receive compensation.
We only levy a charge when we have received a settlement on your behalf. We will take our fee from the money received and then hand the rest over to you.
Popular Destinations in Antigua and Barbuda
- Half Moon Bay
- Stingray City
- 17 Mile Beach
- Nelson’s Dockyard National Park
- Dickenson Bay
- John’s
- Devil’s Bridge: Indian Town National Park
- Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
- Fig Tree Drive
- Frigate Bird Sanctuary
Contact Our Holiday Accident Advisors Today
If you would like to know how much you could receive for your compensation claim for an injury in St Lucia, please speak to one of our claims team on 0800 073 8804. So, once they know a little about your claim, they will be able to let you know how much you might claim and help on how to claim right away.
Additional Advice And Where To Get Help
You may find that these external links contain information that could be useful for your personal injury claims in Barbados:
UK Government travel advice for Antigua and Barbuda
UK Government health advice for Antigua
Package Tours Regulations 1992
We have published additional, related guides on this site, such as:
How to make accident abroad claims
A guide to package holiday claims
UK residents can contact the UK Government in the region at the following place:
British High Commission Bridgetown
Lower Collymore Rock Rd
Bridgetown
Barbados
Tel: +1 246-430-7800
Web: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-high-commission-barbados
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
UK Government travel advice for Antigua and Barbuda
Personal Injury Claims In Barbados FAQs
What evidence is necessary for a personal injury claim?
This is any evidence that supports your harm, such as medical reports and proof of the defendant’s liability.
How long after a personal injury can you make a claim?
You have the chance to claim for up to 3 years after the incident.
How do you win a personal injury claim?
This is about preserving any evidence, getting a medical assessment, calculating your claim and building a strong case to win.
How does a personal injury solicitor calculate compensation for pain and suffering?
This depends on how long you are suffering for, along with the severity of the injury itself.
Who pays in a personal injury claim?
This is the person that holds the most responsibility for your accident taking place.
How long does it take to receive compensation after a medical report?
The typical period is 6-10 weeks after receiving your full medical report.
What is a good settlement offer?
This is an offer that happens to meet the claimant’s expectations while also being affordable for the defendant.
What happens if I reject a settlement offer?
This would prevent you from accepting the offer later, though you should still receive a larger subsequent offer.
Edited By Melissa.
Thank you for reading our guide on personal injury claims in Barbados.