Have you been injured or fallen ill on holiday in Gran Canaria? If it was not your fault then you could be entitled to claim compensation for your pain and discomfort. The amount of compensation you receive would depend on the severity of your injuries. This Canary Islands and Spanish holiday compensation guide provides valuable information on what to do if you have an accident on holiday and how to file a holiday accident claim in Spain and the Canary Islands.
Whether you were injured because of a car accident in Gran Canaria, were involved in a hotel accident, during a flight to or from Gran Canaria, developed food poisoning, suffered an accident in a swimming pool, or a loved one was involved in a Gran Canaria drowning, then you could be entitled to claim compensation.
Many people who live in the United Kingdom find the idea of filing a holiday claim for compensation overseas daunting and often wonder “Can I claim for an injury abroad?” The answer is that you can hire a personal injury solicitor based in the United Kingdom to handle a claim abroad. Using a UK-based personal injury law firm to make a claim is less stressful. As such, if you believe you may be owed compensation for an accident on holiday in Gran Canaria please read on.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Gran Canaria Holiday Accident Claims
- Advice On What To Do If You Are Injured Or Ill In Gran Canaria
- Who Is To Blame For Your Personal Injury Or Illness In Gran Canaria
- Where Can Tourists Get Help In Gran Canaria?
- Advice On What To Do If You Are Injured Or Ill In Gran Canaria
- What Help And Assistance Can You Get From The British Embassy?
- Do I Need Travel Insurance When Travelling To Spain?
- Top Resorts In Gran Canaria
- Holiday Illness Compensation In Gran Canaria
- Food Allergies And Food Poisoning In Gran Canaria
- Holiday Illness Compensation In Gran Canaria
- Can You Claim For A Car Accident In Gran Canaria?
- Injury Caused By Lack Of Maintenance At A Hotel
- Common Gran Canaria Holiday Accidents
- Gran Canaria Package Holiday Injury And Illness Accident Claims
- How To Make Gran Canaria Illness And Accident Claims
- How Much Can You Claim For A Gran Canaria Accident Or Illness?
- Additional Resources And Where To Get Help
A Guide To Gran Canaria Holiday Accident Claims
Is Gran Canaria safe to visit? The short answer is yes, Spain and the Canary Islands are considered among the safest countries to visit with nearly 19 million holidaymakers from Britain visiting Spain last year, and most of these trips were trouble-free. However, accidents can and do happen to holidaymakers whilst visiting Spain, including in destinations like Gran Canaria. Some of these accidents may be unavoidable, freak occurrences but many could have been fully or partly caused by negligence or proper standards of health and safety. If you were injured in an avoidable accident on holiday in Gran Canaria, you could be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries from the third party responsible for your accident.
This Spanish holiday compensation guide, provides essential advice on what to do if you are injured abroad, how to receive healthcare in Spain and advises you why it is important to take out fully comprehensive travel insurance before you go on holiday abroad. The guide also offers information on the causes and results of many common accidents on holiday that tourists experience in Gran Canaria. It explains what damages your claim could include, and the benefits of making a no win no fee claim. The guide also offers essential advice on how to find the right solicitor to help you with your claim.
Advice On What To Do If You Are Injured Or Ill In Gran Canaria
If you are seriously injured or you fall ill in Gran Canaria, your first priority should be getting the right medical treatment as soon as possible. You should also report your injuries to your tour operator and travel insurance provider straight away.
If the accident was caused by negligence of another party, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation. Essential advice on how to collect evidence to support your claim is provided later in this guide.
Who Is To Blame For Your Personal Injury Or Illness In Gran Canaria
An important part of making a holiday accident claim is establishing liability for your accident. In some cases it may be easy to determine liability, in other cases, your personal injury solicitor may need to investigate further to determine who could be held responsible. In some cases, like a car accident, the police may be involved when it comes to determining liability.
Where Can Tourists Get Help In Gran Canaria?
In Spain, including the Canary Islands, you can dial 112 to contact the emergency services (ambulance, police and fire brigade). This number is for emergency situations only when someone is critically injured or ill, or there is a threat to someone’s life. If the injury or illness is not critical then you can visit a doctor’s surgery, or take a taxi to an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department in a hospital.
United Kingdom citizens are entitled to use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), when they are on holiday in Spain or any other EU country. An EHIC allows holders to access state healthcare treatment in Spain that Spanish citizens are entitled to receive. However, there is no guarantee that United Kingdom citizens will be able to use an EHIC card after Brexit takes place.
An EHIC should not be thought of as a replacement for taking out fully comprehensive medical travel insurance before you take a holiday abroad and because Spain’s healthcare system is less comprehensive than the NHS’s system, we recommend you take out comprehensive policy. What’s more, if you need to be repatriated because you are seriously injured, then your insurance should cover the cost of getting you back to the UK.
If you are in urgent need of diplomatic assistance, for example, or a member of your party is attacked, arrested, or dies, then you may contact the British Consulate in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on +34 928 26 25 08. More information on contacting the British Consulates in the Canary Islands is provided later in this guide.
Advice On What To Do If You Are Injured Or Ill In Gran Canaria
If you are injured or fall ill in Gran Canaria, due to an accident that was not your fault or because of negligence, there are steps you should take which involves collecting sufficient evidence to strengthen a personal injury claim.
Below are some important steps you must take:
- Take photographs of your injuries. This will provide visual evidence. Include a date stamp if possible
- Take photographs of the health and safety hazard that caused your injuries or illness which provides visual evidence against a defendant. Include a date stamp if possible
- Speak to eyewitnesses and take their names and contact details. They may be able to give evidence to support your personal injury claim
- If you have to pay for anything as a result of your accident, such as medical treatment, medicine or a taxi to the hospital, keep your receipts. You could be reimbursed for these expenses as part of your claim and they could provide evidence of your accident
- If you have been injured on holiday in a road traffic accident, you could be entitled to claim compensation. Make sure you exchange contact details with the other driver and make a note of the brand, make, colour and number plate of their vehicle. Do not sign anything given to you by the other driver, or a representative of the other driver without first consulting a personal injury solicitor, in case they are trying to dupe you into admitting liability for your own injuries.
- Report your accident to your holiday tour operator. Make sure that they record what happened accurately
Of course, if you are made very seriously injured or ill, your first priority should be to get the appropriate medical treatment as a matter of urgency.
What Help And Assistance Can You Get From The British Embassy?
If you are on holiday in Gran Canaria, or elsewhere in Spain, you could receive assistance from the British Embassy in Madrid or British Consulate in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. However, you should only contact the British Embassy or consulate in critical circumstances, such as a member of your party dying, being attacked, being the victim of a crime, or being arrested.
British Embassy Madrid
Torre Espacio
Paseo de la Castellana 259D
28046 Madrid
Spain
Telephone: +34 917 146 300
The phone number for UK residents, concerned about a British national in Spain: 020 7008 1500
British Consulate Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Calle Luis Morote 6-3º
35007 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Spain
Telephone +34 928 26 25 08
Do I Need Travel Insurance When Travelling To Spain?
If you are going on holiday to Spain or elsewhere, you must take out comprehensive travel insurance before you head off. This is because an EHIC would only entitle you to receive the same state healthcare that citizens receive, which may not be as comprehensive as the NHS. What’s more, there is no guarantee that UK citizens will be able to use an EHIC after Brexit takes place. Travel insurance would also cover any costs for services you may need if you are injured which includes things like accommodation should you not be able to travel because of your injuries, or you need to be repatriated back to the UK due to the seriousness of your injuries.
Top Resorts In Gran Canaria
- Las Palmas
- Maspalomas
- Teror
- Agaete
- Arucas, Las Palmas
- Telde
- Puerto de Mogán
- Meloneras
- Playa del Inglés
- Puerto Rico
- Agua La Perra
- Arguineguin
- Bahia Feliz
- San Agustín
- Taurito
- Patalavaca
The table below provides interesting information on the number of visitors to the Canary Islands in general.
| Island | 2016 Tourist Arrivals |
|---|---|
| Tenerife | 4,885,900 |
| Gran Canaria | 3,654,800 |
| Lanzarote | 2,328,700 |
| Fuerteventura | 1,914,100 |
| La Palma | 221,500 |
| El Hierro & La Gomera | 109,300 |
Holiday Illness Compensation In Gran Canaria
This Spanish holiday compensation guide provides information on some of the more common reasons why holidaymakers claim compensation. If you have experienced any of the accidents listed below, or in another accident while you are on holiday in Gran Canaria, and you were not at fault, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Food Allergies And Food Poisoning In Gran Canaria
Businesses serving food and drink in Spain and elsewhere which includes restaurants, cafes and bars are supposed to comply with proper hygiene standards. If food is not stored or prepared correctly, it can result in diners falling ill with food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning could include abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea. In serious cases, food poisoning can result in the patient being admitted to hospital ruining their holiday. If you have experienced food poisoning in Gran Canaria because of negligence on the part of someone else, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation against them.
Similarly, food providers are responsible for making sure they list any allergenic ingredients on labels of their products, so customers with food allergies are aware they must avoid them. If you suffer from a food allergy and/or fallen ill because you were misinformed by a restaurant, cafe or shop, you could be entitled to claim compensation by filing a personal injury claim.
Holiday Illness Compensation In Gran Canaria
If you fall sick in Gran Canaria with a condition caused by a bacterial infection which includes things like Legionella because a hotel, restaurant or other business were negligent in their duty of care, you could be entitled to make a holiday illness claim for compensation.
Can You Claim For A Car Accident In Gran Canaria?
If you have been injured in a road traffic accident, motorcycle accident or other type of vehicle accident in Gran Canaria and you were not at fault, you could be entitled to claim compensation for the pain, suffering and losses you had to endure. If you are involved in a road traffic accident or car accident in Gran Canaria, you must not sign any paperwork given to you by the other driver, a solicitor or insurer representing the other driver, as this may be an attempt to dupe you into admitting liability for your injuries. You shoul hire a solicitor to ensure that you get a fair amount of money for your car accident in Gran Canaria when you file a personal injury claim.
Injury Caused By Lack Of Maintenance At A Hotel
Most hotels in Gran Canaria are well run, however, if hotels neglect their duty of care towards their guests, this means that that hotel disrepair could be the cause of hotel accidents. Examples of poor maintenance at a hotel that could injure guests could include the following:
- Broken flooring, which cause slip, trip and fall accidents Faulty chairs which collapse as a guest sits down resulting in back injuries
- Broken handrails, which cause a guest to fall down a staircase
- If a swimming pool area is not correctly managed, this could cause a Gran Canaria drowning
If you have been injured at a hotel because of a lack of maintenance, you could be owed compensation for your injuries.
Common Gran Canaria Holiday Accidents
Other accidents or injuries that people claim compensation for when on holiday in Gran Canaria include the following:
- Slip, trip and fall accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Watersports accidents
Sporting activity accidents are also common accidents that can affect holidaymakers if proper standards of health and safety are not upheld.
Gran Canaria Package Holiday Injury And Illness Accident Claims
If you have been injured or made ill on a package holiday to Gran Canaria due to an accident that was not your fault or the negligence of a third party, you could be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries. The Travel, Package Holiday, and Package Tour Regulations 1992 states that you could be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries. This includes injuries suffered on flights, transport, or other activities provided by your tour operator.
How To Make Gran Canaria Illness And Accident Claims
If you were injured or you fell ill because of an accident on holiday in Gran Canaria or because of the negligence of a third party, you could be entitled to potentially claim holiday accident compensation. To make an effective holiday accident claim Spain, you should hire a personal injury solicitor who is based in the UK and who boasts sufficient experience in handling and winning overseas personal injury claims.
It is always recommended that you use Legal Expert to make your holiday accident claim in Spain. Their personal injury lawyers have an excellent track record of winning overseas holiday accident claims for clients and boast 30 years experience. In short, you know you would be in safe hands. Their solicitors would always fight to win you the maximum amount of compensation for you to ensure a final settlement is not under compensated. If you believe you could be owed compensation for an accident on holiday in Gran Canaria, call Legal Expert on 0800 073 8804 today for a free legal consultation. If you have legitimate grounds to claim, one of their personal injury solicitors would start working on your case right away.
How Much Can You Claim For A Gran Canaria Accident Or Illness?
Use our personal injury claims calculator, to help estimate how much compensation you may be entitled to claim for an accident on holiday in Gran Canaria. Please note, this estimation only refers to general damages and doesn’t include special damages that you could also receive. Alternatively, call Legal Expert and an advisor would let you know how much you could claim, based on your individual circumstances.
| Injured Body Part | Scale | Settlement limit | Explanation of injuries and harm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neck | Minor - severe | Up to £130,060 | Neck injury. From Minor to severe enough to include loss of/ reduced function. |
| Back | Minor - severe | Up to £141,150 | Back injury. From minor to severe fractures or severe pain, some disability, and loss of sexual function. |
| Arm | Moderate - severe | Up to £114,810 | Arm injury. May range from very minor up to severe forms of injury. |
| Wrist | Minor - severe | Up to £52,490 | Wrist injury. From a soft tissue injury through to a fracture or varying levels of loss of use of the wrist(s). |
| Hand | Minor - severe | Up to £54,280 | Hand injury. From a simple soft tissue injury to one damaging the nerves. Short of having to have hand amputated. |
| Finger | Minor - severe | Up to £79,560 | Finger injury. May range from a more minor soft tissue injury, up to amputation of the ring finger. |
| Thumb | Minor - severe | Up to £48,080 | Thumb injury. Minor through to severe such as dislocations, nerve injuries, and the loss of the thumb. |
| Leg | Minor - severe | Up to £119,210 | Leg injury. This could include damage to the bones or the soft tissues. May also include dislocations and other severe injuries. |
| Ankle | Minor - severe | Up to £61,110 | Ankle injury. Might include any form of damage to the joint including the loss of function in the ankle(s). |
| Foot | Minor - severe | Up to £96,150 | Foot injury. Might include a fracture, break and similar levels of injury. |
| Toe | Moderate - severe | Up to £49,180 | Toe injury. Affecting the bone or the soft tissue. At the top end can include the removal or loss of all the toe(s). |
Remember, if you have been injured or made ill because of an accident on holiday that was not your fault, you could make a Holiday accident claim in Spain for compensation. Call Legal Expert today, to see if you are entitled to claim.
Additional Resources And Where To Get Help
NHS Guide to healthcare in Spain
Find out further information about accessing healthcare in Spain as well as any healthcare or medical considerations before your trip.
British Consulates in the Canary Islands
British Consulate – Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Plaza Weyler, 8, 1º
38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Spain
Telephone: +34 928 26 25 08
Website: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-santa-cruz-de-tenerife
British Consulate – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Calle Luis Morote 6-3º
35007 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Spain
Telephone: +34 928 26 25 08
Website: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-las-palmas-de-gran-canaria
Edited Honey 23/1/20