Child victim of shattered glass door in hotel accident receives settlement

Our client

Our client, Leon, suffered significant injury following an accident whilst away on holiday in Majorca, at the Hotel Monteverde. He was running from the hotel games room to the patio area outside, when he collided with a glass door leading onto the patio area. The door shattered, causing significant injuries. The accident occurred because the door had been constructed using untreated sheet glass. He was only 6 years old at the time. As a result of the accident, Leon sustained lacerations to the face, neck, chest and both ankles. This resulted in scarring. He also had artery, tendon and muscle damage in the right leg and damaged tendons in the left leg. He had stitches to the left leg. He also suffered with nightmares and flashbacks. Leon was hospitalised whilst away. He was operated on and was kept in for 6 days. He had a second operation upon return to the UK.

How Slater and Gordon helped

After contacting Slater and Gordon’s personal injury solicitors specialising in travel accident claims, Leon, through his mother Kirsty, began working with Nicholas Lukacs, our specialist travel accident lawyer. Nicholas has been specialising in travel accident claims for over 15 years, and specialises in foreign accidents including:

• Holiday accident claims
• Road traffic accidents abroad
• Airline accident claims
• Cruise ship accident claims

In building Leon’s holiday accident claim, Nicholas obtained the initial medical evidence from experts in orthopaedics, psychology and plastic surgery. Once Leon’s evidence was finalised, to include his medical evidence, further expert evidence was sought from a Spanish Lawyer, to determine the value of the claim under Spanish law. It’s important for our travel accident solicitors that the expert evidence gathered in our clients’ claims accurately represents the extent of their injuries and their losses, to ensure that any claim valuations are 100% accurate.

The process of the claim

Upon liaising with the hotel, there were initially difficulties in identifying their insurer, who would become the defendant in the case. Upon receipt of this information, court proceedings were issued to protect Leon’s position in his travel accident claim. Yet there was no formal response to the proceedings served and so, judgment in default was entered on Leon’s behalf, meaning that liability was no longer in issue. Whilst settlement offers had already been back and forth between the parties, it was determined that it would be sensible to firstly obtain the formal expert evidence from a Spanish Lawyer, so as to determine the appropriate level of damages to be agreed or awarded. Upon receipt of this evidence, advice was sought from Counsel on the settlement parameters, given that in cases involving a minor, the court’s approval of any settlement reached would be required and Counsel’s advice would be of assistance in this respect. The case settled a couple of days in advance of trial, with Leon accepting the Defendant’s further increased offer. The court have since approved this settlement. This was a considerable settlement that both Leon and his mother Kirsty were very pleased with, and which will provide the both of them with some closure to move on from this accident.

How can Slater and Gordon help you?

At Slater and Gordon, our travel accident solicitors are here to help you take the next steps. If you’ve been injured in an accident overseas, the impact that this has on your life can be devastating. Because of this, we're committed to ensuring we get the best possible outcome for you. A case like this is another example of how our dedicated and specialist lawyers can support valued clients and ensure that they achieve the compensation they deserve.

If you, or your child, have suffered an injury as a result of an accident overseas, simply contact our experts today on 0330 041 5869, or you can contact us online here to learn more about your options going forward.