What to do if you have been injured on an excursion?

Excursions remain one of the most memorable parts of a holiday abroad, offering opportunities to explore interesting locations, visit historical sites, or even trying a brand-new activity, such as snorkelling, or quad biking.

However, what happens when it all goes wrong?

Injuries during an excursion are not uncommon, especially when health and safety standards slip. Although with the right preparation and protection in place, travellers can ensure that they receive not only the right support, but also appropriate compensation.

Stephen Goodman, travel injury lawyer, provides his expertise on the steps holidaymakers should take if they have been injured during an excursion.

Before going on the trip, Stephen recommends checking if the chosen activity is being supplied by your tour operator, or a third party unconnected with the provisions of your holiday contract.

He adds: “If you have booked your excursion as part of your package holiday, then you would ordinarily be covered, but exclusions can apply. You should also read the relevant terms and conditions, as you may find your contract is with a supplier located in your chosen holiday destinations, which makes it much more difficult to bring a claim if anything goes wrong.”

Stephen also advices: “You should also check your travel insurance to see if it covers the particular activity to keep yourself protected from any out-of-pocket medical expenses if anything does happen. Many travel insurance policies exclude certain activities which means you may be without cover if an injury is sustained.”

If an injury does occur, the first place to start is reporting the accident. Where an excursion has been booked directly through a tour operator or their representative in resort, the report can be made through them. Otherwise, travellers who have booked the excursion independently should report the accident to the excursion operator, or an alternative relevant representative who can log the accident.

Stephen said: “The report should be formally recorded on an accident report form, an accident logbook or requested to be put in writing. Following this, you should ask for a copy or take a photo for your own records that can be used towards a claim.”

Gathering evidence of the accident is equally as important.

“Try to record evidence of injury and the defects that caused the accident in the first place,” Stephen says. “Alongside this, collect any witness details and gather supportive documents, such as the terms and conditions information when you booked the excursion. These can be crucial when identifying who is at fault for the injury.”

Before seeking medical treatment, travellers are advised to speak to their travel insurer if they have cover.

Stephen explains: “By speaking with the travel insurance provider, they can authorise any medical treatment required and confirm which hospital you should attend, avoiding any extra costs outside of the cover, such as through private healthcare treatment.”

“If the booking was made part of a package holiday, a claim could possibly be made against the holiday provider,” he says. “However, if the excursion was booked independently, then the claim will have to be made against the local excursion operator or their liability insurance which may prove more difficult. Whilst these claims can be more complex, seeking early legal advice can enable you to be supported as soon as possible.”

Slater and Gordon urge travellers this summer to stay protected, informed and prepared, making a vital difference to how accidents are managed and resolved.