05 May 2024 , 10:08
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A dad has been awarded £9,000 by easyJet Holidays after he sliced his foot open on broken swimming pool tiles when he jumped in to help save a struggling child.
The unnamed man, who travelled from Bristol Airport to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, was on his package holiday when he spotted a little girl get into difficulty in the water. He dived into the pool and then carried the kid over to her mother, who was holding an infant at the time. It was only then that he realised there was a "river of blood" pouring out from his foot.
Speaking about the frightening moment, the father recalled: "When I jumped in and cut myself, at first I didn't feel anything as it must have been the adrenalin kicking-in, but when I lifted my foot out there was just so much blood. There was no preventative maintenance." The man was enjoying his seven-day trip at the Oasis Dunas resort when the incident took place. He said two hotel lifeguards tended to him with a first-aid kit. "I bandaged my foot myself and it was obvious that I was going to need stitches," he added.
The faulty swimming pool tiles caused the injury (No credit)The hotel reception recommended a local clinic where he required 14 stitches to his foot and was also prescribed antibiotics and painkillers. The injury was officially reported to the hotel in a written report and the man's wife called the easyJet customer support team, reports Bristol Live.
"Hotels and travel companies really need to look after their guests, but this didn't really happen. There was no follow-up to ask how I was," he recalled. "I teach scuba diving and there was no preventative maintenance on the pool, people were getting in and they couldn't see what was under the water. It's neglect and it shouldn't be allowed to happen."
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"These sorts of things need to be prevented for the sake of other families," he said. After returning home to the UK following the summer holiday in 2022, the man received a tetanus jab at his local NHS clinic and his stitches were later removed but the wound took months to heal, and the area remains painful.
After contacting Hudgell Solicitors he was represented by Anne Thomson an expert in accident and injury abroad compensation claims. "It was clear that the holiday provider had failed in its duty of care to my client," she said. "This was a nasty cut that ruined his, and his family's holiday, and it could have been prevented.We alleged that easyJet Holidays was negligent as they had failed to ensure the swimming pool was adequately maintained. The pool was not only defective it was also a dangerous hazard."
"I'm pleased that the travel firm acknowledged that and agreed damages." In an out of court settlement easyJet Holidays agreed to pay compensation of £9,000 for the man's injuries and the loss of enjoyment of the family holiday. While easyJet could not comment in detail due to the man not wanting to be named, a spokesperson said: "We're really sorry to hear about this incident. The health and safety of our customers is our highest priority, which is why we ensure all of our hotels meet our high health and safety standards. There's nothing we want more than for our customers to have brilliant holidays with us."