With Covid-19 restrictions easing and the UK vaccination programme well under way, holiday destinations will once again be opening up for UK consumers.
One of the most increasingly popular all-inclusive destinations in recent years has been the Atlantic island of Cape Verde. Situated just off the West Coast of Africa, there are ten islands to explore – with most visitors basing themselves at one of its luxury all-inclusive resorts.
Unfortunately, whilst most holidaymakers will enjoy its sunny beaches and relaxed feel, it is inevitable, based on the experience of Simpson Millar Holiday Claims lawyers, that some will fall ill with symptoms of food poisoning.
Over the past 6 years or so, Simpson Millar’s Holiday Claims lawyers have had success in achieving four and five-figure compensation settlements against the likes of TUI for holidaymakers that have stayed at hotels in Cape Verde and have suffered all kinds of infections, such as gastroenteritis, salmonella and even cholera.
One of our clients was recently awarded £14,000 in compensation for salmonella suffered during a holiday to the Riu Touareg in Boa Vista. Click here to read more about this case.
How Do I Claim Compensation for Cape Verde Illness?
If you have suffered serious gastric illness – the kind that means you cannot leave your hotel room or needing to be close to a toilet the whole time – you ought to seek medical attention. That could be by contacting your doctor in the UK or seeing a local doctor either at the hotel or at a local clinic. You should also report your symptoms to the local tour rep and hotel staff.
It is our experience that tour reps associated with some holiday operators won’t want to give you a copy of the illness complaint report that they complete about your illness.
If that happens, you should absolutely insist on having a copy, even if that means taking a photograph of the image of the report on the rep’s iPad.
You will only really know what bug has caused your illness when you return to the UK and ask your GP for a stool sample. The sample will be sent to a lab who will then test it for germs such as E.coli or dysentery.
Once you have the result, you can contact one of our holiday claims lawyers who can assess whether you have the evidence to make a claim against your tour operator.
Has There Been Food Poisoning at my Cape Verde Hotel?
It’s often helpful to a successful claim for food poisoning if there are other cases involving people that have stayed at the same hotel at the same time.
To determine if there have been any cases of gastric illness at your hotel, there are all kinds of things you can do. Searching TripAdvisor is often a good starting point, although we would also recommend asking fellow UK guests. If, all of a sudden, you see a fellow Brit eating and sunbathing alone, it may well be that they have stomach upset.
If others were ill at the same hotel, it’s possible that Simpson Millar can represent you in a class or group action in which your chances of successfully pursuing a claim will be higher.
For example, we’re currently representing a group of over 200 holidaymakers that suffered food poisoning type illnesses in Mexico.
We can also advise you if we have represented others that have stayed at the same hotel, who have also tested positive for food poisoning bacteria such as campylobacter or salmonella.
Hotels in Cape Verde
Some of the largest hotel chains in the world such as Riu and Melia feature hotels in Cape Verde.
Most all-inclusive hotels in Cape Verde can be found in the resorts of Boa Vista or Sal, and are available through tour operators First Choice and TUI. These include:
Sal
• Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria
• Riu Cabo Verde
• Riu Fanana
• Melia Llana
• TUI BLUE Cabo Vede
• Sol Dunas Resort
• Odjo D’Agua Hotel
• Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort
• Melia Dunas Resort
• Melia Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa
• Robinson Club Cabo Verde
• Hotel Morabeza
Boa Vista
• Riu Karamboa
• Hotel Riu Toureg
• Riu Palace Boavista
How Much Will it Cost to Make a Claim?
Simpson Millar pride ourselves about being upfront about our charges. There are no hidden extras.
We will charge you a success fee limited to 25% of your compensation. So if we win £4,000.00 in compensation, you will receive £3,000.00.
We will also recommend a policy of insurance to cover you from paying the other side’s costs and we do not have to ask you for payment along the way.
The costs of one of the policies we can recommend is £150.00 plus insurance tax – so £168.00 in total. The insurance would only be payable as the end of the claim and if the claim succeeds.
What if I’m Due to Travel and Have Concerns about Illness in Cape Verde?
If you have any health concerns regarding your trip to Cape Verde, whether they be Covid, food safety or something that is particular to your needs such as dietary requirements, we suggest you contact your tour operator and your travel insurer.
Always take out travel insurance when you book your holiday and remember not all policies will cover health or repatriation needs arising out of Covid.
We recommend you visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, and the US CDC website also contains useful information such as Covid alert-levels for Cape Verde. There is information about appropriate vaccinations and how to eat and drink there to avoid getting ill.
