False claims

British television is populated with adverts by so called law firms that will offer to fight claims for you. Everything from an accident at work to being sold payment protection insurance. I'd not heard of this one though. It seems that the big business now is to claim against Spanish "all inclusive" hotels for alleged cases of food poisoning.

The claims are being led by so-called British 'law firms' who are exploiting legal loopholes and are touring hotspots in vans or sending representatives to stop tourists outside their hotels or even approach them on the beaches.

Hoteliers in Mallorca estimate they have paid out more than 50 million euros in damages over the last 18 months.

As the law stands at the moment, only a receipt for a gastroenteritis product is necessary in order to file a claim once the holidaymakers are back in the UK. The local hotel association wants to force anyone allegedly sick to go to the doctor which, it is hoped, will be a deterrent as this will cost them money or a claim on their insurance.

In some areas, false food poisoning claims are said to have soared by as much as 700 per cent from last year and with the summer season now looming, there are fears of another epidemic.
Benidorm is one of the British favourites most affected by the scam with around 10,000 claims so far.