Personal Injury claim abroad - Solicitor advice

ciars

Registered User
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Hi AAM people. I’m hoping someone on here can help or may have some existing advice of information regarding my issue. I'll try and keep it short.

My Mam was abroad on holidays in MALTA and had a serious accident.
She fell down a construction hole in one of the main streets.
and suffered a serious injury (her ankle snapped off and was barely hanging on)

She had an operation immediately and received two bolts and a plate in her foot.

Had to stay in Malta during recovery and while we shorted out insurance issues as Hospital wouldn’t let her travel home unaccompanied and until my father flew out.

We have photos of the area and building work. Many witnesses. Plus the Minister for development and roads (In Malta) came to visit. He subsequently looked after all medical costs for us as travel insurance wouldn’t cover it - or my fathers travel expenses.

Months later my Mam is in a wheelchair visiting Beaumont every second week for consultations and physical therapy. She's been informed she'll never walk properly again. She's 70 this year and it has had a huge impact on her life.

We set about building a case to seek compensation as the builders were clearly at fault and negligent. A family friend who just recently started practicing as a barrister helped us make contact with a solicitor’s office in Malta and set about appointing them as our legal rep.

However they have informed us that in Malta they don’t really pay out compensation claims and if so they are based purely on loss of earnings and not just for emotional or physical compensation? So if my Mam was 30yrs she'd get money but not at 70?? Communication between the Firm in Malta have also become somewhat stagnant.

We are at a complete loss as the where to go now. The family friend who initially was great help I think has done as much as she can.

Does any one have any advice on this issue? Should we appoint a firm here in Ireland to 'manage' the case?

I can give more info if required; any help would be greatly received.

Thanks a million
 
Thats terrible. Your poor Mam.

You should speak to a Solicitor here specialising in Personal Injuries. They will be able to tell you straight away whether or not she will get anywhere.

Will travel insurance not cover any of it?
 
Both the travel op and Insurance Company have been a nightmare to deal with.

She flew out with a group as part of a package flight using a group travel insurance scheme through the Travel Op.

My Mams accident happened while she was on a individual day trip. As this was not in the resort area or on an excursion organized from the Travel op the company have complete side stepped the issue.

They were initially helpful for about a day or two. But then when things got serious they became very difficult to deal with and disorganized.

Literally just last month we received a letter from insurance company offering 250€ to cover the cost of My dads flights out. The actually stated in the letter..."This is an offer of good will'. even tho they made us jump through hoops at the time to organize faxes from the doctors in Malta so they could issue a plus1 (this technically means a doctor has to certify that the injured party cant travel home alone so the insurance company issues a free ticket or a plus1)

anyhow - before I get annoyed thinking of it all I again - I'll leave it at that.

I'll try and get them to call into a Personal Injury firm to get advice.
Unless anyone else on here has information on the Maltese law?
 
Because she was injured on an organised day trip, you might have some recourse against the insurance. But definitely seek legal advice here.
 
Sorry, I didnt explain properly. What I meant was she was not on an organised day trip. It was the one day they were told they could go off and do their own thing IE: shopping around town etc...(sorry thats what i meant when saying individual trip)

I'll talk to them over the weekend and get them to seek proper legal advice ASAP.
 
They need to get legal advice asap on the issue of the insurance policy. The irish lawyer may also be able to get them in touch with another firm in malta.
 
She flew out with a group as part of a package flight using a group travel insurance scheme through the Travel Op.

My Mams accident happened while she was on a individual day trip. As this was not in the resort area or on an excursion organized from the Travel op the company have complete side stepped the issue.
This sounds very unusual. Have you reviewed the insurance policy document yourself? Have you asked them to explain where this exclusion of cover is detailed in the policy document?
 
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