Five-figure settlement for Peterborough school boy from Thomas Cook after hotel photographer broke his leg

A six-year-old boy who fractured his leg after a hotel photographer fell on top of him has received a five-figure settlement from tour operator Thomas Cook.
Thomas CookThomas Cook
Thomas Cook

The youngster from Peterborough, was on a two-week trip with his parents and eight-year-old brother and 14-year-old sister,to the Blue Bay Platinum Hotel in Turkey when the bizarre incident occurred.

The family instructed expert international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate after the boy’s injury left him needing a wheelchair for four months, and unable to return to school for two months.

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The youngster was walking towards the main hotel building with his siblings on May 25, 2013 when a photographer employed by the hotel picked him up and ran towards the pool. The photographer slipped and the pair fell to the floor, with the man landing on the boy’s leg.

An ambulance was called and the boy was taken to hospital in Marmaris where he underwent surgery, leaving his leg in plaster up to his waist.

The boy’s mother said: “The kids were walking ahead of us towards the main building of the hotel, so the first thing we knew of what happened was screaming. It sent a shiver right through me, it was horrifying.

“When we got to him he was clearly in agony. He asked me if he was going to die. The whole episode left us feeling so angry and upset and Jimmy’s recovery has felt like a lifetime for him, being so young.

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“To see him in such distress was devastating for us all and I hate to think that it could happen to anyone else. We hope that Thomas Cook has learned lessons from this and that safety and staff training has improved at the hotel.”

The boy’s father flew back to the UK with his brother and sister on May 30, 2013 when the family’s holiday was originally due to end, with his mother following with the injured youngster on June 4.

Because of the boy’s injuries, his bedroom had to be moved downstairs for almost three months.

Gurpinder Chana, expert international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing the boy, said: “His experience has been a lot for a boy of his age to cope with and it is perhaps unsurprising that he was nervous of returning to football and running – two things he loved before his injury.

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“The family hoped for nothing more than a relaxing break, but instead had to deal with a very stressful and distressing accident.

“It is important for the family that lessons are learned from this accident and that both Thomas Cook and the hotel ensure the safety of guests there.”