Holiday Park Accident Victim Awarded £5,000

A girl who is permanently scarred after she suffered an accident at a holiday park in Somerset has been awarded £5,000 in compensation.

The unnamed girl, who was 11 years old at the time of the accident, slipped and fell into a glass panel in the door of the ladies’ lavatory. The glass shattered and her head went through the panel, cutting her face around the nose and cheek.

The girl underwent plastic surgery, but still has a scar across her cheek. She attends scar management sessions at her local hospital and has been told that she may need further treatment in future to improve the appearance of the scar. At the moment, she feels the need to wear make-up to conceal the mark.

On investigation, it was found that the lavatory doors had been bought from a reclamation company. The glass did not meet with the relevant health and safety requirements, nor with building control regulations. It was also found that the surface of the path leading up to the door was dangerously uneven.

When the case came to court, the owner of the holiday park was fined £42,500 and ordered to pay costs of £13,500 in addition to the compensation award to the girl.

The owner of the holiday park has since issued a statement expressing his sincere regret for the accident and giving assurances that the management of the park has worked closely with the local council to rectify any health and safety failings.

Avoidable accidents can turn a holiday into a disaster. Members of the public have a right to expect that holiday premises are fully compliant with the appropriate regulations so that they are not exposed to foreseeable risks to their health or safety.