British holidaymakers injured in Spain missing out on millions of pounds in strict compensation law

BRITISH holidaymakers injured in Spain are missing out on millions of pounds in compensation.

Legal experts have warned that a ‘quirk’ in the Spanish system means non-package holidaymakers are falling foul of a strict one-year time limit for personal injury claims.

In 2014, nearly 700 of the 12 million Brits who travelled to Spain required hospital treatment for injury or sickness.

However, many of them will have missed out on compensation claims due to the strict law.

The limit is in stark contrast to other parts of Europe, such as France, where the claimant has 10 year to file.

Lawyer Neil Wilson, from Quittance Personal Injury, said: “We have seen more enquiries from injured holidaymakers who have run out of time.

“It can be really difficult to have to tell someone that they have missed their chance to claim by only a few weeks or months, especially if they are still recovering.”