Holiday accident claim news
24/09/2010

Tourists injured at Scottish attractions

There are concerns about the number of Scottish holiday accidents being made after a Freedom of Information Request revealed that there have been 250 incidents of personal injury at tourist sites managed by Historic Scotland and Visit Scotland since 2009.

A Visit Scotland spokesperson commented, "The safety of our staff and customers across our network of offices and visitor information centres is of paramount importance.

"We are striving to improve our performance in this area."

And not all the injuries have been minor. In fact, of the 126 people who suffered holiday accidents at Historic Scotland tourist sites, five sustained sufficient damage to warrant the claiming of no-win, no-fee compensation.

However, not all the incidents fall strictly within the boundaries of holiday accidents. For example, a scaffolder who sustained torn ankle ligaments after falling from height while working at a Historic Scotland site is currently hoping his personal injury lawyer can secure a successful outcome for his claim.

A Historic Scotland spokesperson concedes that, despite a reduced accident rate, there is no room for the organisation to develop complacency with regards to health and safety.

"The health and safety of our staff and visitors is one of our main priorities. The latest statistics show not only a decrease in the number of accidents but also in the severity," he said.

Adding "Historic Scotland manages 1000 staff and welcomes millions of visitors to over 345 properties in Scotland on a yearly basis. The nature of our work and the sites that we manage present unique health and safety challenges.

"However, we recognise our responsibility to manage health and safety and constantly strive for a better performance record.