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Ryan Mendelson, a 33-year-old man from Manchester, has been awarded £18,000 in compensation after suffering an injury while on a package holiday in Cape Verde. The injury occurred when a hotel staff member at the TUI resort, Hotel RIU Touareg, kneed him in the back of the leg. He described the incident as a “physical assault,” which caused him to collapse suddenly. Mendelson was vacationing with his mother in January when the event took place and later criticized the overly familiar behavior of some hotel staff, calling the interaction “totally unacceptable.”
According to Mendelson’s account, he was standing near the pool bar chatting with some acquaintances when the hotel’s entertainment team member approached him and unexpectedly kneed him behind the knee. “I felt my knee click, twist and go out of place, and I fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes,” he recalled. Immobilized and in shock, Mendelson was left sitting in the hot sun for half an hour until others nearby poured water on him and finally a wheelchair was fetched. He also highlighted the hotel’s lack of immediate assistance, stating there were no first aiders or staff members available at the poolside to help him promptly.
The injury turned out to be serious, as an MRI scan revealed that Mendelson had torn a medial patellofemoral ligament. After returning to the UK, he required surgery and continues to experience pain, especially in cold weather. Mendelson also mentioned the emotional toll of the injury and the disruption to his plans, noting that he was forced to postpone his flight home due to his condition. Furthermore, hotel staff initially demanded payment for the extra night’s stay caused by the delay, a charge that was ultimately waived after Mendelson and his family threatened to publicize the incident. “But what was more upsetting was that we couldn’t fly home as scheduled because of my knee – that was soul-destroying,” he said.
Representing Mendelson, Paul Rimmer from Hudgell Solicitors condemned the treatment he received, describing the incident as tantamount to physical assault by an employee of a prominent hotel chain. Rimmer criticized the hotel’s handling of the situation, particularly the demand for payment while the family was stranded. In response to inquiries, RIU Hotels and Resorts issued an apology, acknowledging the injury and expressing regret over the event. The resort characterized the incident as a “misguided attempt at a playful interaction” by a member of the entertainment staff, emphasizing that there was no intention to cause harm. They confirmed that a full investigation had been completed and the matter settled, reaffirming their commitment to guest safety and wellbeing
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