Personal injury while in Italy

I prefix this by saying that I am a very fit 62 year old who exercises daily for a total of over 12 hours per week including gym, swimming, walking.
I was in Sorrento, Italy last week and on 10 October I visited Herkulaneum where Health & Safety is virtually non existent. Soon after entering the site I walked across a ramp covering a step down in the pathway. There was no indication of a hazard and I was looking around with interest. At the end of the ramp on the side I was walking, there was a drop of about 12 inches which I did not notice. I stumbled in it and twisted my ankle VERY badly.
I reported it to my travel insurance company who instructed me to get it xrayed. To cut a long story short I tried but this wasn't possible as Sorrento hospital is a shambolic filthy dump where no one speaks English, I spent 3 hours there without success.
I paid for a doctor to examine it and she gave me a fit to fly letter with instruction to x ray when home as well as recommended medication and ankle support.
I have since had it xrayed and discover that I have a broken bone in my foot and torn ligaments.
My expenses in connection with this so far are well in excess of £100 and I have yet to discover what the insurance company will reimburse me for. At best I will be out of pocket to the tune of £70 including £50 excess on my travel policy and £20 for a taxi to the hospital I forgot to ask for a receipt for.
The hardest part is that I am now very immobile having to crawl to the bathroom and any thought of exercise is impossible for the foreseeable future. Although I have been to UK A&E twice, I have yet to see anyone with specific expertise with ligaments and I have serious concerns that I may suffer long lasting effects from this injury.
Are there any channels I could explore to at least recover my £70?

Comments

  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622
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    Well you could claim the £20 taxi fare and say you didn't get a receipt and see if they pay out or not.
    I dont see how you can claim the £50 excess, the way to do that would be not to have an excess on your policy.
    In your position i wouldnt have claimed at all, putting down on a future policy that you've made a claim may well cost you more in increased cost than the money you'll get now.
    And I suggest you go and see a physio privately asap if the NHS dont provide one very soon, the quicker you get something like this worked on the better, screw the expense.
  • SuperHan
    SuperHan Posts: 2,269
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    I think you may be being a bit overdramatic here.


    I was at Herculaneum last month, and it was not dangerous. I was conscious of where I was walking (not least because the buildings are thousands of years old and therefore not that even).


    However, there is no one else to blame apart from yourself for you mis-stepping (as you admit - you weren't looking where you were going). The UK seems to have adopted the US suing culture and is insanely OTT on health and safety. Italy, it was clear to me, has not gone the same way.


    Your insurance has paid out to cover your hospital fees. Unfortunately, £70 out of pocket is just an expense for you not taking care.


    And you injured yourself in a foreign country. It's not unreasonable the hospital didn't have English speakers. I wouldn't expect an Italian speaker on hand at every UK hospital. (Sorrento is also not dirty - I thought it was lovely. Much nicer than Naples, which I'd say that was a fair comment about. I'm not sure where the hospital is though).


    As an aside, do the doctors at A&E in the UK seem concerned that there will be lasting damage? Do you require a "ligament specialist"? If you do, have you been referred or asked for a referral?


    It's unfortunate, I hope your foot gets better soon and that you've got people around to help you out. You're not entitled to much more than sympathy though (and adequate and proper treatment from the NHS)
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344
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    SuperHan wrote: »
    . (Sorrento is also not dirty - I thought it was lovely. Much nicer than Naples, which I'd say that was a fair comment about. )


    While I'd agree with this the OP's comments seem to be specifically aimed at the hospital rather than the town in general, and if, like me, you had no need to visit the hospital then neither of us can offer a useful comment on the level of cleanliness there.
  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 7,894
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    If you can find out the name of the Italian organisation that operates Herculaneum, you might right to them and ask for to be reimbursed for your insurance excess.

    Your Travel insurance provider had an emergency number for you to call to get medical advice. If you had spoken to them, they probably would have arranged for your to go to a better hospital and for a translator to speak to the doctor.


    I do sympathise with your pain (I've ruptured ligaments in my ankle and it is extremely painful), but it will heal if it is properly treated. If you have concerns about your NHS treatment, you need to take this up with the NHS providers.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
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