British Nurse Awarded Five-Figure Payout After Near-Fatal Sepsis from Greek Hotel Stay

A British nurse has received a five-figure out-of-court settlement after contracting Legionnaires' disease during a holiday in Rhodes, Greece. Amanda Mortimer, 54, fell severely ill shortly after returning from a stay at the four-star Thalia Hotel in Pefkos in June 2022. She was eventually placed in a medically induced coma and required extensive treatment.

Mortimer, a nurse herself, initially experienced symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to breathing difficulties, pneumonia, and sepsis. "I've never felt so unwell in my life," Mortimer stated. "When I started struggling to breathe, I knew something was very wrong."

After being transferred to intensive care and then airlifted to London for specialized treatment, Mortimer remained in the hospital for approximately one month. She described the experience as terrifying and only learned the full extent of her life-threatening condition after waking from the coma.

"There was a real possibility that I wouldn't make it, and my recovery was frustratingly slow in terms of mobility and being able to function," Mortimer recalled. "Even now, more than four years later, I continue to live with the impact. I become breathless much more easily, I get tired quickly, get regular chest infections and I've developed a lot of anxiety around my health."

Mortimer noted that the illness has significantly impacted her lifestyle, reducing her ability to work overtime, travel, and engage in spontaneous activities with her partner, Estelle Mattravers, 51. "The spontaneity is lost because of the ongoing issues I'm dealing with along with my anxiety," she said.

Prior to her illness, Mortimer and Mattravers had stayed at the Thalia Hotel on two previous occasions without issue. However, on their 2022 trip, they observed that the property had become "run down." Mortimer also mentioned hearing about water-related problems among other guests and noticed algae around the pool area, with the food serving area appearing unclean. Despite these observations, she did not anticipate falling seriously ill.

Mortimer appointed the law firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate a potential link between her illness and the holiday booked through tour operator LoveHolidays. The investigation uncovered evidence that other guests had also become unwell at the same hotel during the period of Mortimer's stay. LoveHolidays ultimately agreed to a settlement, though they denied liability throughout the proceedings.

Nadhia Akthar, who represented Mortimer, highlighted the severity of the case, noting that hospitalization for a month and being placed in an induced coma underscored the life-threatening nature of Legionnaires' disease. "While nothing can make up for her suffering and the impact the illness has had on her both physically and psychologically, we're pleased to have been able to secure a settlement for Amanda," Akthar said. "We hope it will provide her with some closure and help her begin to move forward."

Legionnaires' disease, which is caused by Legionella bacteria, poses a greater risk in complex water systems found in large buildings such as hotels. Maintaining high safety standards is considered crucial for protecting holidaymakers.