Michael is a specialist lawyer who handles cases involving claims against tour operators providing overseas package holidays. He is based in the firm’s Manchester office. 

Handling a wide variety of cases, Michael aims to get the maximum amount of compensation for individuals across England and Wales who have had their holidays abroad ruined or cut short by illness or injury. Claims range from broken bones caused by slips and falls, back and soft tissue injuries, and gastric illnesses, such as salmonella and other types of food poisoning.

With 20 years’ legal experience, including running the Manchester road traffic accident team, handling public liability and personal injury claims, Michael has been dealing with foreign jurisdiction claims for the past five years.  

A professional and effective champion of holiday-makers’ rights, Michael is successful in prosecuting cases against UK tour operators, through the courts in England and Wales, rather than against individual hotels in foreign courts. Under the law, UK tour operators are equally liable for injuries caused through breaches of local health and safety regulations. Even where cases are complicated and liability is denied or difficult to prove, Michael doesn’t give up. He has extensive experience of making claims stick, and has built up an impressive network of experts in European countries, such as Spain, Greece and France, who will assist in providing solid, physical evidence of liability. 

Dealing with all aspects of claims from start to finish, engaging and briefing the experts, preparing documents up to and through to the courts and negotiating a settlement, Michael makes sure he keeps his clients well informed.

Michael knows that many working people will have saved up to pay for their holiday, so he finds it rewarding that through working for Thompsons he can help them and make a real difference to their lives. Although it’s a niche area of the law, Michael says that Thompsons is way ahead of other firms, with vastly more experience of dealing with these types of claims.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys watching his local football team Barrow AFC and playing rugby.

 

Michael's case experience

  • Secured £4,000 from TUI for Sarah Collins, who tripped on some badly laid decking at her hotel in Spain.
  • Recovered £4,000 for a five-year old who cut her thigh on a broken pool light fitting at her holiday hotel in Greece, leaving her with a nasty scar.  
  • Recovered £3,5000 from Thomas Cook when a mirror fell off the wall in a client's hotel room, striking her foot and breaking her toe. 
  • Secured £2,500 from TUI for Kerry Cook, who slipped on a puddle of water that had leaked from the air conditioning unit of their holiday villa in Cyprus.

 

Testimonials

Extremely pleased with Michael Dale’s professionalism.  Constantly kept me informed of proceedings and achieved an acceptable end result. The case involved had to be carried out in Corfu where the accident happened, but persistence prevailed by Mr Dale, which had a successful outcome.

June Robatto, Michael's former client

The professional and efficient way my claim was dealt with, all the correspondence keeping me informed at all times and the wonderful outcome for me is allowing me to fulfil one of my dreams – attending the Canadian Grand Prix. Thank you so much.

Margaret Crichton, Michael's former client