Milton Keynes man recruits lawyers to find out how he caught  Legionnaires’ disease

Robert Forbes arranged a week’s stay at a four-star Austrian hotel to celebrate his wife Ilona’s 40th birthday in January.

He started to feel unwell towards the end of the holiday and by the time the family returned home he was experiencing shortness of breath, diarrhoea, confusion and fatigue

Following a trip to the walk-in centre, samples were taken and he tested positive for Legionella.

The illness proved so severe that Robert was hospitalised for two weeks. He has still not made a full recovery and has had to have weeks off work.

Robert, who lives in Monkston, has now instructed Irwin Mitchell’s specialist International Personal Injury team to determine whether his illness is linked to his holiday.

His lawyer Clare Pearson, said: “Robert is understandably upset and frustrated by the illness issues he faced following his break. A case of this nature really puts a spotlight on the massive impact that holiday illness problems can have, with Robert not only requiring time in hospital but also needing weeks off work.”

Clare added: “Through our work we are sadly all too aware of the devastating consequences of Legionnaires’ disease and there are strict guidelines in place to help control the development of the bacteria that causes the disease. We are now investigating how Robert fell ill and are determined to help him obtain answers.”

Robert’s stay at the Hotel Bellevue Hotel in Obergurgl with Ilona and their four-year-old daughter, Leyla, was booked through Crystal Ski holidays - a trading name of TUI UK Ltd.

He said: “It is hugely worrying that this has happened and I just want to know why it did. I hope that by taking this step lessons can be learned so no one else has to face what I have.

“This was supposed to be a special break to celebrate my wife’s birthday , yet now we’re bound to only remember it for all of the wrong reasons.”

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria It is usually caught by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.