Ryan Mendelson, a 33-year-old man from Manchester, has been awarded £18,000 in compensation after suffering a serious knee injury during a package holiday in Cape Verde. The incident occurred at the Hotel RIU Touareg, a resort operated by RIU Hotels and Resorts and sold in partnership with travel company TUI. What began as a routine holiday with his mother in January last year ended in hospital treatment, surgery, prolonged physical pain, and lasting psychological distress after a member of the hotel’s entertainment team kneed him in the back of the leg without warning.
The case has since raised wider questions about staff conduct at holiday resorts, guest safety, and the responsibilities of international hotel operators when injuries occur on their premises. Ryan Mendelson has consistently described the incident as an unprovoked assault, rejecting the suggestion that it was light-hearted or playful behaviour. Medical evidence later confirmed significant ligament damage to his knee, ultimately requiring surgery once he returned to the UK.
The compensation award followed legal action supported by Hudgell Solicitors, specialists in accidents abroad, who argued that the injury and the hotel’s subsequent handling of the situation amounted to serious mistreatment of a guest. While RIU Hotels and Resorts has apologised and acknowledged the distress caused, the case highlights the potentially severe consequences of inappropriate staff interactions and failures in immediate care.
The Incident at the Poolside Bar
The injury occurred while Ryan Mendelson was standing at the bar-pool area of the Hotel RIU Touareg, talking to two fellow holidaymakers he had met during his stay. According to his account, the incident happened suddenly and without any form of warning. A member of the hotel’s animation or entertainment team approached him from behind and kneed him sharply in the back of the knee. Mr Mendelson said he immediately felt his knee “click, twist and go out of place” before he collapsed to the ground.
He described the fall in stark terms, saying he “fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes” and was left in immediate shock, unable to move. The pain was severe, and he remained seated on the poolside ground for around 30 minutes under the hot sun while other guests attempted to help him by pouring water over him. During this time, he said there were no trained first aiders available near the pool area and no hotel staff who could provide proper assistance.
When a wheelchair eventually arrived from reception, Ryan Mendelson noted that it was unsuitable for his condition, as it did not have a raised leg support to accommodate his injured knee. The same staff member who had kneed him, and whom Mr Mendelson later described as having “attacked” him, was left to escort him to reception because there was no one else available to assist. Although the employee repeatedly apologised, Mr Mendelson made it clear that he did not consider the act friendly or playful. He stated that he had never engaged in any banter with the staff member and did not know him personally.
Mr Mendelson criticised what he described as an atmosphere of over-familiarity among some resort staff, saying he had previously observed how close entertainment workers could get to guests. However, he stressed that this incident crossed any acceptable boundary, calling it “totally unacceptable” and characterising it as an unprovoked physical assault rather than a misunderstanding.
Medical Consequences and Disrupted Travel
Following the incident, Ryan Mendelson required hospital treatment in Cape Verde. The severity of his injury meant that he was unable to fly home as scheduled the following day. Instead, he was forced to remain at the resort for an additional night while awaiting discharge from hospital. This delay caused further distress for both him and his mother, who had been travelling with him.
Compounding their frustration, Ryan Mendelson said that hotel staff initially demanded payment for the extra night’s accommodation, despite the fact that he was stranded due to injuries caused by one of the hotel’s own employees. According to his account, the issue was only resolved after his mother threatened to contact media outlets to publicise what had happened, even if it meant remaining at the hotel overnight without accommodation. The bill was eventually settled, but Mr Mendelson said the situation added to the emotional strain of an already traumatic experience.
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When he eventually returned to the UK, medical assessments revealed the full extent of the damage. An MRI scan showed that Ryan Mendelson had torn his medial patellofemoral ligament, a significant knee injury that often affects stability and mobility. He was advised that surgery was necessary to repair the damage, a procedure that marked the beginning of a long recovery process.
Even after surgery, Mr Mendelson reported that his knee has never fully returned to normal. He continues to experience intermittent pain, particularly in cold weather, and has had to adapt to ongoing physical discomfort. In addition to the physical consequences, he also sought psychological support, attending weekly therapy sessions to address the mental impact of the incident. He has spoken openly about the emotional toll of being injured abroad, describing the experience of being unable to fly home as “soul-destroying”.
The financial impact of the injury extended beyond medical treatment. Due to his condition, Mr Mendelson had to pay for two seats on his flight home to accommodate his injured leg, adding further costs to an already stressful situation. These factors were all taken into account during the legal process that ultimately led to the compensation award.
Legal Action, Apology, and Wider Implications
Mr Mendelson was represented by Hudgell Solicitors, with accident abroad specialist Paul Rimmer playing a key role in the case. Mr Rimmer described the incident as extraordinary, stating that it amounted to a physical assault by an employee of a world-renowned hotel chain. He argued that Mr Mendelson was mistreated from the very beginning, not only through the initial injury but also in the hotel’s response afterward.
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Mr Rimmer was particularly critical of the decision to ask the Mendelsons to pay for an additional night’s stay, calling it a disgrace given that they were stranded because of the actions of a staff member. The legal team contended that the hotel failed in its duty of care to ensure guest safety and to provide appropriate assistance following an injury.
TUI was approached for comment, but the response was provided by RIU Hotels and Resorts, reflecting the partnership between the two companies in selling holiday packages. In its statement, RIU expressed regret over the injury sustained by Mr Mendelson and apologised for the pain and distress caused. The company described the incident as stemming from a “misguided attempt at a playful interaction” by a member of the entertainment team and stated that there was never any intention to cause harm.
RIU confirmed that the matter had been fully investigated and that it had now been settled with the customer. The company reiterated its commitment to guest safety and wellbeing, stating that it makes daily efforts to prevent incidents of this nature. A resort representative also emphasised that the staff member involved had not intended to cause injury.
Despite the apology and settlement, the case has drawn attention to broader issues within the holiday industry. It highlights the importance of clear boundaries between staff and guests, particularly in environments where entertainment teams are encouraged to engage closely with holidaymakers. It also underscores the need for adequate first aid provision and trained staff to respond promptly and effectively when accidents or injuries occur.
For Mr Mendelson, the compensation award represents recognition of the harm he suffered, but it does not erase the long-term consequences of the incident. His experience serves as a reminder that even moments framed as harmless fun can have serious repercussions when safety and consent are disregarded. The case stands as a cautionary example for hotels and tour operators, reinforcing the responsibility they hold to protect guests and to respond appropriately when things go wrong.