By Daily Mirror From travel.aol

Greta Jarasuite and Jerome Anyanwu both needed surgery as a result of the fall

A couple suffered serious injuries when they fell 40ft to the ground after their Caribbean hotel room balcony railings gave way.

Greta Jarasuite was sitting on boyfriend Jerome Anyanwu’s lap on the third-floor balcony of the five-star hotel, when the incident happened.

Retail worker Greta, 26, was taken to hospital with multiple spinal fractures and a fractured arm and needed surgery.

Jerome, 22, who works in customer service, also went under the knife after suffering a fractured left hand and tissue damage to his neck.

The pair are still unable to work nearly six months after the horror holiday fall.

The couple are now taking legal action against tour operator The Holiday Place over the accident at the Hotel Barcelo Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

They paid around £1,000 for the week-long stay last September at the hotel which boasts a five-star rating.

The couple, from west London, were on holiday celebrating Greta’s birthday.

Lithuanian-born Greta had to extend her stay in the Dominican Republic while she received treatment and her mum flew over to be with her in hospital.

Jerome was kept in hospital for eight days before being flown home a week later than planned and he has recently learned that he may require further surgery.

He said: “It was not even the hotel we booked in the first place.

“The Holiday Place change our hotel just three days before we were due to go without giving us a choice of alternatives.

“We had already moved rooms because of a cockroach so we weren’t particularly happy about the hotel.

“One minute we were just sitting on the balcony the next we had fallen three floors and were being taken to hospital.

“I spent the rest of my time in the Dominican Republic in hospital.”

The couple both face a long recovery period with potentially more surgery and challenges to overcome.

Jerome is still regularly visiting his physiotherapist and says his left hand will “never be the same again”.

They are now taking legal action against tour operator The Holiday Place, an independent company whose website says: “We’re here to create an experience you’ll always remember”.

Demetrius Danas, personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Both Jerome and Greta have suffered serious injuries when they were simply trying to enjoy their holiday at the Barcelo Punta Cana.

“We have been asked to investigate what happened and take appropriate legal action for them.

“Our clients rightly have serious concerns about the safety of the railings which gave way suddenly.

“The railings are in place to protect guests but on this occasion they were the cause of the problem.”

A spokesperson for The Holiday Place said: “As the matter is subject to legal proceedings it would be inappropriate for us to comment.”

IMAGES:

Greta’s deep bruising after falling three floors

The pair from West London spent £1,000 on their trip which left them both hospitalised

For more on this story go to; http://travel.aol.co.uk/2017/02/06/couple-fall-from-caribbean-hotel-balcony-after-railings-broke/