Vacation is, or rather should be, a time to relax, recharge and above all, have quality time with your family. Unfortunately, life is unpredictable and imperfect in all aspects, and sometimes, accidents and serious injuries can occur when you’re on the road.
Key Steps to Protect Your Rights After Getting Injured on Vacation
Having a clear idea of how to proceed in the event of a vacation injury gives you peace of mind, and allows you to better focus on mitigating the injuries when they do occur. Whether you are injured during a cruise, at a hotel, during a forest hike, or just sightseeing in a foreign city, here are the 6 steps to take to protect your rights and interest:
- Notify Someone
If you get injured when visiting a store or museum or at a hotel, the first thing you need to do is inform someone in the establishment, preferably the manager. Similarly, if you’re involved in a car accident, notify the local police immediately and don’t leave the scene. Reporting an accident may seem like just another formality, but it sure does help in case you want to file a personal injury claim.
- Document The Accident
After reporting the accident to concerned parties, the next logical thing to do is to document crucial evidence pertaining to the accident. This is all easy peasy if you own a smartphone, tablet or digital camera.
Ideally, take pictures, or videos of the scene and any injuries you may have suffered. It is essential to do this before the police or medics arrive, as they may interfere with vital evidence during evacuation.
- Seek Medical Care
In case of any injuries, no matter how minor, make a point of seeing a physician for medical attention and documentation. The medical report you get therein will serve as the foundation of your claims, should you decide to file one.
- Collect Additional Information
Apart from documenting the scene of the accident, it is also advisable to collect additional information, such as the contacts of other involved drivers, witnesses or establishment staff. Also, if the physician you contacted is not your family physician, be sure to collect both their contact information and their facility’s name and address.
- Contact Your Insurance Company
First things first, it is advisable to get travel insurance cover whenever you’re traveling outside your country. If you have one, contact them as soon as you’re done with the above step. Notably, it’s counterproductive to discuss fault with them before the investigations are complete.
- Talk To A Personal Injury Attorney
Consult a credible personal injury attorney as soon as you get your medical report or, if you’re back home, as soon as you start noticing symptoms arising from a vacation accident. The attorney will listen to you, look at your physician’s note and advise on whether you have a valid claim and which jurisdiction you should file them in.
