Whether you’re hitting the highway on a midwest road trip or satisfying your sense of adventure by hiking, jetskiing, or even skydiving – knowing what to do in the event of an accident is critical.
After all, this can help ensure you receive the care and support you need, even if you’re not in your home country.
With that in mind, here’s a guide on the steps you should take if you are injured while travelling.
Seek out medical help or assistance. It goes without saying that the first thing you should do when it comes to getting injured abroad is seek out medical help and assistance. Even if you feel relatively okay, there’s no harm in getting a second opinion – after all, the symptoms of certain medical conditions can take time to present themselves. Furthermore, getting help sooner rather than later can help with recovery.
If you are staying in a country where English is not the first language, then you may want to ask for a translator when you arrive. This will make the process of communicating with health professionals a little more straightforward. However, online translator tools can be similarly useful.
Contact your insurance provider. It goes without saying that you should never travel without first paying for medical insurance. Not only that, but they should be one of the first people you contact after getting injured abroad. This is because the process of making a claim can take some time, meaning the sooner you get started, the better, especially if you’re facing rising medical bills and expenses.
Be sure to provide your insurance company with as much information as possible. This could include:
- Medical reports and prescriptions
- Medical bills/fees
- Photographs (if appropriate)
- Witness statements/testimonies
Listen to medical advice. Nobody wants to cut their vacation plans short or to miss out on activities they’ve been looking forward to. However, if the professionals in charge of your care offer this advice, it is important that you listen to them and prioritze your recovery. After all, failing to do so will only make your current predicament worse, meaning that you’ll be dealing with the aftermath of the accident for far longer than necessary.
Reach out to a lawyer. If you have been injured while traveling and are not at fault, then you should be sure to reach out to local personal injury lawyers, too. They will be able to provide you with practical advice and guidance on the steps that you can take to receive compensation and ensure that the appropriate legal action is taken. For example, this can help you to cover the cost of medical fees, any additional time you’ll need to take off work and more.
However, before committing to a specific lawyer, be sure to do plenty of research. For example, you should look for a lawyer who has worked on similar cases beforehand, which can increase your chances of making a successful claim. You should also check out the reviews they have received from previous clients, which will give you further confidence in your decision.