The last thing you expected was to get injured on vacation, but here you are. Don’t add insult to injury. Here are a few tips on what to do next with an injury abroad.
Seek Treatment
If you’re injured on vacation, the first thing you have to do is go to the hospital. Those who are fortunate to have health insurance should find out where you can go to use that health insurance. If your health insurance doesn’t cover you where you are (and most domestic plans will not) then hopefully you thought ahead and purchased travel insurance.
If not, you’ll have to work something out with the hospital, but the most important thing is to get treated as soon as you can. Save all paperwork regarding your stay because your lawyer and insurance provider will want this information.
Get a Local Lawyer
People are sometimes tempted to hire a lawyer from back home. Maybe you aren’t sure who to trust where you are, or maybe you just feel more comfortable talking to a lawyer back home, but this would be a mistake.
Find a lawyer in the city where you were injured. For instance, if you’re injured in an automotive collision, you’ll want to research car accident attorneys nearby to find the right one to help with your specific situation. The laws in each state and country are different. Lawyers back home may know the law in their state, but they’re unfamiliar with those in another state or country.
Document Your Injuries
If you’re thinking of involving the law, you must document the injuries. You want to take pictures of your injuries, and you want to take pictures of the scene where the accident happened.
All of this documentation should help the lawyer serve you better. Be sure to consider writing down some details about the accident. There’s no telling how long it’ll be before you face a judge, so the more details you write down, the better for you.
Report the Incident
Do your best to have the incident reported by the local police. Call the local police and tell them what happened. There’s no need to go into detail, and never admit to anything; just tell them to report on what happened. Having the incident documented is a good thing for everyone involved.
If you are in a country where they speak a different language from your own, be sure to tell the police department you are a foreigner so that they send someone who can communicate with you. It’s better to say this early because it’s not easy to find someone who can talk to you.
Keep All the Receipts
The next thing you want to do is make sure you keep all your receipts. Depending on the incident, you’re probably going to have to deal with some expenses, like hospital bills.
If the incident forces you to stay longer than intended, you might end up purchasing a new return ticket because your old date wasn’t going to work for you anymore. All of these expenses should be taken care of by the party responsible, so you need proof to improve the chances of that happening.
These are some things you should be doing if you get injured during your vacation. This is a real shame, but after all of this, you may be able to get back to enjoying your vacation. Consider mapping things out with a handicap transportation charter instead.
