Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, can come with a slew of stressors and extra responsibilities. And just as anywhere else, accidents and injuries can occur while on vacation, leaving families confused as to how to make a claim for compensation for an injury caused by someone’s negligence. Follow along as we share some of the most important personal injury facts and causes related to the most common types of claims.
Luckily, the process of seeking compensation for an injury sustained due to another’s actions or inability to act follows the same general themes and processes regardless of where in the US you might be. And personal injury is a general term used for a large variety of actionable offenses, including:
- Auto accidents
- Slip and falls
- Wrongful deaths
- Product injuries
- Animal-related injuries (dog bites, etc.)
- And much more
According to Trent Law, if you’re involved in a personal injury incident while on vacation, make sure you document and conserve all available evidence as quickly as possible. For example, in an auto accident, one of the most common types of personal injury incidents, there are several immediate steps you should take to ensure that evidence is preserved and to support your future claim for damages. These include:
- Call 911 to report the vehicle accident.
- If you are injured, seek medical attention immediately. Often, the effects of an auto accident can take hours or even days to manifest. Seeking medical attention early and often is the best way to protect yourself from further harm.
- Communicate your side of the story with responding officers. A detailed police report is one of the most important pieces of unbiased evidence in a personal injury claim. Ensuring the police officer on scene has a strong understanding of the events that transpired can help expedite your personal injury claim and ensure that all facts are readily available in the courtroom.
- Take photographs of everything available. Photographs are one of the primary forms of physical evidence in personal injury claims. Photos of injuries, damages to property, and similar evidence can be used to substantiate your claim in the future.
- Make sure you have other supporting documentation from any accident investigation. For example, in a vehicle accident in which one driver was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a subsequent arrest report may be a useful piece of evidence in proving the negligence of the at fault driver.
- Contact your insurance company and inform them of the incident. However, avoid giving written or recorded statements to the insurance company. Consult an attorney to ensure that your claim is communicated effectively.
If you suffer an accident while on vacation, it’s important to consult with a locally licensed attorney to explore your options and discuss the process of making a claim. If you are involved in a personal injury accident on vacation in another state, the process of filing a claim can be more complex, primarily because some states may have different evidence or filing requirements. Additional factors may complicate your situation, such as a driver who is driving under the influence or being injured in a hit-and-run accident.
A hit and run is when an individual causes a motor vehicle accident and flees the scene before communicating with you or the police. Engaging in a hit and run is a crime. If you are a victim of a hit and run on vacation, you may face more difficulty identifying the at-fault driver and completing a successful claim. As a result, it is imperative to immediately contact the police after being involved in an auto accident.
Being involved in a personal injury accident away from home can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. Personal injury claims can require the expertise of a licensed local attorney. When seeking legal remedies outside of your home state, you likely will need to contact an attorney from the area in which your incident occurred to satisfy licensing and jurisdictional requirements. For example, if you live in California but are injured in Texas, an attorney licensed to practice in your home state may not be credentialed to represent you in your claim in Texas.
Generally speaking, when you file an action for a personal injury incident, it should be in the place or jurisdiction where the injury occurred. Rarely, plaintiffs may be able to file suit in the state in which they reside.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a personal injury incident while traveling on vacation or for business, consult an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure that your rights and interests are protected. The vast majority of personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t be out of pocket for seeking the compensation you deserve. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on what’s most important: following your doctor’s instructions and seeking a speedy and effective recovery. Thanks to contingency fee agreements, personal injury victims can seek out legal counsel and ensure that their interests are protected. Attorneys who work on contingency fees are paid when you win your case in court, making it possible for many people to pursue personal injury claims.
