You’re on a much-needed vacation when suddenly you get injured. Perhaps you get bitten by a snake while hiking, involved in a slip-and-fall accident while shopping, or hit a reckless driver while on the road.
Regardless of the injury sustained, there are a few steps you should follow with the hopes of getting back in “vacation mode.”
1. Seek Medical Treatment
Your safety and health always come first. After an injury, call an ambulance or notify the people you’re traveling with that you need medical attention. Even if everything looks OK, getting evaluated by a medical professional ensures there are no internal injuries.
2. Make the Right Phone Calls
You need to get in touch with a few individuals after an injury.
Let’s say you were involved in a car accident while vacationing in beautiful Boynton Beach. You first need to call the local authorities to file a police report. This document will be helpful if you later need to hire a Boynton Beach personal injury attorney. A police report offers solid evidence to support your personal injury claim.
Then, you’ll need to call your car rental company and tell them about the accident. They’ll provide you with instructions on how to move forward and typically issue a replacement vehicle. If you have travel insurance, call your provider, as there may be some benefits that you can use to help you navigate the situation.
3. Collect Evidence
Even if you don’t plan on filing a claim, take pictures of the incident, document where you got injured, and collect as much information as possible.
If you’re not in a condition to gather evidence at the time of the accident, see if a witness can do it for you. If you decide to seek compensation for your injuries, you’ll be glad you have solid proof of what happened.
4. Readjust Your Plans
Updating your travel itinerary doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You may have to cancel or move a few plans around to make room for the issue at hand. After all, seeking medical treatment immediately after an injury helps avoid future, long-term injury.
Call around, change reservations, and see if your hotel and airlines can accommodate your new situation. Instead of missing out on your reservations, call (or have someone else call) to see if rescheduling is possible.
And, of course, you’ll need to figure out how you’ll safely get back home. You may need to wait 24 hours before flying for major injuries like broken bones. Most airlines won’t allow you to travel if you have a freshly fitted cast.
Final Thoughts
Getting injured while vacationing is unfortunate, but you can bounce back. You’ll need to get checked out by a doctor for minor injuries. You might even be able to continue your trip as if nothing happened. For more severe injuries, you’ll need to contact a personal injury attorney, collect evidence, and most likely, readjust your plans.
Knowing how to navigate the aftermath of an injury while traveling will make these experiences less stressful. Safe travels!