For most people, there is nothing better than going on vacation! Some people spend all year saving so they can have that one or two-week vacation per year. However, a vacation can soon turn into a nightmare if an accident happens. Not only is getting injured in another country frustrating because it ruins your entire holiday, but it can be a bit scary too. After all, you are in a completely different country, and healthcare may not be what you are used to. Not only this, but you need to think about whether your insurance covers you and if you have the basis for a claim if the accident was not your fault. There is a lot to take into account. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the rules of dealing with an illness or injury while abroad.
Gather evidence – The first thing you need to do if you have suffered an injury while traveling is make sure you write down as much as possible about what happened to you. If possible, take photographs of your injuries, as well as any damage at the scene. You should also keep proof of all accident-related costs, including your medical bills, as well as making note of how the injury has impacted your life and your holiday. Make sure you get the doctor’s official written report given to you, as well as obtaining a record regarding the dates when you visited a hospital, clinic, or doctor. If anyone witnessed the accident, you should get their contact information, as witness statements can really boost your claim if you do decide to make one.
Make sure you have health insurance before you travel – Of course, this piece of advice is not very helpful if you have already sustained an injury. Nevertheless, if you are simply trying to be prepared, make sure you do not forget to take out travel insurance. You can find some tips on choosing the right travel insurance policy for you at www.independent.co.uk. A lot of people assume that this is an unnecessary expense, but that is most certainly not the case. If you fall ill while on holiday and you do not have insurance in place to cover the costs, you could find yourself with a medical bill that amounts to thousands and thousands of pounds. Moreover, in some countries foreigners are not allowed to use the medical service unless they have some form of insurance in place, so this is definitely a huge risk that you do not want to take.
Report the incident – Another step you need to take is to report the incident to the package holiday organiser. This is important because you need to have an official record of what has happened to you. if you do not tell anyone what has happened, it becomes more difficult to prove.
Hire a lawyer – If the accident was not your fault, there is every chance that you will be able to make a personal injury claim. You can find out more about this at www.derricklawfirm.com. In order to make a claim, you must prove that you were entitled to a duty of care by the person that was responsible, that this duty of care was breached, and finally, that this resulted in the injury or illness you have experienced. For example, if you were taking a tour and the coach crashed, the holiday company responsible for the tour would be deemed responsible. Moreover, if you suffered from severe food poisoning because of something you ate at the hotel, the hotel would be deemed to blame. It is vital to make a claim so you can cover all of the costs associated with your injury. This does not only include the medical costs, but you will be covered for any out-of-pocket expenses, including loss of income because you have had to miss time off work while you recover, as well as travel costs and counselling expenses.
So there you have it: the steps you should take if you suffer an illness or injury while you are abroad. This can be an exceptionally frustrating and upsetting experience. However, if you follow the advice that has been mentioned above, you can ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible so that you don’t end up with an even bigger nightmare on your hands.
