Injured on vacation out-of-state? Here’s what to do.

Personal Injury - April 21, 2022

Vacations are meant to be fun and restful, and certainly no one expects to come home injured. Unfortunately, sometimes people do get injured while out-of-state while on vacation. All too often, the accidents that cause these injuries are the result of someone else’s negligence. 

There are many ways that injuries can happen while away on a trip. Tourist attractions can be poorly maintained, excursion activities can be dangerous or unmarked, and hotel restaurants can serve contaminated food.

If you’re out-of-state on vacation and injured, here’s what to do as soon as possible after the accident.

1. Seek prompt medical attention

First, as with any injury, you should always seek medical attention immediately after the accident. Even if you’re feeling fine right afterwards, you should still see a doctor. Some injuries have delayed onset of symptoms, and getting prompt medical attention could improve your chances of recovering—or even save your life. Make sure to keep thorough documentation of your doctor’s visits. 

2. Report the accident to the appropriate party

Next, you should report the accident to the responsible person or organization, if you can identify one. This is typically based on the location where the accident occurred. If the incident happened on a hotel or resort property, then you should report it to the owner or manager. If your accident occurred while renting a boat or jet ski, you should report it to the rental company. If injured at a tourist attraction, ask an employee to contact a manager and report the accident directly to them. In any of these situations, they’ll likely have you fill out an incident report, so be sure to get a copy of that before you leave. Additionally, if you believe any laws were broken, inform the police, file a report, and obtain a copy for your records. 

3. Gather evidence before heading home

The most important step to take before you leave to return home is to gather documentation concerning the accident. Take photos and videos of the site of the incident, photograph your injuries from multiple angles, and get statements from witnesses along with their contact information, if possible. All of this, plus copies of your medical records and the reports you filed, will help you build your case when you return home and hire a personal injury lawyer.

4. Notify your insurance company of the accident

You should also notify your insurance company of the accident. Let them know briefly what happened and that you were injured. Don’t feel the need to go too in-depth. Once you hire an attorney, they can help you handle correspondence with your insurance company. This is advised because sometimes people reveal too much detail and could say something that results in your insurance company refusing to provide coverage in some situations. 

5. Speak with an experienced personal injury attorney

Lastly, speak with a personal injury attorney who has experience with these types of cases. If you are going to file a personal injury lawsuit, you’ll need a powerful legal team to help you develop your claim, prove negligence of another party, and prepare your case for trial. 

Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates will help you do all of those things and more. You may recover damages for your injuries if you can prove they were caused by someone else’s negligence. An attorney will go over your legal options and develop a strategy with you. 

Common injuries people experience out-of-state on vacation

As we mentioned above, there are many ways people become injured while vacationing in another state, but here are a few of the most prevalent ones.

Car accidents

Driving through different states with unfamiliar terrain can be disorienting, and if you add negligent drivers or poorly maintained roads to the mix, wrecks are bound to happen. Car accidents are the most common cause of injury on vacation.

Slip and falls

Tourist attractions, hotels, and restaurants where you may go on vacation could have hazards, such as uneven or wet floors. If there are no warning signs alerting you to the hazard, you could easily slip and fall. Slip-and-fall injuries account for a significant portion of the injuries vacationers experience while traveling out-of-state. 

Food poisoning

When you are on vacation, you are more likely to eat out, and that comes with an increased potential risk of food poisoning. Dirty kitchens, unhygienic staff, and contaminated ingredients can cause restaurant patrons to be exposed to food poisoning. Illness and long-term health consequences from food poisoning are another common cause of injury on vacation. 

Injured on vacation? Let us help.

If you were injured on vacation, Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates will help you. Our team of experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys is prepared to assess your case, help you prove that a negligent party was responsible for your injuries, and award you compensation for damages.

Call (800) 985-1819 to schedule your free case consultation with a personal injury attorney from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates.