What to Do if Injured in a Road Trip Car Crash
PAGE
By PAGE Editor
Nothing ruins a road trip faster than a car crash. Exhaustion, unfamiliar roads, and the careless driving of other people on the road mean that this is a likely possibility, even though you want to avoid it at all costs.
A road trip car crash takes away the very instrument of your trip, your car. Even worse, a car crash could result in an injury far away from home.
You don’t want to think about this happening on a happily anticipated vacation, but it’s still good to know what to do just in case you run into this problem. Here are a few important things to do just in case you get injured on the road.
Get Emergency Attention
The first thing to do if you are injured in a car accident is to seek emergency attention. No matter where you are, nothing matters more than your health and immediate well-being. As soon as you are in a car accident, call an ambulance or get to the emergency room.
Even if you don’t feel pain right away, you want to get examined immediately. Visit urgent care or the emergency room. Because of adrenaline, you may not feel pain right away, even though you are injured. You also want to have it on record that you needed emergency medical attention for future insurance and legal case purposes.
Contact a Lawyer
As soon as you’ve taken care of your immediate medical needs, your second call should be to a lawyer. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, working with a lawyer is the best way to get the compensation you deserve.
Getting into a car accident while on a road trip makes things a little complicated when sorting out jurisdiction issues. Hire a lawyer from the area where the crash occurred. If you got into a car crash in Arizona, you’ll need attorneys in Phoenix who have experience with the local area. They will continue representing you even after you go home to continue your recovery,
If you have a personal lawyer in your hometown, you can try working with them for your accident, but the problem is that in the United States, bar admission is done by state. If a lawyer wants to practice in another state, they have to get admitted to that state’s bar. This adds unnecessary delays (and expenses), so it’s better to find a lawyer who is licensed to practice in the area where the accident occurred.
Figure Out Insurance Policies
Insurance policies are another area of US policy that is usually decided on a state-by-state basis. If you get into a car accident out of state, your insurance coverage may reflect local policies.
All US-based car insurance policies cover vehicles when driving out of state. No matter where in the US (or most of Canada) you experience an accident, your insurance policy will work.
However, some policies may change depending on the state where you had your accident, especially when it comes to no-fault and at-fault states, where laws differ when it comes to whose insurance pays for medical bills. The coverage limit will also adjust to the limits of the state where the accident occurred, not your home state.
Another insurance policy that may change once you cross state lines is your health insurance coverage. Not all insurance companies cover out-of-state healthcare expenses. Although they say that they cover emergency expenses, they may try to challenge expenses such as ambulance rides if they deem that it wasn’t a severe enough emergency.
The complexity of out-of-state insurance policies is another reason why it’s a good idea to contact a lawyer. Having someone with legal experience negotiate with insurance on your behalf will ensure you get the most out of your policies and prevent any attempt by insurance companies to wriggle out of paying their obligations to you.
How to React After a Car Crash While on a Road Trip
Nobody wants to end a road trip in the emergency room, but accidents can happen. It’s important that you know how to react in case an emergency happens.
The most important thing is that you take care of your health. Seek medical attention immediately. Even if the best choice is to finish your recovery at home with your in-network medical team, you should still seek emergency care right away.
The second most important phone call you can make after a car crash is to a lawyer based nearby. While on a road trip, it’s important to find a lawyer who can operate in the jurisdiction where the accident happened and who can navigate the legal system on your behalf.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT FASHION?
COMMENT OR TAKE OUR PAGE READER SURVEY
Featured
Tap to read…