Holiday season is just around the corner and many of us are busily preparing for our end-of-year getaways, whether an overseas trip or a family get together a couple of hours drive away. Unfortunately, injuries are always a possibility, especially when fun is being had!
While they are usually minor, like twisted ankles or horrible sunburns that we cringe about on our first day back at the office, more serious injuries can and do happen.
If you are unlucky enough to sustain a serious injury while travelling or on holidays, there are four things you can do in order to help maximise the amount of potential compensation from any personal injury claim you may have.
1. Seek medical advice
This sounds like a no-brainer, but if you are on holidays, you might be tempted to ignore an injury so as not to ruin your trip. However, if you have sustained what could potentially be a serious injury, it is important to obtain medical advice or attention as soon as possible. This way, you will be able to identify the nature and extent of the injury and prevent your condition from worsening. Similarly, it will set up a paper trail of your diagnosis and treatment, so you can prove to a potential defendant or its insurer that the injuries are related to the accident, as you claim.
2. Take photos of the scene of the injury
Make sure that you, or somebody who is with you if you are too injured, take a detailed photographic record of the location where you were injured and any relevant objects or items. For example, if you fell off a balcony, you should take photos showing the condition of the balcony, where you landed, where any debris fell and, obviously, photos of any injuries. You should also make written notes of what happened, details of any witnesses, any assistance you
received and anything else you consider relevant to jog your memory later. This is particularly important if you are travelling overseas, because you will likely find it difficult to contact or revisit the scene of your injury down the track.
3. Report your injury
Depending on where you were injured, make sure the relevant entity is notified straight away. If you were injured in a business, contact the manager or business owner. If you are overseas and unsure who the relevant person to contact is, contact the local police and, potentially, the Australian embassy or consulate, who may be able to assist you with any further contacts and possibly provide emergency medical support, if required.
4. Obtain legal advice
Do not be tempted to wait until you return home before you make contact with specialist personal injury lawyers, who can provide you with competent advice and guidance on the next steps. You might want to consider taking the contact details of a reputable Australian law firm with you, to make sure you are not scrambling around for this information in an emergency. In particular, you should avoid accepting any offers of compensation or settlement made by the party responsible for your injury unless you have been so advised by your lawyers, as this is likely to affect your chances of reopening your claim later.
Being injured when you are away from home can be a very frightening and disorienting experience. Minimise your stress and its impact on your recovery by trying to stay as calm as possible, collecting all relevant information about the incident and seeking legal advice on your options as soon as possible after your injury.
About Law Partners
Law Partners is a trusted specialist personal injury law firm that specialises in motor vehicle accident, workers compensation, superannuation/total and permanent disability, public liability and medical negligence claims. The firm has helped thousands of people who have suffered personal injury to access entitlements that make a difference to their quality of life. www.lawpartners.com.au
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