Travel is exciting. Generally speaking, this is a good thing. But, sometimes a trip can turn out to be eventful for the wrong reasons.
The last thing you need is to have a car accident, even a small one, while you are traveling. It puts a real dampener on things and if you do not take the right action an event like that can carry on having a negative impact on your life even after you get home. With this in mind, I thought I would put together a few tips to help you to navigate what can be a tricky situation.
Call a lawyer
Regardless of where you are, it is wise to speak to a car accident attorney after an accident. In particular, if someone has been hurt or it looks like there could be a lot of damage. .
You can never be sure where these cases will lead, so having the support of a lawyer is useful. Most car accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation. So, you can use that to ask them what to do next and ascertain if you are likely to need their services.
It is best to start by explaining that you have had your accident while vacationing. This will enable them to advise you about whether you need to hire a lawyer close to where you live or where you had the accident.
Notify the insurance firm
Also, ask them about what to say when speaking to the insurance firm. You will definitely need to contact them. Usually, there is a time limit for doing this, so be aware of this and make sure you comply.
But, you will need to be careful about what you say. Regardless of where you are in the world, it is not wise to admit blame.
Notify the car hire firm
If you were driving a hire car, at the time of your accident, you normally have to notify them too. Again, your lawyer will be able to advise you about what to say.
This will ensure that you do not inadvertently end up taking the blame or agreeing to pay for something you shouldn’t. You need to speak to your car hire firm within the timescales agreed when you signed the contract.
Follow the local rules and regulations
Before you leave home, you need to have familiarized yourself with driving rules of the area you were traveling to. There are differences. For example, you have to understand how serious an accident has to be for it to be obligatory to call the police to the scene of the accident. In some parts of the world, you have to deploy warning triangles and put on high visibility vests. Not knowing and complying with these special rules can get you in a lot of trouble.
Contact your travel insurance provider too
Wherever you travel to you should always buy a good travel insurance policy that includes cover for medical emergencies. Most of the time, this is how your medical expenses will be covered. But, as you can see here if you are held responsible for the accident you will almost certainly be liable for the other party’s medical expenses. That is why it is very important to only hire a car if good car insurance is included.