After a few months of thinking it over, you’ve finally came to a decision about travelling abroad. You think that you deserve the break since you’ve been working hard and haven’t taken much time off in years. But since you’re unfamiliar with where you’re going, you want to ensure your safety as a pedestrian at all times because you believe this is one way for you to fully enjoy the trip. And while this might be true, would you know what to do when all of your efforts to be safe are compromised? Do you know how to deal with a traffic accident abroad? This article can help you answer all of those questions.
When you’re involved in a traffic accident abroad, you should:
Never leave the scene of the accident.
Even if there were no visible injuries to your body because of the accident, never leave the scene of the accident. Wait until the authorities actually come to your aide and once they do, make sure that you report to them everything you remember from both before and during the accident. Report if you were walking along the pedestrian lane or if the driver was speeding and that caused the accident. All of these details, even the little ones, can go a long way in the investigation to determine who is at fault.
Seek medical help right away.
Again, just because you were able to stand up after the accident, doesn’t mean that you’re okay and safe. You don’t have the background to diagnose yourself – only medical practitioners can do that. This is the reason you seek medical help right away. The moment you’re able to talk to your doctors, tell them all about any pain or discomfort that you’re feeling even if these are not directly linked to the accident. Be honest about how you’re feeling and never try to hide or deny any symptoms. Time is important in this phase because if you wait for weeks before meeting up with your doctor, the other party might think that your injuries aren’t so severe that they require compensation – and this is something that can affect your case when you’re planning to file one in court.
Gather pieces of evidence.
Your claim that you were a victim of an accident will be weak if you don’t have any evidence to prove that it actually happened. Your smartphone and other devices can come in handy for this purpose. When you’re a victim of an accident, take pictures of the road conditions, the damages in the vehicles and the injuries you’ve sustained. All of these will give teeth to your case and prove that you were really hurt because of what happened.
Talk to witnesses.
Since the accident happened on the road, there are likely a handful of people or more who were able to witness the accident. Once you know who these people are, talk to them and ask them to be your witnesses. Calmly do this, because if you do this when you’re agitated, you might scare them off. Once they agree, ask for their full names and contact numbers just in case the court will need their presence during proceedings.
Travel and Explore but Be Safe
Travelling abroad, for whatever reason, can be exciting and broaden your horizons. You get to experience new things which can energize you to continue meeting your responsibilities at school, work or home. But you can’t bask in the different wonders a new location has to offer if you’re involved in a traffic accident. And when this happens, it’s best that you work with a pedestrian accident lawyer like this one here.
Never attempt to handle everything by yourself as this can only result in a bad situation. If you don’t have any idea how to deal with a traffic accident in another country, you can end up trampling over other people’s rights, and even your own. Keep in mind the things presented in this article, and you’ll know what to do and what not to do if you’re involved in a traffic accident abroad.