You’ve meticulously planned out your vacation itinerary, travel arrangements, and leisure activities, but you can’t plan for a slip-and-fall accident on a cruise ship, or hitting your head at the hotel pool. Life happens, even on vacation. If you injure yourself while traveling in Orlando or on holiday to destinations abroad, some simple rules apply to help you take action while the incident is still fresh.
What to do immediately after the accident:
1. Notify the person in charge. If you’re on hotel, cruise, restaurant, or attraction property and you’ve been injured on vacation, describe what happened to a person of authority so they can help secure the dangerous area and arrange for swift medical care. If you’re in the middle of Disney World, for instance, there’s no reason to limp to the exits when there’s a well-trained medical staff in the park ready to assist. When you report the incident, the facility will most likely fill out an accident report, which you should ask for a copy of.
2. Document what happened. After an accident, protect yourself by collecting names and contact information of witnesses. Take photographs of the area and any evidence that might back up your vacation injury claim.
Another day in paradise…or is it?
3. Keep records of your medical care. Depending on the severity of your injury, many medical providers might be involved in your care: first responders, an emergency room team, your local physician, a physical therapist. All of these people produce paperwork, which you should keep in an easy-to-access, well-organized place. When an insurance company asks you to produce a receipt from 4 months ago, you’ll be prepared.
4. Assess the damage. After you receive care, it’s critical that you follow exact medical instructions, both from the perspective of healing your injury and receiving reimbursement from an insurance company and/or pursuing a liability suit. When you set foot on a property, such as a resort or cruise ship, you have the reasonable expectation that you are entering a safe environment. When this principle–known as “premises liability”–is violated and you get injured on vacation, you might have legal recourse. A well-qualified personal injury attorney will be able to advise you on your options; we are here to help travelers to Orlando who have been injured while on vacation in our town.
A free consultation with Orlando lawyer Jeff Badgley can guide you through the insurance and liability process. Call us today at 407-781-0420.