Car Wreck While on Vacation? Follow These Specific Steps

When you’re on a vacation, you expect everything to go well. You aren’t expecting to find yourself in the middle of a car wreck. But unfortunately, car wrecks don’t take vacations. You can be involved in one whether you’re riding around town or cruising down the interstate on the other side of the country.

5 Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Car accidents are jarring. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fender-bender at a stoplight or a serious collision on the interstate, car accidents can quickly throw you for a loop. And if you’re on vacation – where you are already totally out of your normal surroundings – it’s that much more frustrating, scary, and uncomfortable.

Here are a few steps you can take:

1. Check for Injuries

The first step is to always check for injuries. Start with yourself and then turn your attention to anyone else in your vehicle. Always perform a visual check to make sure there are no obvious injuries. Your body produces adrenaline in emergency situations like this and it’s easy for injuries to initially go undetected.

“Adrenaline can do amazing things, including masking pretty significant pain for several hours or even most of a day. This means that in some cases, it takes a while to fully understand the extent of injuries,” Peterson Chiropractic mentions. “After an accident, even if you don’t feel any specific pain, we recommend waiting at least 24 hours to fully assess things.”

Any lacerations, broken bones, scrapes, or contusions will be apparent right away. However, things like traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, and back and neck trauma can take several hours or days to become apparent.

2. Report the Accident

Make sure you report the accident immediately by calling 911. Not only is this required by law, but it creates a legal record and documentation of the incident (which is important for insurance claims).

“It is important to note that if you fail to report an accident, it can be considered a hit and run, which will have serious repercussions on your financial responsibility when it comes to handling auto body repairs and transmission repair for the other party involved in the accident,” The Brown Minimalist explains.

Calling 911 also ensures the proper medical professionals and EMS are dispatched to the scene of the accident. This starts medical documentation of the event and can provide valuable evidence should you pursue an injury claim.

3. Get Treatment

If your injuries are serious, EMS will obviously take you to the hospital. However, if injuries are moderate and/or everything seems to be fine, they’ll give you a choice of whether or not you want to go to the emergency room. And even though it’s tempting to say no – you’re on vacation after all – it’s highly recommended. At worst, fast treatment rules out anything serious. At best, fast treatment could save your life.

4. Call a Local Attorney

Once you’re in stable condition, call a local car accident attorney. (While you can technically call an attorney from back home, you should know that car accident laws change from state to state. By contacting an attorney in the state in which the accident occurred, you’ll benefit from their local expertise.) Most accident attorneys will offer a free initial consultation without making you commit to full representation.

5. Contact Insurance Company

Once you’ve spoken with attorneys, you’ll need to contact your insurance company to report the incident. If you were driving a rental car, you’ll also need to contact the rental car company. (They may have additional insurance that will require you to report the incident again.)

Putting it All Together

If you find yourself in a car accident while on vacation, it’s imperative that you move quickly. You can’t afford to simply go on with the rest of your vacation and then deal with the incident when you get home. Quick and important decisions must be made right away to ensure you’re safe and healthy. The kids might be better off distracted at a summer camp rather than at home as you recover for weeks or even months.

Likewise, moving swiftly gives you the best chance of being legally and financially protected. Start with the tips in this article, but be sure to contact a local attorney to get specific advice on your circumstances.