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Being involved in a road accident is upsetting enough. Unfortunately, it becomes a more traumatic experience if it happens overseas during travel or at work. In most cases, navigating a road accident in a foreign country can cause you considerable stress and anxiety. More often than not, you have no idea how and where to begin. Although you’re aware of your right to receive compensation, the claim process rules may differ from your country, and the cultural barriers may make the procedure more difficult.
Keep reading this post to learn how to process road accident claims overseas.
- Seek Local Medical Attention
If you’ve sustained an injury in a road accident, you need to get yourself examined by a local physician. That way, you can receive the necessary treatment and create medical records about your injury.
Moreover, seeking local medical care following the accident can be fundamental in processing your claims overseas. Whether local or abroad, most injury-related cases require the injured party to prove the direct connection between the injury and the accident. Without the medical documents, you may slow down the processing of your road accident claims due to your failure to prove the proximate causation.
Hence, it’s essential to ask the hospital for a copy of your medical records to support your claim and expand your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome for your road accident claim.
- Consult A Local Lawyer
Dealing with an unfortunate road incident while abroad can also be an overwhelming experience. Unless you’re familiar with the local personal injury or accident laws, you probably require the services of a trusted lawyer who’s well-versed with the applicable rules and regulations surrounding your claim.
For example, the foreign country where the road accident happened has different time limits or statutes of limitations on bringing a claim. Thus, you need a dedicated legal professional to advise you about the deadline. With them at your side, you can ensure the timely processing of your accident claims overseas.
Moreover, calling a lawyer after the road mishap can make a huge difference to the success of your claim. They can evaluate the facts of your case and consider some factors to determine whether you’re eligible to make a claim abroad. These factors can include the severity of your injuries and whether the fault has been established for your accident. And since foreign laws may be unfamiliar to you, it’s crucial to work with a legal expert to ensure a more favorable outcome.
- Report The Accident To The Local Police
When filing an accident claim overseas, you also need to report what happened to the local police. Since a road mishap is considered a major public safety concern, reporting to the police may become essential for the claims process.
In that case, you need to cooperate with the local police authorities of the foreign country to obtain a formal police report afterward. The insurance company or the court may require the submission of the police report to find out what happened and determine who was at fault. This determination may allow you to process your claims overseas successfully.
On the other hand, when talking to the police authorities, it’d be wise if you don’t apologize or admit fault in front of them as it can affect your ability to process your accident claim overseas successfully. If the police start asking incriminating questions, don’t panic. Instead, enforce your right to remain silent until your lawyer arrives and handles the situation. By doing so, you can preserve your chances of receiving compensation for your injury.
- Make Proper Documentation
When processing road accident claims overseas, you need proper documentation to build your case and improve your chances of receiving a positive outcome. To ensure the appropriate filing of claims, you may consider the following steps:
- Create notes about what happened by writing down the drivers’ details such as their names, contact details, address, driver’s license number, and other essential information.
- Make sure to exchange insurance details with all the parties involved.
- Get the complete names, addresses, and contact information of the witnesses.
- Take photographs or videos of the accident scene, including any damage involved and sustained injuries.
- Ask if there’s an available CCTV around the accident scene. If there is, make sure to ask for a copy.
- Inform your travel insurer about what happened as they may be able to offer assistance, especially in making documentation for your claim.
Bottom Line
Meeting a road accident overseas may entitle you to process claims properly. However, the procedure involved can be complex and confusing, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the foreign laws applicable to your situation.
Therefore, it’s best to keep the information provided above to know how you can protect your rights and get compensated for the injury. Remember, knowing what steps to take allows you to process your road accident claims in a foreign country effectively.
