Traveling can be an exciting time filled with new adventures, new opportunities, and a time to meet new people. It can be the fix you were looking for, and for many, the first real chance to see the wide-open world and experience all of the culture and life that there is outside of your local landscape. But that doesn’t mean it’s always a walk in the park.
Traveling to another country comes with risks that vary from place to place. It could be political instability, violence, wildlife, heat, or viruses/bacteria, so you have to be aware of what could go wrong. Similarly, injury can occur in another country as well, so here is what you should do if you get hurt while traveling.
Receive Medical Attention
You should always look to seek medical attention first and foremost to be safe. You may have suffered what appears to be a minor injury or something you may not even see or feel right away, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet. Symptoms like concussions can take a while to materialize, so it’s best to call for emergency services and get a checkup right away to get an evaluation and get the all-clear. It goes without saying that if you’re seriously hurt, make sure you get medical help ASAP.
Alert Your Insurance Company
Another good idea after getting injured is to inform your insurance company you’re with as to the injury sustained. This could be a physical injury or an illness, but you should contact them to let them know what has occurred. They can help you by providing the financial support from your coverage to cover any medical costs that you may need. This could be a doctor check-up, cost to visit the hospital, or for medicine or an operation. Informing them of the incident will help you get the money you need for any possible expenses.
Get Legal Help
If your injury was sustained as the result of an accident, an assault, or something involving another party, you may need to contact legal help. One of the most common incidents while traveling is a motor vehicle accident because you don’t know the laws of the road, so if you were traveling through Virginia in the U.S., it would pay to have legal aid that knows the rules to help with your claim as it pertains to the place you’re visiting. Legal representation can help you from being saddled with unfortunate costs and anything that could ruin the fun of your travel, so receiving their support in an important time of need will allow you to return home safely or continue your travels as planned.
Contact a Travel Buddy/Loved One
It’s always important that if you’re traveling somewhere, people know where you are and going. Checking in with a friend or loved one back home is great, but even better is having a travel buddy. In the best-case scenario of this worst-case scenario, your travel buddy is there to assist you with anything you need following the injury incident, but even then, contact someone to let them know what happened so they can help remotely, or come to your aid. If your travel buddy is with you on the trip but not present, that’s a good time to call them or have someone else call on your behalf.
Alert Someone Nearby
If you’re going on your adventure alone and you get injured, you should try to flag down help from someone nearby to assist you or call for assistance. It’s sometimes hard because of the language barrier, but you will be better off when you can indicate to them that you’re hurt or ill in some way with simple words, gestures, or even writing it down. It’s good to get someone nearby to help, or even act as a witness, because you may be in a very precarious situation depending on the severity of the injury.
Stay Calm
This last piece of advice is generally a thought to keep in mind when you are injured while traveling, or while at home. If you are hurt or fall ill, the worst thing to do is start panicking. You make irrational or rash decisions, and this could harm you even more. Stay calm and remember the steps to take to get the help you need.
Traveling should be fun, but sometimes bad things happen and the unexpected occurs. This can be an injury or illness and it is never fun to have to go through that while away from home, but these tips can help you keep your wits about you to resolve the matter smartly.
