4 Things You Should Do When Injured out of State
Personal injury can be can be such a scary situation for anyone, but it’s especially trying when you experience an injury out of state. If you are injured in a car accident in an unfamiliar place, for example, you may not know where to go for legal assistance. Here are four things you should do when injured out of state.
1. Call the Police
Much like an injury or accident in your home state, an injury or accident in another state necessitates calling the proper authorities. Call 911 if you or someone else is injured so you can be treated and taken to the hospital if necessary. You should also ask that the police come to supervise and help collect relevant information from everyone involved. This way, you can be sure that the information will be available in a centralized location for you and your attorney to access. If you do go to the hospital, request a copy of your treatment record. Having authorities supervising ensures that the situation remains under control and means that you don’t need to worry about taking care of yourself as well as collecting necessary information.
2. Contact an Attorney
Because no two personal injury cases are alike, it’s essential that you contact an attorney to assist you in your case. You’ll need to provide the attorney with all the relevant information you can and discuss your options with him or her. In an out of state personal injury case, you’ll need to decide whether to contact an attorney in the state in which you were injured or an attorney in your own home state. This will depend on factors such as the type of event that caused the injury, any kinds of insurance involved and the length of time you were in the state or are planning to stay. For example, you can contact a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer to ask for advice or information about Nevada personal injury law, or you can contact a lawyer in your home state. The Nevada-based lawyer will have a firmer grasp of Nevada-specific laws, but the lawyer in your home state may be able to ask Nevada’s bar association for permission to take the case based on the fact that you’re not a Nevada native.
3. Check if the State Has No-fault Auto Insurance
In the event of an automobile accident, you will need to check if the state you had the accident in has no-fault auto insurance laws. Some states are no-fault jurisdictions while others may have never enacted no-fault laws, enforce restrictions on them or have repealed them. No-fault is meant to speed up the claims process and lower insurance costs. It is a system whereby the injured party receives compensation regardless of which party is at fault. There are several different types. Some states restrict the grounds on which you can file a lawsuit while others have verbal or dollar thresholds for compensation. In other states, there may be a window of time after which a lawsuit can no longer be filed for the incident. It’s important you check the legal requirements of the state in which you were injured if you choose to file a personal injury lawsuit so you know what your options are.
4. Check the State’s Worker’s Compensation Laws
Similar to no-fault auto insurance, worker’s compensation differs by state. You should check the legal requirements of worker’s compensation in the states in which you were injured, work and your company headquarters is based. Talk to your lawyer about the differences between state regulations and what your options are. Keep in mind that every state has its own worker’s compensation laws and that there are separate worker’s compensation laws for federal workers as well.
Injuries can happen anywhere, but when they happen outside the state in which you live, they and their aftermath can be even more overwhelming. Contacting the proper authorities and familiarizing yourself with laws in states you plan to visit can help you be better prepared for potential accidents and personal injuries.
