If there’s one thing we’re pretty sure you didn’t book time off work and plan a vacation abroad for, it’s becoming injured. That being said, when do we ever schedule and plan time around this experience in our normal lives? Annoyingly, accidents rarely schedule a date before they come knocking, which is quite rude if you ask us.
Moreover being injured while traveling abroad feels particularly scary, especially if you’re alone or in a country where you don’t speak the language fluently. That first moment of realizing you’re hurt can bring a terrible flood of worries – about medical care, insurance, travel plans, and even how to communicate what happened to loved ones back home.
Of course, your immediate priority should be getting proper medical attention, that goes without saying. But what happens after that initial emergency response? Many travelers find themselves lost in unfamiliar healthcare systems, dealing with insurance companies, even across time zones, and trying to figure out if they need a personal injury lawyerwhile managing pain or discomfort.
The good thing is, you’re not alone in this situation, even if it feels that way right now. Our advice is here to help:
Document Everything Thoroughly
Taking photos and notes might feel like the last thing you want to do when you’re hurt, but in the future you’ll be incredibly grateful for this evidence. Get pictures of where the accident happened if possible, keeping all medical paperwork (even if it’s in another language), and write down what happened while it’s fresh in your mind.
Save receipts too, for every expense, from medical bills to taxis to the hospital. Even small costs add up, and insurance companies often need detailed proof for reimbursement. If possible, ask someone to help you gather this information, such as a friend you’ve traveled with, hotel staff, or even a friendly local might be willing to assist – this is where you often see the good side of people more generally.
Contact The Right People Early
Your insurance company needs to know what’s happened as we alluded to above, but they’re not the only ones. Your embassy, or sometimes consulate, can often provide surprisingly helpful support. That might include recommending trusted medical facilities to assisting you and those you’re speaking to with language barriers. Lucky for you, if you’re reading this you likely know English, and many make accommodations for this in medical environments. They might even be able to contact your family if you’re struggling to do so, but be sure to ask. Sometimes your travel provider will have emergency assistance services that can help plan care or arrange changes to your travel plans, like postponing your return flight ticket and buying another. Document all of this correspondence as we mentioned.
Manage Your Recovery Practically & Reasonably
Ultimately, you’re injured, which means you need to recover. You might need to extend your hotel stay, alter your travel plans, or arrange special transportation back home if you can. Maybe your family will come and collect you. Don’t feel pressured to stick to your original schedule if you can at all be flexible with it, as rushing your recovery usually makes things worse. Many hotels will work with you on extended stays in these situations, and some insurance policies cover the cost of having a family member fly out to help – it can’t hurt to ask and redeem literally anything you’re eligible for. Play it up a little if you can, even.
With this advice, we hope you can handle an injury abroad more confidently, even though we hope you never need to use these tips at all.
