When you think of getting injured in another state, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Typically, most people imagine that they were involved in a car accident, but personal injuries can be the result of a great number of other types of accidents as well. Consider for a moment going out of town during the holidays and the sidewalks are covered in ice. You are staying at a plush hotel in Chicago and the hotel didn’t ice the walkway or shovel away a buildup of snow.
Should you slip and fall, breaking a leg or injuring yourself in some other way, you may wish to find an experienced accident lawyer in Illinois to represent you in a lawsuit against the hotel. It was their negligence, after all, that led to the accident and you want just compensation for your pain and suffering as well as any other losses you may have sustained. Even so, no matter what type of accident you were involved in, you should be aware of the fact that each state has differences in insurance laws. Because of this, you may want to know what you should do if you live in another state.
Make a Police Report Immediately
The very first thing you need to do is file a police report. This is one form of documentation which shows you were, indeed, in an accident on the date in question. If you don’t have ‘proof’ that an accident occurred, it will be extremely difficult to get the at-fault party’s insurance company to pay for any losses you sustain.
Be Seen at a Local ER
Obviously, you want to be seen by a medical doctor to ascertain whether any of your injuries are serious. Believe it or not, quite often an injured person doesn’t realize the extent of their injuries at the time of the accident. Just take a look back at Natasha Richardson who had a skiing accident in March of 2009 and went home thinking she was just sore.
She later died of epidural hematoma which the medical examiners ruled was a result of the accident. Even though this wasn’t a case which could be filed against an insurance company, it just goes to show that sometimes the injured party doesn’t realize just how seriously they have been hurt. A visit to the ER is also a good way to document the accident.
Contact a Local Attorney
Again, every state has different insurance laws and only lawyers licensed in each particular state are allowed to practice law in that state. Whether your attorney can work through a local attorney or you hire a local attorney, if the case goes to court, you will need a lawyer registered in that state. Once you have hired an attorney, it is recommended that you talk to no one but the law office representing you.
Too many people have been led astray by insurance companies and ended up saying something that lost their case. In the end there are three things which can have a significant impact on getting the compensation you deserve. File that police report, go to a local ER immediately, and talk to no one but your attorney. Just remember to contact one who is licensed to practice law in the state in which you were injured.