Whether you’re traveling one state over or you’re doing a cross country road trip, many people head out of state for work, vacation or other adventures, and the vast majority have no issues driving in another state. Unfortunately, for a select few, they find that they are involved in a car accident hundreds of miles or more away from their home state. Dealing with the fallout of a car accident is enough of a headache when the accident happens in your backyard, let alone in another state.
We want to help you navigate this situation should you be involved in a car accident in another state. In today’s blog, we lay out some steps you should take if you find yourself dealing with an out of state car accident.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Another State
Getting in a car accident in another state may present some additional challenges, but we’re confident you can navigate them if you come in with a plan. Here’s what you’ll want to do:
1. Seek Medical Care– If there is even the slightest possibility that you will incur medical expenses or will be seeking compensation for injuries, you need to be examined by a medical professional. Try not to delay in seeking this care. We understand that won’t be an issue if you suffer major injuries, but for more minor injuries, you’re still going to want to seek out care within the first 24-48 hours if possible. Don’t go on your Disney vacation and then seek out a medical evaluation eight days after the original accident, as the insurance company may question the legitimacy or origin of your injuries. We understand that you may have concerns about seeking medical care out of network, but these expenses can be recovered with a valid personal injury claim, so if someone else caused your accident, know that you should have recourse to have these medical expenses reimbursed through a personal injury suit. Try to be seen within 24-48 hours by a physician after your accident, even if that means going to an out-of-state provider. You can always contact your insurance company for more information about your coverage.
2. Connect With A Local Attorney – Many people wonder if they should hire a firm in the city where the accident occurred, or if they should hire a lawyer back in their home state whose office they can visit because they are close by. You’re going to need to hire a firm who is licensed to practice in the state where the accident occurred, so you’ll need to hire a lawyer local to the area you were traveling to. For example, if you were injured while visiting the Mall of America or the Twin Cities, you’d want to connect with a team like Hey Workers. Not only are we licensed to practice in Minnesota, but we are also familiar with the local laws and court procedures, and this familiarity can give you an advantage in the courtroom. We would also be able to connect with local expert witnesses or even head to the scene of the accident ourselves to better understand how the accident occurred so that we can create a strong argument in your claim.
3. Gather Evidence– Finally, make sure that you gather as much evidence as possible from the scene of the accident to help with your claim. Exchange information with other parties, take pictures of the scene and get the contact information of any witnesses who can verify your claim. Even if you don’t necessarily need to prove fault to file a car accident claim, you’ll want to collect evidence to build your case because you’re likely not familiar with local traffic laws. For example, Minnesota is a No Fault state when it comes to car accident claims, whereas Wisconsin is a “tort” state where determining fault is essential when filing a claim. Gather evidence to support your claim so that you’re ready no matter what laws govern the state you were injured in.
Being involved in a car accident out of state isn’t all that different from being involved in an accident in your home state, other than you’ll want to make sure the law firm you hire is based in the state where the accident occurred. We’ve been helping our neighbors and friendly visitors get the compensation they deserve after they’ve been injured in a Twin Cities car accident, and we can do the same for you. For more information, or for help with a specific aspect of your injury claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
