6 common accidents that can happen on vacation
Taking a vacation should be relaxing and fun. However, your trip can take a turn for the worse after a severe accident. Knowing about the risks and what to do about them can help you get on the road to recovery.
Travel-related accidents to beware of
Your risk of specific cross-border accidents can vary, depending on where you are going, how you are travelling and what you plan to do on your trip. However, some common travel-related accidents include:
- Car crash injuries: Driving in another country can be confusing and overwhelming. Further, you can encounter negligent and reckless drivers everywhere, so a car accident can be a risk wherever you may be driving.
- Slip-and-fall accidents: Property owners in the U.S. have a duty to maintain safe premises. This duty can fall on hotel operators, Airbnb hosts and businesses. If they fail to do things like clear obstructions in walkways or alert visitors to unsafe walkways, they can be liable for damages you might suffer in a slip, trip or fall.
- Drowning: Water and aquatic injuries, including drowning, are a genuine threat to vacationers. Accidents can happen while people are swimming, boating or scuba diving. While some result from human error, others occur because of poor oversight or failed equipment maintenance.
- Assaults: Depending on where you travel, parties besides a criminal can be liable for assaults. Negligence claims against another party can stem from poor lighting, unsecured access and failure to warn visitors about assaults.
- Animal bites and attacks: While on vacation, you may come into contact with other peoples’ pets, zoo animals or wild animals and get hurt. Any type of animal bite or attack can cause a devastating illness or injury. In some cases, these incidents lead to fatal or disfiguring injuries.
- Amusement park accidents: Thousands of people suffer injuries at theme parks. They can happen when park owners or operators are careless or violate safety regulations, which can make them liable for damages.
If you suffered these or other types of injuries in an accident while travelling to the U.S., you may well be eligible for financial remedies for damages. Just because an accident happened across the border doesn’t mean you don’t have legal options.