Tips for Staying Safe Abroad

Most vacations are incident free and holiday makers return home with nothing more concerning than a little sunburn and those extra pounds they lost in preparation for their trip.

However, sometimes unfortunate incidences can occur abroad. So here is a list of safety precautions you can take to minimise your risk and increase your chances of returning home happy and healthy.

Take Out Travel Insurance and Keep Copies of Documents

Although it can seem like an extra holiday expense, if you become ill or suffer a personal injury overseas, travel insurance becomes worth its weight in gold.  According to the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, an air ambulance from the east coast of the United States to Britain would set you back £35-45000.00.

Many people believe they are completely covered for medical mishaps in Europe if they have an EHIC card; however, this simply covers basic medical costs and only in state hospitals.  It is worth having the added protection of travel insurance in case an unforeseen, major emergency befalls you.

Make sure you have copies of your passport, insurance and other important documents.  Keep one copy with a trusted person at home and one copy in the safe of your hotel.

Research Your Destination

Take some time to discover a little about the country you will be visiting. Is there a history of civil unrest?  Recently popular destinations such as Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, Greece and Ukraine (the ninth most popular tourist destination in Europe in 2012) have been affected by protests turning violent. In most cases holiday resorts are not affected, but if you are planning to visit the sights in major metropolitan areas, check with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to see if there are any government warnings applicable to your destination.

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself caught up in a protest or riot, move to the edge of the crowd and from there walk away from the gathering.  DO NOT take any photographs or start filming. Protesters do not want to be identified and may take serious measures to remove your camera or phone from you. If you are in your hotel, remain inside, lock the doors, close the curtains and stay away from the windows.

Take Precautions When Buying Food and Drinking Water

Traveller’s tummy, Delhi belly, bacterial gastroenteritis, whatever name you give it, nothing will ruin your holiday faster than a bout of food poisoning.  Depending on its severity the experience can range from having to spend a few miserable days cloistered in your hotel room, to requiring medical treatment at the local hospital.

Food poisoning is caused by contaminated food and water.  The standards of food health and safety can vary greatly from country to country, but here are a few pointers that may help you avoid the misery of contracting food poisoning abroad:

• Check to see if the tap water in the country you are visiting is safe to drink. If it is considered unsafe, drink bottled or sterilised water and avoid ice.
• Do not consume food from street vendors.
• Research eating establishments on the internet or in travel guides and only eat in places which have been recommended.
• Eat your food piping hot.
• Avoid seafood, salads and dairy products in countries where cases of food poisoning are common.

Watch How Much You Drink and ALWAYS Keep A Close Eye on Your Glass

Holidays are meant to be a time when you can let your hair down and many people throw caution to the wind when they are on an adventure abroad.  However, when you are intoxicated your judgement becomes clouded and you are far more likely to become a victim of a robbery or an assault.  It is also worth noting that most travel insurance companies will not provide cover for any incidences which result from a person being intoxicated.

By keeping these few tips in mind you can relax and make the most of your holiday, with the knowledge that you have taken the necessary precautions to protect you and your family.  Enjoy planning your summer break.

You could be entitled to make a personal injury claim – for more information on making a poisoning claim, more detailed information can be found here. To speak to someone now about your claim, call us in complete confidence on 0845 345 4444, or fill in this contact form and we’ll get straight back to you.

Claiming for a road traffic accident fatality

Sadly, the number of deaths on UK roads is rising despite advances in vehicle safety design and technology. 1,901 people were killed on Britain’s roads in 2010-11 – an increase of 3% on the previous year and the first rise since 2003. Of this figure, the biggest increase was amongst pedestrians, with 12% more killed in 2010-11 than in 2009-10.

The number of deaths amongst car occupants also rose by 6%. Fatalities amongst motorcyclists and cyclists fell, but it’s clear that Britain’s roads are still a dangerous place to be. And if the worst happens to a partner or relative, the statistic becomes irrelevant for those who are left behind.

Of course, a compensation payment can never repair the damage that’s done when you lose a loved one in a road traffic accident. But at a time of pain and distress, knowing you could receive a payout can help ease the burden.

Compensation awards for road traffic accident fatalities can be substantial, removing financial pressures and making life easier in the future. If it can be proved that the accident was someone else’s fault, close relatives are entitled to a statutory bereavement payment currently worth £11,800. You’ll also receive reasonable expenses to cover funeral costs.

A ‘close relative’ could be a spouse or civil partner, child, parent, grandparent or other immediate family member such as a brother, sister, aunt or uncle. Unmarried cohabiting partners and former spouses may also be able to claim.

On top of the main award, an additional dependency claim can be made if the deceased person’s partner, spouse or children were financially dependent on them. This additional award will cover the loss of income resulting from the accident and is especially important if the victim was the main breadwinner.

Start your claim today – contact Injury Lawyers 4U

Injury Lawyers 4U is a national network of specialist personal injury lawyers. We’ve dealt successfully with all kinds of road traffic accident claims including those involving fatalities. Injury Lawyers 4U is here to give you impartial advice about whether your claim is valid and guide you through the claims process every step of the way.

We operate on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis so there’s no risk in asking us to act for you. Call 0845 345 4444 today to speak to an expert legal adviser, or complete the short form on our website and we’ll call you back at a convenient time.

Motorcycle Accidents and the Blame Game

Although it can be one of the most exciting and exhilarating ways to travel by road, riding a motorcycle is also potentially the most dangerous.

That being said, being the ride or passenger of a bike does not automatically mean that you will suffer an accident or receive an injury. Instead, statistics merely suggest that the chances of you being involved in an incident that could impact your health are far higher than those for other road users.

Statistics for road traffic accidents which involve two wheeled vehicles are high in every country in the world and make for sobering reading. There can be no doubt that it can be a dangerous way to travel – no matter how safe or experienced a rider you may be.

The accident figures really bear no reflection on the skill or awareness of motorcyclists and although it is often quickly assumed that the finger of blame can easily be directed at those in charge of the motorcycle, the cause of an accident is rarely so clear-cut.

Often other road users are blissfully unaware of the presence of smaller vehicles until it is too late and damage has been done. In these cases, even the most cautious of two wheeled operators can fall foul of bad luck.

Staying safe on the road

From ensuring that motor bikes are in top quality road worthy condition to wearing adequate safety clothing and equipment, there are many things that a rider can do to minimise risk to him or herself and others. Of course, good quality head protection is a must and is a legal requirement in most countries. This is particularly important as it is proven to reduce potential injury and provide protection to one of the most vulnerable parts of the body.

Much of the safety gear that is associated with motorcycle riding has entered the realms of timelessly fashionable clothing; whether it is the classic design of the leather biker’s jacket or the traditional motor cycle boot. This makes it easy to forget that these have their origins as fully functional safety garments when it comes to being on the road on two wheels.

Seeking compensation

Although the chances of you falling foul of an accident may be higher if you are on two wheels instead of four or more, it doesn’t mean that you do not have any claim to compensation for injury that you suffer as a consequence of something that was not your fault. As with any other motor vehicle incident, you can be blameless yet still have you life disrupted as a consequence of another’s actions. In these cases you will most likely be able to claim accident compensation.

The only way to really be sure if you may have a solid case for a claim resulting from a motorbike accident is to seek out the advice of a specialised lawyer who deals with such cases on a daily basis.

The Most Common Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents

People often talk about car accidents because there are always more cars on the roads than motorcycles. However, attention should not be taken away from motorcycle accidents because like car accidents, they are very common and often more fatal to motorcyclists.

In fact, the UK roads see approximately 600 motorcyclists killed and roughly 7,000 seriously injured year after year.

Whilst cars have airbags to protect drivers and passengers from going through the windscreen and hitting themselves against dashboards, motorcycles don’t. Cars also have seat belts to prevent drivers and passengers becoming unseated, which prevents injuries but motorcycles lack this equipment as well.

The fact motorcycles don’t have seatbelts and airbags is quite obvious, but often people forget that not only are cars blessed with these two safety components, they also are built of metal which is a strong protective material that shelters occupants inside the vehicle.

So, despite car accidents being more common, motorcycle accidents can be much more dangerous. The most frequent injuries include:

Ligament injuries

The knee is the most common area a ligament injury will occur from a motorcycle injury. This is because often the impact from a motorcycle accident is twisted and the constant high level of tension can cause ligaments to stretch, which can lead to long-term if not permanent joint instability.

Fractures

A large percentage of fractural injuries occur to the fibula and tibia, which are classed as lower limb injuries. These are common with motorcycle accidents with the worst case leading to permanent disability. Other serious outcomes from fractures can be internal damage to vital organs and amputation.

Motorcyclists that suffer less severe fractures can fully recover in a short space of time, although medical care is required.

Brain Injury

Unfortunately, the most frequent injury from motorcycle accidents happen to the brain. Despite the majority of motorcyclists always wearing a protective helmet, the force of impact that occurs to the head from a motorcycle collision is so severe the brain is put under massive pressure causing it to move.

When the brain moves in a situation, such as a motorcycle injury, the brain tissue and blood vessels are stretched and then squeezed, potentially causing life threatening injuries to the brain. Head injuries are responsible for most deaths related to motorcycle injuries.

Whiplash

When you think of all motorist accidents, most passengers and drivers will experience whiplash. This is because most motorist accidents cause the head and neck to violently jolt back and forth. The neck is the affected area as the ligaments and muscle at the neck become sprained from the force of movement.

Whiplash is often recovered in a short time, sometimes as quickly as a week; however more serious cases leave motorists suffering for the rest of their life.

Psychological injuries

Physical injuries typically are the most common with motorist accidents. However, most, if not all passengers and drivers involved experience some psychological trauma immediately after an accident.

Flashbacks of the accident can affect drivers and passengers causing many to fear getting back in a car or onto a motorbike.

If you were injured from a motorcycle accident, contact InjuryLawyers4U for advice and to discuss compensation you may be due for your injury, whether it is physical or psychological.