I was injured while out of the Country. Do I have a case?

Author: Attorney Jason Macri

Accidents Happen

Unfortunately, accidents happen everywhere in the world. Sometimes people get injured while on vacation or working out of the country. Many other countries in the world do not allow their citizens or visitors to file a lawsuit for their injuries. Not every country has a similar legal system to the U.S. thus, people who become injured in these countries are S.O.L. (Stuck Outside of the Legal system)

What can be done for me?

If the defendant (or wrongdoer) in your case happens to be a U.S. company and/or citizen, you may have a fighting chance here in the United States. This is because U.S. corporations who also operate outside of the United States can be sued in the U.S. even if the negligent (or wrong) act was done while outside of the U.S. It really all depends on what type of operations they conduct in the U.S. (whether they have offices, employees, assets here etc…)

What should I do if I’m injured outside of the U.S.

The most obvious answer to this question is that you should seek the best possible medical attention you can find. If you become injured and are far away from home, you don’t want to try and wait to get back to the U.S. to get your medical treatment unless you are certain that the injury is so minimal that you can “walk it off” or wait until you get back. Simultaneously to making sure you get proper treatment, you should try, or have a loved one try, to gather up as much evidence concerning your case as possible. Find out who was at fault for the incident and determine if local police are investigating the incident at all. If they are investigating, find out how you can get a copy of their reports or information. Find out if there are any witnesses to the incident and get contact info. Take photos of the scene if possible and gather up any other type of documenting evidence that you can.

What should I do once I get back?

Contact an injury lawyer in the U.S. as soon as possible. Even if you haven’t made it back to the U.S. yet or if you are not coming back any time soon. Give the injury attorney all of the information that you have gathered up and the attorney will let you know whether you have a case in the U.S. or not. You would be surprised at how many companies and people have significant contacts to the U.S., making a claim against them possible. If you or a loved one are injured in or out of the U.S., call the Law Office of Dell & Schaefer. Our injury lawyers are experienced at making claims against U.S. corporations and individuals for their negligence while outside of the U.S. We will analyze your case at length in order to determine whether you have a viable claim and will do everything legally possible to protect those rights.