What to Do If You Get in an Accident on a Road Trip
A car accident is stressful enough, but when it happens on a road trip, the stress can multiply quickly. As a Memphis personal injury lawyer, I’ve worked with many clients who were injured by a car accident on a road trip.
When you’re far from your home and regular support network, you may not know where to go for help. It might get confusing which laws apply or how to get your car repaired while you’re hundreds of miles away from your own mechanic.
If you’re injured, the situation gets even more complicated.
Here’s how a road trip crash can affect your case – and what to do if it happens to you.
Why Out-of-Town Accidents Are More Complicated
You’re Not in Familiar Territory
When you’re in your hometown, you usually know where the nearest hospital is, how to file a police report, or who to call for a tow.
But on the road, you may not even know what county you’re in, let alone who to trust or where to turn. It’s easy to feel lost, and that confusion can make it harder to make quick, informed decisions in the moments after a crash.
You’re Dealing with Another State’s Laws
If your accident happens outside your home state (in my case, Tennessee), your case may fall under another state’s legal rules. Each state has its own insurance laws, personal injury statutes, deadlines (called statutes of limitations), and rules about fault.
For example, some states are “no-fault” states, where your own insurance pays no matter who caused the crash. Others, like Tennessee, use a fault-based system. These differences can affect everything from how you file a claim to how much compensation you can receive.
Your Medical Care Might Be Scattered
If you’re injured while traveling, you might get your initial treatment in one state and then need follow-up care once you return home.
That means dealing with multiple doctors, different medical systems, and the challenge of transferring records… all while trying to heal.
It can also affect how insurance companies view your injuries if there are gaps in care or conflicting documentation.
You May Have to Miss More Work (and Pay More Money)
Travel delays, rental cars, hotel stays, or rescheduling your entire trip are common consequences of a road trip crash. Depending on the severity of your accident, you might miss work, lose deposits on accommodations, or have to leave your vehicle behind for repairs.
All of these can add to your total damages in a personal injury claim.
What to Do If You’re in a Car Accident While Traveling
Even though the situation may be unfamiliar, the steps you should take after a crash remain largely the same:
- Check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt.
- Get medical attention, even if injuries seem minor. Early documentation is critical.
- Call the police and make sure they file a report.
- Take photos of the scene, vehicles, and any injuries.
- Exchange insurance and contact info with the other driver(s).
- Get witness contact information, if possible.
- Notify your insurance company as soon as possible.
- Keep all receipts related to extra expenses: hotel, meals, towing, etc.
- Follow up with your doctor when you return home.
- Speak with a personal injury lawyer to understand how the out-of-state accident affects your case.
This can be an enormous amount to remember in the middle of a very stressful situation. To help, we’ve created a free one-sheet printable checklist to keep in your glove compartment, just in case.
Work with an Attorney You Trust
After a car accident, it’s critical you work with an attorney, you know, and trust who has a strong reputation for getting results. In some situations, you may need that attorney to be based where the accident happened.
In some cases, we work alongside attorneys licensed in the state where the crash happened. We help coordinate care, gather records, handle insurance communications, and fight for fair compensation. For as complicated as these cases can get, we help make it easy, so you can focus on your own healing.
Getting into a car accident while on a road trip adds a whole new layer of difficulty to an already stressful situation. But you don’t have to face it alone.
If you’re from Memphis or your crash happened here, let us fight for you. We’ll help you understand your rights, deal with the insurance companies, and work to get you the compensation you need. And we don’t win anything unless and until we win your case.
Contact us today online or give us a call at 901-327-2100 to get started with a free consultation.,