Becoming an expat requires adjusting to many new experiences – including language barriers, cultural norms, and practices that differ from one’s own heritage or upbringing. Not to mention that you have to re-learn how to do basic things like securing housing or opening a bank account.

For most expats, these unique challenges are worth it for the thrill of exploring new territories and social situations. But your exploration is not always positive as you may have to navigate conflictual situations, like personal injury claims.

In the US, personal injury law is pretty well developed, but this is not the case for many European countries. Plus, the laws you know from your home state won’t apply anywhere else in the world.

Why Should You Care About Different Personal Injury Laws?

Your host country will most likely be different from everything you know from back home. One of the main differences you have to get used to rather fast is the employment system and its safety nets (unless you’re already retired).

For instance, if you get injured on the job in the US, you have a set of rights that may not all apply in your current country. Additionally, understanding personal injury law in your host country can help you avoid injuries.

For example, you may learn about certain safety regulations or practices that differ from those in the US. Knowing and following these rules could prevent accidents from occurring. Moreover, if you own a business in your host country, knowing the local personal injury laws can help protect both yourself and your employees from legal trouble should an accident occur.

How to Pursue a Personal Injury Case in the USA

US citizens who get into an accident and consider they were the victim of another individual’s actions can ask for compensation.

For this, there are a few clear steps to follow:

• Seek medical attention to ensure prompt treatment and documentation of the condition.
• Hire a personal injury attorney capable of securing compensation as well as mitigating any future settlement offers made by insurance adjusters. Learn more about this on wieandlaw.com.
• Start the investigative process to compile the evidence – anything like police reports, testimonials from witnesses and physicians, surveillance camera footage, and more.

Once you have a solid enough case, it’s time to make a demand from the perpetrator’s insurer and negotiate the claim. If negotiations don’t work, you may have to file a lawsuit in order to resolve this dispute.

As you can see, the steps are pretty clear, and anyone can seek out justice for a personal injury case. However, things are not as smooth and nicely laid out in other countries.

Differences in Personal Injury Law

Personal injury law in the US works differently than almost anywhere else in the world, so it’s a given that there are many differences.

For instance, unlike in the US, where personal injury lawsuits are common, in some European countries, such as Germany and France, it’s not easy to file a lawsuit for personal injuries. In those countries, it’s more common to receive compensation from the insurance company of the liable party.

Furthermore, in the UK and Canada, the loser pays rule applies in personal injury cases. This means that if you lose your case, you could be required to pay some or all of the defendant’s legal fees.

Finally, while many countries have time limits for filing personal injury claims, these limitations vary from country to country, with some allowing much shorter time spans than others.

Don’t Let Differences Scare You

Even if personal injury laws in your current country are not as clear as in the US, you should not let your personal injury go uncompensated. With the right legal assistance, you can receive the support you need to manage expenses and move forward with peace of mind!