You or a loved one was injured in a Camping Accident? What to do next? Nature is a place where many people go to find peace and relax. However, camping is not without risk. Every year many people are injured or killed while camping. This includes children who are injured at summer camp. If you or a loved one has been hurt while camping because of someone else’s negligence, you need to know your rights and how to get the compensation you deserve.
Types of Camping Accidents
The types of accidents that happen while camping vary with the type of activities you are involved in. Here are some of the most common camping and summer camp accidents:
- Slip and fall
- Animal bites
- Food poisoning
- Drowning
- Burning
- Collision with off-road vehicle
- Assault
- Camping equipment malfunction
You may not be able to recover damages for every type of camping accident. The law allows you to recover damages when someone else’s negligence or carelessness is the cause of your injury. If you are injured simply because you were not paying attention or were involved in an inherently risky behavior, it may be difficult for you to recover any damages.
But, many times camping accidents are caused by someone else failing to do what they should have.
Causes of Camping Accidents
Like many situations, most camping injuries have an element of human error. While nature can be dangerous, most campers are hurt because of someone else’s failure to make the environment as safe as possible.
Here are some examples of the most common causes of camping accidents:
- Poorly maintained trails
- Failure to create safe environment for campers
- Poorly maintained facilities
- Defective gear or equipment
- Inadequate warnings of possible hazards
- Failure to leash pets
- Poor supervision of campers
Most campgrounds and camps are maintained and operated by state agencies or private companies. Both have a responsibility to campers to warn of possible dangers and to make the campground as safe as possible.
Types of Injuries
Camping accidents cause injuries as minor as bruises or as serious as paralysis or even death. Here are some of the most common types of camping accident injuries:
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- Rashes
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- Bites
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- Severe allergic reactions
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- Lacerations and abrasions
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- Fractured bones
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- Strains and sprains
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- Head injuries
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- Burns
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- Neck and back injuries
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- Amputations
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- PTSD
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- Hypothermia
- Eye injuries
Your first job if you have been in a camping accident is to get to safety. This may require you to be evacuated by medical personnel. After you are no longer in danger, you need to have a medical evaluation. Even if you do not require emergency medical care, you may still have serious injuries that you are not yet aware of.
Your medical provider can help you get on the road to recovery as quickly as possible. If you later need to make a claim for your injuries, having gone to a doctor soon after an accident can help your chances of getting a favorable recovery.
Who is at Fault?
Before you can make a claim for your damages, you are going to need to know who is at fault for the accident. It can difficult to figure out who is at fault for a camping accident. Many camps and campgrounds are owned by one entity and operated by another. If you have been hurt in a camping accident and you believe that someone else is at fault, you need to have your case evaluated by a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. An attorney will be able to quickly discover who is responsible for causing your accident.
An attorney will also know when an investigator is needed to gather additional information. Many times camping accident cases are complicated because more than more party is at fault for the accident.
Making a Claim for Damages
Each state has different laws that govern how personal injury cases are handled. Most states only provide a short window of time for injured parties to make a claim for damages. The window may be even shorter if the claim is against a government agency. If a claim is not within the time limits and in the correct way, you could lose the ability to collect any damages for your injuries.
A personal injury attorney will handle the claims process for you. They will make sure the correct paperwork is filed with the right people on time. Depending on the case, you may even be able to recover some damages from your own car insurance or homeowner’s insurance policy. An experienced personal injury lawyer will walk you through the process.
If you have been injured in a camping accident, you owe it to yourself to get help. Contact us today and we can help you find the right personal injury attorney for your case. Don’t risk losing your compensation because you couldn’t find the right attorney for you.
