Tour Vehicle Crashes in Alaska; 28 Injured | 8-9-2017
Shortly before noon on August 9th in Skagway, Alaska, a Unimog touring vehicle containing 28 tourists drove off the road.
The Unimog belonged to a tour guide company based in Skagway. At the time of the crash, the vehicle’s guides were delivering a tour of the Alaska Excursions Dog Camp, which features musher’s camps, or facilities where dogs are trained to traverse the snow. The accident occurred at 10-mile Dyea Rd.
There has been no information released as to why the vehicle became involved in an accident. However, local fire department and medical personnel responded to the call and transported the injured to the nearby Dahl Memorial Clinic. Three individuals were transported elsewhere, as they had serious injuries.
Shelly O’Boyle, executive director of the Dahl Memorial Clinic, reported that the 25 who were present at Dahl were treated and released. They sustained minor injuries, including bruises, broken bones, and small head injuries.
At the time of this writing, no legal action was listed as having been pursued.
Damages from a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you have been injured while on a tour, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the responsible party. The tour company has a duty to keep you safe while you use its services.
If that duty were breached, and that breach led to an incident which resulted in your personal harm, you are able to recover damages for the injuries you sustained. The company did not provide you with the care it was supposed to. As a tourist, you are likely unfamiliar with the area, making the duty of the tour guide that much more important.
After being injured, you are able to pursue a personal injury claim that enables you to collect certain damages. These damages include:
- Economic Damages: Anything relating to damages that cost you money. You may be reimbursed for medical costs, such as surgery fees, hospitalization, medication costs, emergency transportation, physical therapy, and future treatments. You may also be able to be compensated for property damage or lost belongings, as in the case of your cell phone being irreparably damaged or your backpack of essentials getting misplaced.
- Non-economic damages: If you have suffered from emotional problems in the wake of an injury while on a tour, you can collect non-economic damages. These problems include crippling fear, anxiety, PTSD, and other psychological conditions that affect your mind and emotions; a sudden wild animal attack may cause you to be afraid of being in parks, for instance, and you would require extensive therapy and assistance in conquering that fear.
- Lost wages: If medical treatment and recovery time has forced you to miss work, you can collect lost wages from the past and future. The tour company should be responsible for your wellbeing in the wake of an accident; if you are prevented from earning a living, you should be covered. Acquiring lost wages will be a primary goal in a personal injury lawsuit.
- Punitive Damages: In the event your tour guide was grossly negligent in his care for you, you may be able to collect punitive damages for your injury. If he did not give you any safety instructions or left you behind while exploring an area and you were attacked by an animal or were hurt by the environment, he was not showing you any duty of care and should be held entirely responsible Punitive damages are sought to further punish the defendant for his role in the injury, and can be pursued against both the individual and the company.
Moving Forward with Normandie Law Firm
Our team of lawyers at Normandie Law Firm makes sure that all of our clients leave happy and satisfied with the settlements we bring them. Our primary goal is to ensure that you are healthy and taken care of; worrying about medical costs and earnings and your belongings should not be on your mind when you are recovering. We handle the legal process and work on getting you ample compensation for your injuries. You handle getting better.
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: Call us today to receive a free legal consultation on your case. One of our attorneys will be delighted to give you any information you need on personal injury claims and what the process entails, as well as what you can expect to receive in a settlement.
Further, we take all cases on a zero fee guarantee basis – our clients pay no out of pocket expenses to have us represent them. You only pay in the event we win your case so as not to accrue any other debts. You should not owe more money when you are seeking restitution, and we strive to make that a reality.
If you have been injured while on a tour, contact Normandie Law Firm today.
