Advice. Assistance. Support. 24/7 +44 800 7 999 900

Blog

29 November 2021

What do I do after a skiing injury abroad?

As winter approaches and more people head to the slopes, skiing injuries are unfortunately all too common, and can cause a great deal of stress and worry. If you, or someone you care about, has been affected by a skiing accident, we are here to help with our range of bespoke air ambulance services.

We know that this can be a confusing time, and you might be wondering what to do next, so we have put together a step-by-step guide to what to do if you are affected by a skiing accident.

1. Organise immediate medical attention

When there’s been a skiing accident abroad, your first thoughts will probably be about how to get to a hospital back home, but in the meantime you will need to organise medical attention abroad.

Making arrangements could be more challenging in snowy, mountainous locations, but well-established ski resorts will have procedures in place to handle accidents of this kind. If you are a European citizen and were skiing in Europe, you will be able to access state-provided healthcare if you can provide a valid European Health Insurance Card.

2. Report the accident

Following a skiing accident, you should ensure that any relevant parties are fully informed – for example, the ski resort operators and the hotel which the patient was staying at. Reporting the accident and its cause is particularly important for a skiing accident, as you can help to ensure that any dangers are investigated to prevent future accidents for other people.

3. Contact insurance providers and IAS Medical

To determine your next steps, you will need to contact the patient’s insurance company as soon as possible. At this point, we also recommend that you get in touch with us, so you can make sure you’ve got arrangements in place if the insurers let you down.

Unfortunately, insurance companies will often choose the most cost-effective option for patient care, which could see repatriation delayed significantly. To cut corners, your insurers might organise a flight on a commercial airline rather than a specialist air ambulance, which might not be the best option for the patient.

By getting in touch with us from the outset, you can ensure that arrangements for an air ambulance can be made quickly if you do decide to take this option.

4. Arrange medical repatriation

In the case of a serious accident, you may need to organise specialist medical repatriation to transport the patient to a hospital at home. At IAS Medical, we provide a comprehensive service whereby patients receive expert medical care throughout their journey, from their hospital bed abroad to a hospital in their destination country.

We have years of experience of providing repatriation from ski destinations such as Austria, France and Italy. The cost of an air ambulance will depend on a wide range of factors, including your location. Example prices are as follows:

If you need to organise medical repatriation for yourself or someone else after a skiing injury, please phone us on 0800 7999 900 and our team will help and support you through the process.

We understand how difficult this situation can be, and we will work quickly to find the best resolution for the patient. You will receive a quote for your service, determined by the circumstances of the injury and the patient. We are ready to take your call and answer any questions you may have 24 hours a day, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.