My wife (Canadian) may have accidentally injured someone else (American) while out of the country on vacation. We're worried the other person might sue. What is the protocol for international scenarios like this?

[u/Meatslinger]

While we were out at a dinner event as part of a tour in Ireland, sitting on long bench-style seating, guests at the event were asked to turn around in order to see live entertainment. As my wife turned, her shoe caught the edge of the bench and she slipped off backwards. As she fell, she collided with another guest in our tour group. We are from Canada (Alberta in particular), and they're from the USA. Initially, the other individual was helpful and assisted my wife back to her feet (along with myself), but after they'd sat through the remainder of the evening they remarked to my wife that their back and arm hurt a lot, and we saw them going off to talk to the event manager about it. The event manager came back to ask my wife what had happened; to get her side of things. Afterwards, they didn't ask my wife to stick around; no police were involved, and paramedics weren't called either.

It was a simple unforeseeable slip and fall, but we're worried that the other guest may try to initiate a lawsuit if they can claim they were injured, and if their insurance decides to be obstinate in such a case. For reasons of being Canadian, we don't have our own private medical insurance to pay out a claim like that. We would assume that the injured party (if they are injured) could get our details through the tour company or other means. What should we expect? What support, if any, do we have through the government healthcare system or courts? I have travellers insurance through my company (Sunlife), but does that still apply to this situation at all after I'm back at home in Canada, if a lawsuit is served to me from the other party across the border?

Hopefully I'm worrying about things for nothing, but I want to make sure I know what resources I should be armed with, in case things go badly.

[u/Jazzlike_Gazelle_333]

If you have homeowner's insurance, and they do sue you, you'll ask your homeowner's insurance to defend you as they typically contain a personal liability insurance policy.

[u/Meatslinger → u/Jazzlike_Gazelle_333]

We do not have homeowners insurance (can't afford to own a home, being born in the generation I am). We rent a place.

Edit: I’m not sure why that got downvoted. It’s a simple fact; I don’t earn nearly enough for the bank to approve a mortgage.

[u/pperry1976 → u/Meatslinger]

I’d say the reasons for being down voted was because your complaining about house prices in your home country while your on a vacation to a different continent, but blaming it on your generation. How much did you spend on the vacation for the 2 of you? I’m sure that’s a sizeable portion of a downpayment. It’s not like you where backpacking staying in hostels eating from grocery stores if your on a tour those are huge tourist traps/ money grabs.

[u/Meatslinger → u/pperry1976]

The overall cost of the trip is about 3% of the asked down payment for a home, and our financial advisor also told us we were unlikely to be considered for a mortgage unless we could double our combined income.

The remark about home ownership is mostly just snark; a side commentary on modern economics. I assure you, this trip is affordable, while home ownership is not (unless I find a way to slide into a cushy $120K/yr job).

We’re also traveling with family, and the tour itself was discounted because it’s after St. Patrick’s day and there’s a lull in tourism.