According to the National Safety Council (NSC), since 2019 fatal accidents on the country’s roads have been steadily increasing during the Thanksgiving weekend.
Over 50 million Americans are expected to take to the roads for the fourth Thursday in November, and the NSC estimates that approximately 515 people will lose their lives in an automobile accident over the holiday. And that doesn’t include the thousands who will suffer serious bodily injuries in those crashes. Many of these crashes will be caused by careless or exhausted truck drivers.
What can you do if you or a loved one is in a truck accident over the Thanksgiving Holiday?
Call 911: Often, truck drivers are rushing to get home or don’t want to report a crash to their bosses so they will try to talk you out of calling the cops. You will need the police to create an accident report so you and your lawyer will know who the truck driver is, who he works for, and what company that provides the truck insurance.
Photos & Video: Often, you or your loved one will not be able to take photos or videos at the scene of the crash. If this is the case, ask for someone else to take photos over the next few days of the damage to the car. While a picture of the car cannot always tell what damage your body suffered, it can help explain how the crash happened and how the truck driver was at fault. Photos of the area of the crash can also be helpful. For example, if the crash was at an intersection with lights, it can be helpful for a jury to see those photos at trial.
Medical Attention: Truck crashes can cause death, amputations, fractures, and other soft tissue injuries. With amputations and fractures, you will be transported immediately to the hospital. With soft tissue injuries – such as injuries to your tendons, ligaments, muscles, and spinal discs – you might not feel severe pain immediately because of your adrenaline and because you want to get home. In your mind, your pain isn’t bad but over the coming days it doesn’t go away. If this is the case, get yourself to an emergency room, urgent care, or a medical provider with experience dealing with car crash cases. They will know how to deal with the insurance minefield and how to set you up for treatment.
Injury Lawyer: If your pain doesn’t go away, contact an attorney, like our firm or the personal injury lawyers who are experienced in car accident litigation. The lawyer can help you with setting up treatment, explaining your rights, notifying the other insurance company, and filing a lawsuit to protect your rights. (And it should be free— most personal injury lawyers are only paid if you ultimately receive compensation.)
We wish you and your families a safe and health Thanksgiving. And we hope that your loved ones will never need to rely in these tips.