Blackout Wednesday In Pennsylvania — DUI Accidents At Thanksgiving

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If you work in law enforcement or if you are a bartender, you may already be familiar with Blackout Wednesday. Blackout Wednesday is the unofficial name given to the day before Thanksgiving Day, also known as Thanksgiving Eve. The reason why this day has earned such a dark name has to do with alcohol consumption. Blackout Wednesday has become the day when Americans consume more alcohol than any other day of the year.

Some people believe this is because many people do not work on Thanksgiving Day; therefore, they feel comfortable indulging in some pre-holiday cheer. According to other sources, Blackout Wednesday is a bigger drinking day than St. Patrick’s Day or New Year’s Eve. They claim Thanksgiving Eve has become one of the worst nights for drunk driving in some areas. In Pennsylvania, this may be the case.

Thanksgiving Holiday DUI Accidents In Pennsylvania

During 2014, there were 9,609 alcohol-related accidents, including 188 fatal crashes, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. While we do not know exactly how many of the crashes and deaths that occurred during the Thanksgiving Holiday in 2014 were related to alcohol, we do see that Thanksgiving had a higher rate of motor vehicle crashes than any other holiday.

Out of 14,599 holiday crashes during 2014, 4,628 crashes occurred over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Therefore, 32 percent of the holiday motor vehicle crashes occurred during the Thanksgiving Holiday. If you believe some sources, Blackout Wednesday accounted for a high number of those accidents on Thanksgiving Eve.

Filing A DUI Accident Claim

If you are injured in a DUI accident, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries from the other driver. However, a DUI accident claim is not a “slam dunk” just because the other driver is charged with drunk driving. You must still prove that the other driver caused the crash and you were injured in the crash to receive compensation for your damages. An experienced Warren DUI attorney can be very helpful in preparing a strong case against the drunk driver, especially if the driver’s insurance company chooses to fight your accident claim.

When an accident victim is successful in proving the drunk driver caused the collision, the accident victim may be entitled to receive compensation for damages including:

  • Property damages, including any personal property in your vehicle that was damaged in the crash
  • Medical costs, including future medical treatments, physical therapy, long-term medical care, or personal care
  • Loss of income, including future lost wages and loss of earning capacity
  • Disfigurement, scarring, and permanent disability
  • Physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Other out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident
  • Funeral expenses, in the event of a wrongful death

The amount of compensation you are entitled to receive depends on several factors. Our Warren DUI accident attorney discusses compensation in more detail during your free consultation.

Call A Warren DUI Attorney For More Information

If a drunk driver injured you, we want to help. Call The Travis Law Firm toll free at (800) 401-2066 to schedule a free consultation with a Warren DUI attorney.