Thanksgiving can be hazardous to your health — and we’re not just talking about the potential for a serious bout of indigestion. Every year, a lot of extended family members gather at a relative’s house for feasting and fun — but accidents do happen. Some of them can be quite serious.
Some of the most common reasons that people end up in the hospital after a visit to a relative’s home on Thanksgiving include:
- Food poisoning: Not everyone knows how to actually cook a turkey and the safe way to make stuffing
- Knife injuries: There are a lot of sharp objects around and someone may get careless
- Burns: Sometimes, a guest will just accidentally get too close to a hot stove — while other times actual fires break out in the oven and injure people
- Alcohol: Traffic accidents always spike around Thanksgiving because people over-indulge and don’t have designated drivers — and their hosts don’t cut them off
- Overexertion: Sometimes, guests overexert themselves playing tag football with their cousins, while other times it’s helping grandma get the tree and decorations out of the attic
- Slips and falls: A piece of torn carpet on the stairs or a loose grab bar in the bathroom can spell trouble for an elderly or intoxicated guest
- Dog bites: Dogs can easily get riled up and mistake a friendly tussle between brothers as a fight — which could cause even a good dog to bite
If you end up injured and in the hospital, your holiday season can turn into a nightmare. The bills are the last thing you need during this time of year. It may be even worse if you’re forced to take time off work.
What can you do about it? Frankly, you may have to sue your friend or relative. If the accident was in any way their fault or they could have reasonably foreseen its potential and warned you away from danger, their homeowners insurance may cover your losses. Suing a friend or relative can be hard to contemplate. If you’re struggling with that decision in the aftermath of a serious accident this year, find out more about the options you really have.
