What would happen if you were in an accident—on or off the job—and were unable to tell the hospital your preferences for life support?
Did you know that most states do not allow a spouse or loved one to make any decisions about life support unless there is a living will? A living will is an advanced directive, a written statement of a person’s desires regarding medical treatment when that person is not able to give consent.
Photo: Fernando Matias
Hospitals are limited as to what they can do without a living will. In most cases hospitals must maintain life support unless ordered otherwise by a court. Disagreements among family members or loved ones about medical care can tear families apart, and legal intervention is time consuming and expensive.
With a living will, the patient’s wishes are put in print for hospitals to follow. This alleviates stress for family members and loved ones.
Trucker Charity, a DAT partner, offers a FREE living will to all its members.
Helping truckers in times of need
After several years of serving truckers, Trucker Charity incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2009 with the mission to assist truck drivers and their families nationwide in times of need. It has a dedicated staff of volunteers, with no paid employees. It is supported through donations and membership dues, which are $35 per year.
Member benefits include:
- Free will, living will, and Power of Attorney
- $25,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- $25,000 life insurance
- Emergency database to store information that a first responder would need
- Secure online location to store important documents that family members may need
- Newsletter with updated benefits and specials for members only
For more information about Trucker Charity, visit www.truckercharity.org or call 888-523-0087 ext. 560.
The author, Mark Lowthorp, serves as secretary for the Trucker Charity organization.
