The holidays are an incredibly special time of year for spending time with friends and family. Although there are many reasons to look forward to the season, such as festivities, food, and decorations, the holidays are also marked by an increase in certain types of personal injuries. Accidents are exceedingly common during the holidays, so you need to take precautions while engaging in your annual festive activities. Every year, thousands of Americans are injured by common holiday traditions. Make sure that you stay safe while celebrating this year by avoiding these common holiday injuries.
Decoration Injuries
The United States has an average of 5,800 personal injuries caused by setting up decorations. That statistic may surprise you, but think about the risks and potential injuries that occur while setting up decorations. You could fall from a roof when setting up outdoor lights, or you could fall from a ladder when decorating indoors and outdoors.
In addition to the risk of becoming injured while setting up decorations, the decorations themselves can be dangerous. Electric decorations can shock and burn unsuspecting victims when malfunctioning, and glass ornaments can unexpectedly break, resulting in minor or serious lacerations.
Medical professionals treat a total of 13,000 people for injuries related to decorating each year, so you need to take precautions to protect yourself and your family. Some steps you can take this year to have a safer holiday include abstaining from alcohol while decorating and avoiding decorating while alone. If someone is with you while you decorate, they can hand you decorations, observe any potential hazards—such as an unstable ladder— and they can help you if you become injured.
Additionally, you need to ensure that your ladder is safe and that you’re using it properly. Make sure that the ladder is level, locked, and make sure the ladder goes beyond three feet of the edge that you prop it up against, such as the edge of a roof. You should also never extend your reach too far while up on the ladder, and you should have someone holding the ladder at all times.
Finally, you need to make sure that children don’t handle glass decorations, electronics, and other potential hazards that can cause injuries.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Holiday decorations, icy roads, and electronic equipment are common hazards for slip and fall injuries every year. People will often trip on different festive decorations, such as Christmas tree skirts, and become minorly or seriously injured. Every year, 2,000 people injure themselves by tripping on extension cords during the holidays, and thousands more become injured from slipping on snow or ice.
It’s important to note that if someone slips or trips on your property, you could be held liable because of premises liability. You need to make sure that your driveway or sidewalks are safe for walkers by removing snow and using an ice-melting solution if necessary.
A few common ways to remove ice include using calcium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, and rock salt. You should also make sure that your decorations are safe for your family, guests, or patrons so that they don’t trip and become injured. Make sure that any loose extension cords and decorations aren’t in the way of people walking throughout your home or business.
Holiday Traffic Accidents
Every year, around 3,000 Americans die in December due to traffic accidents, and thousands more are injured. December 25th alone is typically marked by around 300 car accident deaths. Many of the accidents resulting in injuries and deaths occur due to dangerous road conditions and weather. 5,000 people in the U.S. die every year because of dangerous weather conditions. Some of these include snow, icy roads, and poor visibility.
The best way for you to stay safe in bad weather and road conditions is to avoid driving entirely, but sometimes that’s impossible. If you need to drive in dangerous conditions, make sure to drive slowly and avoid following too closely to the vehicle in front of you. You should also make sure to use your traffic signals appropriately and be extra careful when turning and merging.
Although many deadly car accidents are caused by poor weather conditions, some result from negligent drivers. The holidays are a time marked by celebration, and some people choose to drink heavily during holiday parties and other events. Drunk driving is a serious problem during the holidays, and someone driving over the legal limit can cause a traffic accident resulting in permanent disabilities or even death. If you decide to drink this holiday season, do not operate a vehicle until it’s safe to do so. Even one drink can impair you and make you a danger to others on the road.
Injured During the Holidays? Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were injured during the holidays because of a person’s negligence—such as a drunk driver or irresponsible property owner—you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for medical bills and lost wages. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Crossen Law Firm to receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. We’ve helped numerous clients gain the money they needed for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us at 317-401-8626 or contact us here.
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