It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the holidays. Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can also make the holidays the most dangerous time of the year.
Personal injury cases in the United States increase significantly during the holidays. Most of the common injuries that land people in the emergency room over the holidays are preventable. We want you to have a safe and joyous holiday season, so we’ve put together the top five most common ways people are injured during the holidays and tips on how to avoid these mishaps.
#1. Decorations
Who doesn’t love the sparkling lights and other beautiful decorations during the holiday season? But someone has to put those decorations up, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported an estimated 160 injuries per day related to decorating during the holiday season, half of which are due to falls.
Avoid the potential for injury due to decorations by:
- Be careful when using a ladder — Whether you’re bringing decorations down from the attic, be careful on ladders. Always keep your body centered, don’t stand on the top of the ladder, and have someone there to help you.
- Keep cords and decorations away from walkways — Avoid potential falls by keeping cords away from walkways.
- Getting a live tree? Make sure it’s fresh — Choosing a tree that is dry increases the risk of your tree catching fire which could harm not only your property but you or your friends and loved ones as well.
- Avoid dangerous decorations — Decorations that are sharp or could easily break should be avoided. Having a guest get injured by a broken decoration could leave you liable for their medical bills.
#2. Shopping Mishaps
Although many people turn to online shopping in this day and age, you can bet that malls and stores can get extremely crowded during the holiday season, which can easily lead to personal injury.
Stay safe while shopping with these tips.
- Be aware of traffic signals — If you’re crossing the street and get injured by a vehicle, your personal injury case can be more challenging if you were crossing on a green light or outside of the crosswalks. To avoid this, use the crosswalks and only cross the street on a green light.
- Use caution in the store — With all the extra people out and about, slip and fall accidents become more likely. Whether it be from someone knocking a display sign loose or spilling their drink, using extra caution while you’re in the store can help you avoid a trip to the ER.
#3. Toy Injuries
In 2018, the CPSC reported 166,200 toy-related ER injuries leading to 17 deaths in children under 15. Keep the little ones safe this holiday season by:
- Following age guidelines and safety information provided with the toy
- Making sure children wear helmets and safety gear when playing on bicycles and other riding toys
- Keeping small parts of toys and packaging away from young children who may put them in their mouths and choke on them
#4. Burns
The most common holiday-related injury is burns. Spending time in the kitchen cooking a delicious holiday meal for the family is a great idea as long as you follow some safety guidelines to avoid fires while cooking.
- Never leave food unattended
- Keep the little ones out of the kitchen
- Keep the cooking area clean
- Remove potholders and food packages away from the top of the stove
Candles are another cause of burns during the holidays. Avoid burns from candles by using the proper candle holders and keep them away from children, curtains, and decorations.
#5. Automobile Accidents
Staying alert behind the wheel is always important, but the holidays are a time to be extremely cautious while behind the wheel. With distracted drivers, people driving home from a holiday party after a few drinks, and parking lots will be full of people, a watchful eye and responsible decision-making can help avoid a potentially fatal situation.
Here are some ways to stay safe on the road:
- Use a designated driver — Having a few drinks at a party is fine, as long as you have a designated driver or plan on calling a rideshare service to get home.
- Don’t drive when you’re over-tired — With everything going on over the holidays, if you’re driving and you start to feel sleepy, pull over and let someone else drive.
- Watch for pedestrians and distracted drivers — Watch for shoppers and rogue shopping carts while you’re in the parking lot. And keep an eye out for drivers who may not be paying attention to where they’re going.
- Keep your eyes on the road — Need to connect your Bluetooth to your car? Or maybe set your GPS? Do that before you hit the road so you can keep your eyes where they need to be…on the road in front of you
Hann Law Firm Can Help with Your Personal Injury Case
The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, so taking the necessary steps to ensure everyone is safe and happy can make all the difference. However, no matter how hard you try, it’s not always possible to eliminate the risk of getting injured, especially when the injury results from someone else’s negligent act. If you’ve experienced a personal injury because of someone else’s actions, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer.
At Hann Law Firm, our expert team of personal injury lawyers is here to advocate for you. We have a proven track record of success in San Jose and California and are here to fight for you. From start to finish, you can rest assured knowing that we’re investing the time, energy, and resources needed to get you the best outcome in your case.
Let us do the fighting for you. Contact our team today.
