The holiday season, while festive, is also one of the most dangerous times of year for personal injuries. If you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or New Year’s Eve this year, protect yourself and your family by learning about common injuries and how to avoid them with these helpful holiday safety tips from Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys.
Common Holiday Injuries
Many people suffer injuries around the holidays for a number of reasons, whether it’s while decorating their homes or traveling to visit family. From minor to major injuries, emergency rooms see an influx of admissions through the end of December. Read more about the most common kinds of injuries and see how just a few precautions can increase your holiday safety.
Lacerations
Trying to open plastic packaging on Christmas morning with a pocket knife or pair of scissors can lead to accidental cuts and lacerations. Carving up a ham or turkey during a family meal may also prove to be dangerous if you’re not careful. These accidents may require a visit to the hospital for stitches or other treatment. Deep lacerations, especially those near a major artery, can be life-threatening.
Car Accidents
The roads can be dangerous during the holidays. More people are on the road, traveling both within and between cities across the country in high numbers and sometimes in inclement weather. Some drivers may be fatigued, stressed, or under the influence of alcohol this time of year. Resulting car accidents can lead to serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), broken bones, spinal injury, or whiplash.
Slip and Falls
Last minute shopping means that even more people are in stores than any other time of year. Big crowds and belligerent shoppers can increase your chance of injury. Improperly maintained stores may lead to slip and falls, and poorly-secured merchandise, carts, and shelving may also cause crush injuries.
Falls from ladders are also quite common this time of year as people decorate outside their homes, slip and fall accidents may occur on icy patches on sidewalks and porch steps as well.
Burns
During the holidays, many love to show off their baking and cooking skills to friends and family. Culinary mishaps can cause first to third degree burns either from ovens or stovetops. Unsupervised children or pets may also suffer from accidental burn injuries.
Another serious cause of burn injuries during the holidays is unattended, overly-dry Christmas trees whose lights are left on. Home fires caused by Christmas tree lights and unattended open flame candles can be especially dangerous and result in severe burns and even death.
Electrocutions
Faulty or overloaded electrical outlets and power surges can cause electrical fires and electrocutions. Electric shock injuries can occur indoors while decorating, but they also happen outside when hanging Christmas lights in inclement weather like rain, sleet, or snow.
Preventative Tips for Holiday Safety
Holiday safety can help keep this season the most wonderful time of the year by protecting you and your family from injury. Check out these precautionary steps to get the most out of your holiday season.
Exercise Caution When Using Sharp Objects
Lacerations account for 11% of holiday injuries. It only takes a moment for a knife or scissor blade to slip and cause significant damage. When carving up a turkey or ham, forego imbibing your holiday spirits until after the meat is carved. Be extremely careful when opening clamshell plastic packaging. Go slow, be patient, and try alternative methods like a can opener to open stubborn packaging instead.
Drive Defensively & Travel Strategically
Defensive driving saves lives. Especially during the holidays, when traffic congestion is at its worst and stressed out drivers are in a hurry, pay attention to your surroundings, obey all posted speed limits, and slow down in inclement weather. Plan your route strategically and leave during non-peak hours if possible.
In addition, don’t drink and drive after holiday parties. Use a rideshare service, have a designated driver, or call a friend or family member if you need to get home. Nothing is so pressing that it warrants getting behind the wheel while inebriated. Practice holiday safety by driving sober this year and every year.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
To avoid nasty slips, trips, and falls when you’re out shopping, be extra observant of your surroundings during the holidays. Keep in mind that many retail stores will be short-staffed, meaning that maintenance may fall by the wayside. Keep an eye out for spills, fallen merchandise, and hazardous displays and report them to management if you see them.
When hanging holiday decorations from a ladder, make sure you’re on a stable, even surface. Don’t stand above the highest recommended step, and stay inside during icy, snowy, or rainy weather.
Keep an Eye on the Kitchen
Don’t let negligence or distraction in the kitchen send you to the hospital this holiday season. Avoid multitasking when cooking in the kitchen if you can help it. Ask for help to reduce your workload and prevent burn injuries. Always use an oven mitt, keep a fire extinguisher on hand, and make sure you know how to operate it in case of emergency. In addition, monitor small children and pets around fireplaces or other open flames such as candles.
Follow Electrical Safety Precautions
To reduce the risk of electric shock, Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends inspecting holiday decorations and electrical outlets for damage before use. You should also avoid overloading electrical outlets or securing lights with staples or nails, which can damage wires and cause shock or fires. Furthermore always be sure to turn off all Christmas lights and electronics when going to bed or leaving the house.
Injured During the Holidays?
Did an open fire roast your fingers in addition to chestnuts? Did your neighbor’s dog Jack Frost nip your nose a little too hard? Did you slip and fall while walking in a winter wonderland?
Even with the best holiday safety practices, sometimes injuries are inevitable due to another person’s recklessness or negligence. If you believe someone else was liable for your holiday injury, the personal injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys are here to help.
Give us a call at 844-977-1900, chat with a representative online , or submit your free case evaluation 24/7. We’ll analyze your case to see if you may be eligible for compensation. Contact us today.