Many consider the holidays a time of year to relax and have fun with loved ones. It’s a time when we can forget all of our worries and just focus on enjoying ourselves and spending time with the ones we care about most. But unfortunately, the holiday season is not always as relaxing and carefree as we’d like.
While holidays can give us time off to relax, they can also often be chaotic and stressful with all the decorations to put up, gifts to buy, events to plan, and traveling to coordinate. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the holidays are the most dangerous time of year with all of the accidents and injuries that occur. There are around 15,000 people injured every year just from holiday decorating accidents. Holiday cooking fires and increased traffic accidents are also a concern this time of year.
With so much going on during the holidays, filing a personal injury claim may seem like an added hassle. However, if you or a loved one are injured in a holiday season-related accident, you have a right to pursue compensation for your injuries if they resulted from someone else’s negligence. At McCoy & Sparks, our caring and dedicated team of personal injury experts can help you file a claim, handling all of the heavy lifting so you can focus on what matters most, recovering and spending time with your loved ones.
Top 5 Most Common Holiday Accidents
While decorating-related falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths during the holidays, numerous other incidents can occur this time of year that can require a visit to the emergency room. Below are some of the most common accidents that occur during the holidays and what you can do to avoid them:
1. Decorating Falls
Falls from ladders and roofs happen quite often this time of year from people trying to put up holiday decorations. The CPSC reported that around 160 decorating injuries happen every day during the holiday season. Though they typically occur from people climbing onto roofs and using ladders outdoors, they can occur inside as well when standing on furniture, stairs, and step stools as well.
How to avoid:
- Never hang decorations up high while alone. You should always have someone nearby to spot you, whether inside or outside.
- Ensure ladders and stools are sturdy, locked in place, and secure on a level surface.
- Avoid stepping on furniture or other objects to put up decorations.
- Ensure lights are tangle-free and ready to hang before getting on the roof or a ladder.
- Consider hiring a professional to help you hang your outdoor lights.
- Ensure extension cords are tacked down and out of the way to avoid trips and falls.
2. Fires
Cooking fires, especially during the holiday season, are the number one cause of residential fires. However, other holiday-related items such as candles and lights can also lead to a fire if you aren’t careful.
How to avoid:
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Avoid heating cooking oils to extremely high temperatures if possible.
- Keep a fire extinguisher on hand in the kitchen.
- If using a live tree, make sure it is fresh and away from heat sources.
- Regularly water the tree.
- Only use lights that are free of broken or cracked sockets, loose connections, and exposed or frayed wires.
- Ensure extension cords are the right kind for the area where they are being used.
- Avoid overloading circuits.
- Keep candles away from flammable materials.
- Never leave burning candles unattended.
- Keep candles out of reach of children and pets and ensure they are on heat-resistant stable surfaces.
3. Electrical Shock
When working with holiday lights and extension cords, electrical shock is a possibility. Old cords, outlets, and lights especially can put you at an increased risk of suffering from electrical shock during the holidays.
How to avoid:
- Get rid of old lights and cords that have exposed or frayed wires or broken sockets.
- Make sure the lights and cords you use outside are made to be used outside.
- Do not hang lights while it is raining or sleeting.
- Avoid overloading sockets.
4. Traffic and Inclement Weather Car Accidents
With the holidays there is always an increase in traffic with more people on the roads because they are out shopping and traveling to visit loved ones. Unfortunately, this increase in traffic also comes at a time of year when the roads tend to be in worse condition due to snow and ice. With tensions running high, traffic jams, and bad weather, there is always an uptick in car accidents this time of year.
How to avoid:
- Give yourself plenty of time to get where you are going when you leave the house.
- Mentally prepare yourself to run into traffic.
- Go out earlier or later in the day to avoid rush hour.
- Keep your distance from cars in front of you.
- Avoid traveling during snowstorms if possible, and wait until the roads have been cleared.
- Upgrade to all-weather tires.
5. Back Injuries
For some, there is no relaxing to be had during the holidays. Back injuries are a common injury for various reasons for those who put their bodies through a lot of stress during this time of year. From putting up decorations, traveling on cramped airplanes, and standing in the kitchen cooking for hours, to running around after kids, lugging around luggage and gifts, and going from one holiday event to the next—there are a number of factors that can contribute to back pain and injuries during the holidays.
How to avoid:
- Avoid pushing and overextending yourself. Take breaks and rest when needed.
- Make sure ladders are the right height so you aren’t putting stress on your neck and back when hanging decorations.
- Keep a chair or a stool in the kitchen to sit down from time to time while managing all of the cooking.
- When carrying around heavy objects, lift with your legs and hold them close to your body.
- Stretch before and after long car or plane rides.
Trust McCoy & Sparks—Premier Personal Injury Attorneys in Central Kentucky
If you or a loved one are injured during the holidays, our team of experienced personal injury attorneys can help. You deserve compensation to cover the costs of such things as medical expenses and pain and suffering. Even if your accident resulted from the negligence of someone you know and love, you still have a right to pursue legal action. At McCoy & Sparks, we are committed to helping injured victims get the help and compensation they deserve, no matter who caused the accident.
Regardless of the type of case, our goal is to develop a strategy that best serves your personal needs, then draw upon our courtroom skills to help you reach the best possible result. We start by getting to know you. Next, we will explain all of your options, giving you the pros and cons of each choice so that you will be empowered to make informed decisions.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Make the right call to (844) 4KY-WINS for a risk-free consultation with one of our attorneys today.