The holidays are here, which means family get-togethers, lots of delicious food, gift giving, and…injuries? Unfortunately, the holiday season sees more injuries than other times of the year. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), holiday decorations are the number one cause of injury during this busy time of year. Many of the injuries we see in December are related to activities associated with the holidays, such as hanging up lights, cooking, wrapping presents, and driving to visit loved ones. It should perhaps come as no surprise that every single holiday season, thousands of people are injured, or worse. This is not only the most wonderful time of the year, but it is the most stressful and dangerous.
In most cases holiday accidents are preventable with a little bit of patience and caution. However, that is easier said than done. We find ourselves rushing around to get everything done this time of year, which can lead to a wide range of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. We encourage you to try your best to take a step back this holiday season and approach each day with care. We know how difficult this is, but it is the best way to avoid costly injuries.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the six most common holiday injuries:
- Falls – Falls are perhaps the most common injury around the holidays, as people are going to great heights to get their Christmas decorations up and outdo their neighbors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that every year nearly 20,000 people are treated at hospitals for fall injuries related to holiday decorating.
- Burns – Another common injury we see during the holidays is burns. Burns are often the result of kitchen accidents, accidental tree fires, and candles. In order to prevent burns, make sure your Christmas tree isn’t near any heat sources, always use mitts and hot pads when cooking, and make sure all candles are out before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Car accidents – The holiday season is one of the busiest in regards to travel, which contributes to the much higher number of car accidents than average. With more drivers on the roads, inclement weather conditions, and the abundance of holiday parties, there are many reasons why we see more car accidents take place from October – January than any other time of year.
- Electric shock – Apart from fall injuries associated with holiday decorating, we also see a high number of injuries involving electric shock. Most of these injuries are due to carelessness and lack of safety equipment. According to the CPSC, on average, 5,000 people are treated each holiday season for injuries related to indoor and outdoor electric shock.
- Choking – It is no secret that we increase the amount of food we eat during the holidays, which means we are at a much higher risk of choking. In addition to choking on food, small children are also at risk of sustaining choking injuries related to their new toys.
- Cuts – Whether from frantically wrapping presents or rushing to get Christmas dinner on the table, cuts are another common injury during this jolly season. Take your time, be patient, and try not to rush around the kitchen, otherwise you may be one of the thousands in the ER this holiday season for a nasty cut.
If you or a loved one is injured this month due to another person’s negligence, please contact Wormington & Bollinger today. Our McKinney personal injury lawyers have years of experience handling these types of cases and are prepared to do the same for you.