Decorating Accidents Can Mean Celebrating the Holiday Season in a Hospital
Anyone who has watched the movie Christmas Vacation is well-aware that Clark Griswold's efforts to light his house up so that it can be seen for miles is more than just Hollywood fantasy for some holiday decorating enthusiasts. However, the mishaps and injuries that Chevy's Chase's character experiences also hit far too close to home for many holiday decorating injury victims.
Those who are excited about the holiday season may plan elaborate holiday displays in accordance with a family's culture, traditions and/or religious faith. Although attempting to outdo the neighbors with lights surrounding the roof, inflatable yard characters and other decorations might sound exciting, a spike in injuries during this time of year related to holiday decorating activity serves as a warning to exercise care so that the holidays are not spent in a hospital recovering from serious injury.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that approximately 15,000 people spent time in our nation's emergency rooms last year because of injuries suffered while decorating for the holiday season. This is the fourth year in a row in which the number of injuries that were incurred while putting up decorations for Christmas, New Year's Eve and other holidays increased.
Because our Atlanta personal injury attorneys at Montlick and Associates want our friends, neighbors and members of our community to spend their holidays with their family rather than strangers in a hospital ER, we have provided an overview of the types of hazards that cause the most common holiday decorating injuries:
Falls from Ladders: While hanging lights from the roof or placing an angel on the top of a Christmas tree may be a time worn tradition, falls from ladders account for more than one-third of all decorating accidents that send individuals to the emergency room according to the CPSC.
Pay Attention to Fire Hazards: If you will be using natural Christmas trees or wreaths rather than plastic replicas, it is important to keep them moist and located a safe distance from heat sources. When pine needles dry out, they can be extremely combustible. Further, lights hung on a trees can short circuit so it is important to carefully inspect lights if you plan to use them on a tree. The CPSC also recommends turning the lights off when members of a household are sleeping.
Be Careful Lifting Heavy Objects: Whether you are trying to get down a heavy box of ornaments from a shelf in the garage or lifting a hefty holiday display onto the roof, injuries associated with lifting objects account for one in ten holiday decorating injuries.
Some holiday injuries occur because of defective products that may be faulty in their design and/or manufacturing or that lack sufficient warnings. When ladders are defective, they can cause serious accidents that result in falls, electrocution or head injuries from falling objects that cause serious injury. Accidents can even occur when you are helping a neighbor decorate if they supply a ladder that is not been properly maintained, such as one that is missing rungs or feet.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Experience to Work For You!
If you or a loved one is injured while decorating for the holidays, you may have a right to financial compensation if your injuries are caused by a defective product or the negligence of another. Our Georgia personal injury lawyers at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.
Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.