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During the holiday season, it’s fun to get together with family and friends. No matter how you celebrate, there can be the potential of an accident if you or your loved ones are not careful. Before drinking eggnog or opening gifts, keep the following in mind prior to celebrating.
Fires and Burns
Whether it’s an open fire in the fireplace or burning a comforting candle, the risk of getting burned increases in the winter months. For an alternative to traditional wax candles, you could use flameless, battery-powered candles. This will still give off the aroma of a candle without the danger of an open flame.
If you choose to burn a candle, ensure that there is nothing near the flame such as a curtain or other flammable object. Additionally, while it may be tempting to get close to the candle to smell it, that is another opportunity for a fire as the flame could catch on long hair or clothing.
When maintaining a fire in a fireplace, make sure to stay as far back from the fire as possible and check that there is nothing flammable near the flame. An alternative to a fireplace is an electric fireplace (and as a bonus, some are portable so the fireplace can be taken to a room of your choice!)
Cooking is another activity that typically increases over the holidays. However, that could lead to potential burns from the stovetop or oven. To help decrease the chance of burns, make sure you have enough room in the kitchen to move the heated items from one place to another and wear oven mitts or other protective gear.
Trips and Falls
Trips and falls go on the rise during the holiday season for multiple reasons. One of the most common is hanging decorations outside. If a ladder is not on solid ground or someone missteps, this could lead to devastating injuries. To stay safe, use caution when climbing a ladder, have someone holding the base of the ladder if possible and if not, ensure that the ladder is on solid ground.
Another common trip and fall injury happens while visiting a family or friend’s home. If the house has a bump in the floor you may not be aware of, or if while going up their driveway and there is ice out, this could lead to a fall with injuries. When visiting a new home, be aware of your surroundings and take precautions where you step to avoid a potential trip and fall.
If you end up getting injured during the holiday season, one of the first things on your mind is to get better as quickly as possible. Once you’re on the mend, and if the injury was at no fault of your own, then you should contact Meade Law Group. We have helped countless clients get compensated for personal injury accidents and we want to be there for you during your time of need. Contact our team by filling out our online form or calling us at (423) 464-7779.
