Holiday hazards: be aware of these serious risks

by May 22, 2015

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This time of year can be particularly hectic for folks across Tennessee. There are holiday shopping trips to do, winter vacations to plan and family gatherings to attend. The last thing anyone needs at this time is to suffer a serious injury.

Not only can an injury be physically devastating, being hurt can also make it impossible to work or complete daily tasks without help. Add in the financial toll of medical expenses and you have a seriously stressful situation that makes the holiday season anything but merry. With this in mind we want to remind readers of some serious holiday hazards that can cause severe, disabling injuries. Hopefully knowing about them will help people avoid them.

  • Burns: People can be seriously hurt if they are burned by an electrical fire or when they are cooking. Candles and faulty holiday lights can be a fire hazard which can lead to house fires; cooking with unfamiliar tools or for a lot of people can lead to some mistakes in the kitchen that can have devastating consequences.
  • Falling injuries: Putting up decorations or carrying heavy bags and boxes can result in serious back or neck injuries and pain. Additionally, seasonal decor and weather can cause falls when people trip or slip on something unexpected which can lead to broken bones or even brain injuries.
  • Car accidents: During this time of year, people may be more likely to get behind the wheel when they are distracted, drunk or drowsy which can be a threat to every other motorist. Car crash injuries can vary from minor and chronic to catastrophic and life-threatening.

Hopefully, you will not suffer any serious injuries stemming from these or any other hazard this holiday season. However, if you do, you should understand that you don’t have to go through such a difficult time alone. There are resources available to help you cope with the medical and financial burden of these injuries, including disability benefits. Working with an attorney can help you identify and pursue the appropriate options.

Source: Lifehack.org, “The Most Common Holiday Accidents You Need To Avoid,” Jill Harness, accessed on Dec. 7, 2015