The holidays are best known for being the time of year when family and friends come together to celebrate. However, the fact that many people are celebrating does not mean that everything that happens during this time is joyful. In fact, according to The New Yorker there are about 15,000 emergency room visits a year as a result of holiday decorating. This information is from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Approximately 15% of injuries come from chairs or ladders. In general 20% of the injuries relate to Christmas lights, while roughly half of the injuries have nothing to do with electric decorations.
Holiday Injuries
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes the hazards that come with the holiday season. In 2013 Robert Adler, the acting Chairman of the CPSC, said that there are nearly 250 injuries per day during the holiday season. Adler’s statements came with a press release outlining safety tips for keeping out of harm’s way during the holidays. A few of those tips include:
- Reading the warning labels on ladders.
- Buying a fresh tree if you buy a live tree.
- Making sure your artificial tree is “fire resistant.”
- Checking lights to make sure they are undamaged before using.
- Not using extension cords that show signs of damage.
In some cases it might be safer to hire a professional to decorate for you. The Las Vegas Review-Journal suggests that more professionals are being hired this season because of the added safety benefits. The article highlights the use of contractors like Courtney Landscape and Pools, which adds decorating services to its business during the holidays.
Toy Related Injuries
Not all injuries come from decorating. In a recent article Fortune wrote that an estimated 251,800 children were treated in emergency rooms for injuries involving toys. According to the nonprofit World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (WATCH), 46% of toy purchases this holiday season are going to be made online. Online purchases do not allow parents to inspect toys the same way they would in a store, so this might lead to additional injuries. WATCH has also made a list of the top 10 “worst toys” this season.
Types of Claims
For the types of injuries that occur during the holidays, there are multiple categories that holiday injuries could fall into. If you are injured on someone’s property, whether it is an acquaintance’s house or maybe a tree farm, you might have a personal injury claim. You might have a products liability claim if you are injured by the decorations that you are putting up. Even injuries from toys could result in valid product liability claims. For injuries that do not fit into these categories, there may still be a valid claim for negligence.
Contact an Attorney
The only person that can properly determine whether or not you have a claim is a licensed Nevada attorney. If you or a loved one is injured do not hesitate to contact an attorney. You should contact a licensed Las Vegas personal injury attorney as soon as you discover the injury.