Christmas is a time to relax and enjoy the time spent with your loved ones but the pressure to have fun can lead to an increase of injuries around this time of year. More than 80,000 people are admitted to A&E for Christmas injuries. The increase in stress at christmas time can lead to some costly mistakes and cause your celebrations to come to an unfortunate end. From injuring yourself putting up decorations to suffering a fall, in the icy weather here are some of the most common Christmas injuries to look out for this season.
Slips, trips and falls
The cold weather and icy streets can make slips, trips and falls all that more common at christmas time. Balancing on ladders to put up Christmas decorations or walking around your relatives and friends’ houses that you may be unfamiliar with can also add to the chance of injuring yourself in a fall at Christmas. Although a slight trip or fall may not seem like the end of the world, many people can suffer long term injuries such as a broken bone that can cause them to need time off work and may cause a financial burden. You can find out more about how to make a slip, trip and fall claim from our expert Romanian solicitors here.
Car accidents
Car accidents increase in the lead up to Christmas. This is due to more people on the road looking to do their last minute Christmas shopping, going out to celebrate or visit relatives on christmas day this road becomes markedly busier which leads to the potential of more accidents. This coupled with the typical icy weather conditions mean that driving in the festive season can become quite hazardous. Not only this but an increase in drunk driving at Christmas time sees the number of traffic accidents increase too. Navigating a road traffic accident claim can be complex so it’s important you have skilled solicitors on your side to give you the best chance of winning your claim.
Burns and fires
Christmas lights, candles and open fires can all lead to some very painful consequences. Suffering a severe burn and requiring medical treatment is not the way you want to spend Christmas. Making sure to turn off your Christmas lights and candles at night and taking precautions when around an open fire will help you avoid injury and keep your Christmas merry.
Christmas decorations and defective products
From Christmas decorations to toys there are many different Christmas products that can lead to injury. Button batteries are found in many childrens toys, while there are regulations that require them to be safely secured in a screwed down cover many Christmas toys particularly those from overseas may not be safe. These batteries if swallowed can cause severe burning and even lead to death so it’s incredibly important that Christmas toys are inspected to ensure they are safe before they are wrapped up as a present for a child. Defective Christmas lights and decorations can also lead to injuries such as burns and electric shocks with more than 1 in 40 people suffering an electric shock from badly wired lights at christmas.
Food poisoning and allergies
While most of us will be enjoying some delicious food on Christmas day, there is the potential for it to go wrong. Improperly prepared or handled food can cause food poisoning which is a sure fire way to ruin your Christmas festivities. Allergies also need to be considered when cooking for people in your home or going out for a christmas meal. If you have suffered an allergic reaction or come down with food poisoning over Christmas due to someone else’s negligence then you may be eligible to claim for compensation.
Animal bites
Christmas is a time to spend with your family and friends, many of whom may have pets. Injuries caused by unrestrained or poorly trained pets can be often overlooked. With many extra people coming and going around the holidays, animals can become stressed leading to an increased chance of them lashing out and causing injury to you if you are a guest at someone’s house.
What type of Christmas injuries can I claim for?
When understanding whether you can claim for an accident or not depends of who was at fault. For example if you burn yourself cooking christmas dinner then you are unlikely to have a claim. However if you have received a burn from unsafe or defective christmas lights then you will have a case as the injury was not your fault. Establishing that your injury was sustained due to the negligence of another party is key to winning a personal injury case and getting the compensation you deserve.
Preventing injuries at Christmas
The festive season is a time to relax with your loved ones and enjoy your time off work. Not a time to be worried about your safety. Therefore try not to stress, take precautions where you can and remembering to be aware of the potential dangers will help you stay safe this Christmas.
But of course no matter how careful you are, accidents can and do happen and that is where Remus Robu Solicitors come in.
If you have had an accident that wasn’t your fault then get in touch with our team here or email us on office@remusrobusolicitors.co.uk. All our expert Romanian personal injury lawyers are fluent in Romanian and English and will help you to navigate your claim with ease and get the compensations you rightly deserve.