Holidays produce treasured memories, but end-of-year festivities also introduce many accident risks for adults and children. Awareness of the hazards and knowledge of safe practices could prevent a trip to an emergency room. Learn how to avoid these common holiday injuries that could send victims looking for advice from Las Vegas injury lawyers. 

1. Burns

Candles, fireplaces, failing electrical wires on holiday lights are all sources of nasty burns during the holidays. In the kitchen, accidents with hot oil, boiling water, and stove burners can cause serious burn injuries. Kitchens crowded with inexperienced cooks or unsupervised children increase the risks. 

Safety tips to avoid holiday burn injuries:

• No real candles on Christmas trees
• Extinguish all candles and fireplaces before bed
• Do not place candles where people put their hands
• Get professional chimney sweeping for wood stoves and fireplaces
• Discard broken holiday lights
• Do not overload electrical circuits
• Keep small children away from kitchen hazards
• Warn all visitors about hot pans and hot fryers
• Follow the directions for fryers and other cooking appliances

2. Slip and Falls

Falls from ladders while putting up holiday decorations happen every year. To avoid injuries, make sure that you are using a ladder long enough to reach the area you are working on. Never stand on the topmost rung of a ladder. Always confirm that the ladder is stable and use it according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

The holidays can also place you in harm’s way when you visit unfamiliar or poorly maintained locations. A busy store might not have the staff to clean a wet floor that causes you to slip. Uneven or icy sidewalks, missing handrails on stairs, and bad lighting at any location could result in a serious fall. Nevada personal injury attorneys could advise you about your rights after a slip and fall injury. 

3. Food Poisoning

Many people attempt to cook lavish holiday dinners without proper food safety knowledge. Food poisoning is always miserable and occasionally fatal. 

How to avoid food poisoning:

• Wash your hands
• Never cook with spoiled food
• Cook all meats to recommended temperatures
• Wash all surfaces that come into contact with raw meat
• Never prepare food on surfaces that have touched raw meat
• Wash all produce thoroughly
• Do not store raw meat next to fresh produce or cooked foods
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours

4. Juvenile Alcohol Poisoning

A holiday celebration with adult beverages creates opportunities for curious kids to try grownup drinks when no one is paying attention. Young kids and teens may become dangerously ill after drinking too much alcohol. Keep them safe by supervising them, locking up alcohol supplies, and dumping unattended half-empty drinks. 

5. Plant Poisoning

Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are unsafe for consumption. Curious toddlers and preschoolers could poison themselves after eating leaves. Keep these plants out of their reach or use fake plant decorations. 

6. Severe Cuts

You will likely receive many deliveries this holiday season and have to open large boxes. Keep your hand out of the way of blades and cut away from your body. 

Those super tough plastic clamshells that surround many products are responsible for many injuries as well. As people struggle to open them with scissors or knives, they can easily slip and cut themselves open. Take your time with that packaging and accept that opening will be difficult.

7. Choking

Babies and very young children are prone to putting things in their mouths. When around little children at the holidays, reduce or eliminate their access to little things, like small light bulbs, little ornaments, or ornament hooks. Finger foods, like grapes, peanuts, and cocktail sausages, can endanger infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. As you shop for gifts, assess products for choking hazards. Avoid gifts with small parts and magnets. If you child has been injured by a toy, see our blog about defective toys. 

8. Back Injuries

Holidays mean deliveries, and sometimes those boxes are big. Lift them safely and ask for help with large and heavy objects to avoid straining your back or slipping a disc. If you visit a place with lovely holiday snow, watch out for back injuries while shoveling snow. The job requires lifting and twisting. These movements place your back in jeopardy. 

9. Serious Allergic Reactions

Unfamiliar dishes on a holiday buffet might expose you unexpectedly to a food that you usually avoid. Other sources of severe allergy attacks come from fresh Christmas trees that might have mold spores or pollen on them. If you are sensitive to allergens like this, rinse your tree with a hose outside and let it dry before bringing it inside. 

10. Car Accidents

Holidays inspire many road trips. Long hours behind the wheel and unfamiliar roads increase your risk of traffic accidents. Unfortunately, the holidays also result in people drinking and driving. 

Increase your safety by:

• Giving yourself plenty of time to arrive
• Avoiding car travel after dark
• Servicing your vehicle before a trip
• Using appropriate car seats for children
• Wearing your seatbelt

Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The team at Moss Berg Injury Lawyers sincerely hopes that your holidays are filled with good fortune. Should something go wrong, though, you can discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable Vegas injury attorney. Contact our office for a free consultation.