(Newswire.net — December 17, 2018) — The holiday season is about spending time with friends and family, not spending time in the emergency room. To stay up on your feet and out the doctor’s office, it’s good to know injuries that are common during this time of the year. That way, you know what specific hazards to keep your eyes peeled for.
Slips and Falls
Snow and ice can make for rather treacherous footing. While you’re shopping, visiting friends and otherwise getting around, pay attention to where you step. Know that a sheet of ice can easily look like a puddle of water. Don’t find this out the hard way.
Car Accidents
Just as you can go skidding and slipping on snow and ice, your car can, too. Use the utmost level of caution while driving, and be extra-vigilant when it comes to looking out for poor drivers. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination, and check the forecast before you head out. Don’t hesitate to involve a personal injury attorney in Nevada if you get into a particularly nasty accident that wasn’t your fault.
Shoveling Snow
In an effort to keep visitors from slipping and falling on your property, you may shovel your home’s walkways, driveway and other such paths. While shoveling, you can harm your soft tissues or pull a muscle. If you’re shoveling snow at work and become injured, you may have grounds to seek workers’ compensation.
Burns
Rather than heat up your energy bill by running your furnace all winter long, you may prefer to use your home’s fireplace. Unfortunately, such attempts can backfire and lead to a residential fire and burns. Be careful when building and sustaining a fire, no matter how small or large it may be. Be sure there aren’t any flammable objects near the fire, and don’t leave the flames unattended.
Carbon Monoxide
Even if a fire doesn’t rage out of control, there’s still a chance you can have an issue with carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms include headache, confusion, dizziness and unconsciousness. It’s also not unusual for a person to die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure you buy a quality carbon monoxide detector for your home, and ensure it’s always working. On a related note, it’s also a good idea to install a radon detector in your home.
Fire
If you use candles, space heaters or holiday lights, know that any of them pose a considerable fire risk. Much like building a fire in your fireplace, keep a close eye on candles, space heaters and lights. With holiday lights and space heaters, there’s the possibility an electric fire can break out, so be sure your electrical system can handle the voltage necessary to keep your lights and space heater operating.
Just like with a fire, you shouldn’t leave space heaters or holiday lights unattended. While colorful lights are great to look at and even nicer to come back home to, something you don’t want to come back to is a burning house. Get into the habit of unplugging or shutting everything off before you leave.
Take every precaution necessary this holiday season to stay safe. Know that should you suffer an injury due to someone else’s negligence, consulting a legal professional could provide you with clarity about your legal rights and what steps to take.