Holiday Personal Injury Accidents
Personal injury accidents don’t take a holiday, no matter how much we may wish them to. As you and your family and friends gather for the holidays, Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. have a few tips for averting holiday personal injury accidents.
Common Personal Injuries During The Holidays
The holidays quickly fill with traditions, friends, and family. But because of the increase in activity, any number of personal injuries can happen. Gainesville personal injury attorneys have seen the following common causes for personal injuries year after year.
Car Accidents
According to AAA, nine out of ten holiday travelers drive to holiday gatherings, with more than 103 million driving at least 50 miles to their destination this year. That volume of vehicles and people, unfortunately, often leads to car accidents and personal injuries. Whether it is due to speeding, negligence, distracted driving, or weather conditions, car accidents result in medical costs and physical and emotional pain and suffering long after the holidays are over.
Premise Liability
In 2016, 99 million people took part in Black Friday shopping, according to the National Retail Federation. With millions of people expected to shop in-store again this year, store and business owners, managers, and employees are still expected to maintain the property to ensure the reasonable safety of patrons. Examples of premise liability include wet or soiled flooring, decorations or store products such as clothing in walkways, and/or defective elevators and escalators.
Slip & Fall Or Trip & Fall Accidents
Whether you slip on a neighbor’s sidewalk delivering holiday cookies or trip over haphazardly strewn merchandise while shopping, slips and falls and/or trips and falls are common causes for holiday personal injuries. Public or private, all property owners have a legal liability to keep their property reasonably clear from slipping and/or tripping hazards.
Defective Products
No matter your age, opening gifts is part of the holidays that many people look forward to. And once the gifts are open, of course you want to try out this latest gizmo or gadget. But nobody looks forward to being injured by their gift. Quite a few defective products, unfortunately, are found in children’s toys, though any product can be defective and the manufacturing company liable. Some of the many causes for defective products include poor design, defective materials used in the final product, and/or failing to warn of certain or foreseeable risks with the product.
Stay Safe During The Holidays
Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season impede you from staying safe. Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A., a personal injury law firm, have these tips to help you avoid a personal injury during the holidays.
Plan Ahead & Slow Down
If you’re one of the many millions hitting the road for the holidays, take a little extra time to plan your trip before you go. Not only will planning help you remember everything you need to take, but you can allow for rest stops and still make the holiday dinner on time. Plus, having a plan means you won’t be tempted to speed, a leading cause of car accidents during the holidays and all year-round.
Clear Away Clutter
You may not want to think about one more thing to do, but clearing away clutter as soon as you see it is a great way to prevent slips and/or trips and falls. Unless something is necessary in a gathering area, keep it stored away where it won’t cause a possible issue.
Read The Instructions
It’s tempting to remove all the packaging on a new gift and begin to see how it works, but take a few minutes to read the instructions. Those minutes can mean the difference between suffering a personal injury this holiday season and enjoying your gift for the foreseeable future.
What To Do If You’ve Been Injured This Holiday
No one envisions a personal injury during the holidays, but there are a few things to keep in mind if it happens. First, see a medical care provider for your injury. Though your injury may seem or appear minor, having medical care creates a confirmation of your injury if you file a personal injury claim. Second, keep notes and photos of the injury along with how it occurred and any receipts and correspondence about the injury. The personal injury attorneys in Gainesville with Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. will use this information to even further build your case in a personal injury claim.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
If you or a loved one are injured during the holidays, a personal injury lawyer in Gainesville can help you recover compensation for your injury. Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. approaches each case with diligence to give you personal attention and a complete understanding of your case and the legal process at hand. Suffering a personal injury during the holidays shouldn’t linger long into the new year, contact Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. today.
