Christmas is the time for holidays, relaxation and having fun with friends and family. Unfortunately, Christmas also brings with it an increase in the number of people being injured.
There are risks such as tripping on a string of Christmas lights, getting a pine needle stuck in your foot in the race to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning or getting food poisoning from Grandma’s undercooked turkey.
You would have difficulty convincing a personal injury lawyer to take on any of these claims on a no win no fee basis. There are however may other instances in which serious personal injury may be suffered and compensation claims may be brought.
Seasonal Road Risks
It is no secret that Christmas is a busy time on our roads. Everyone seems to be in a rush to get to their destination. Kids are screaming in the backseat. Despite safety campaigns, there is an increased number of tired and drunk drivers on the road. All of these factors result in an increase in the number of car accidents on our roads.
Christmas Shopping Dangers
The lead up to Christmas is often more painful than we would like it to be. The pre-Christmas shopping and the Boxing Day sales can be a nightmare. Increased numbers of people are at the shopping centre, all pushing and shoving to get that sale item. The increased number of patrons means that cleaners have a mammoth job in keeping floors clean from spills and other hazards. The risks of falls and trips in shopping centres is significantly higher over the Christmas period, simply due to the increase in the value of shoppers.
Toys
When purchasing toys for your children, it is important that you make sure that each toy meets the Australian safety standards. The days of rag dolls and wooden train sets are long gone, and it is likely that Santa will bring toys such as the latest remote controlled car, X-Box, iPad or other electrical device. If any of these are defective then your child could be at risk of a injury.
Our emergency departments are filled each Christmas with children suffering injuries after falling off trampolines, bikes, skateboards and other such toys. It is important to make sure that you make sure your child is safe – if they get a shiny new bike, they should also have a shiny helmet to go with it.
From all of us at GC Law, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our office will be closed from 4:00pm Tuesday 24 December 2013 and re-open at 8.30am Monday 6 January 2014.
