Christmas Archives - Edmonds, WA Personal Injury Lawyer

Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

Here’s to Happy Holidays from Cunnane Law

Posted on: December 6th, 2022 by Marcel Colon

This time of year can be challenging, but we wish you the very best this holiday season.

The holidays can be hard sometimes.

It is common, given our type of work, for the people we assist on a daily basis to find the holidays to be a trying time. This is especially true if you are ill, confined to a bed, or preoccupied with medical care and physical therapy.

We realize that not working can be stressful, leaving you to wonder what you will do.

It can be tough to imagine even “having” Christmas this year if you are out of work and your employer or insurance provider are making things even more difficult.

We understand that, which is the reason we are here to help.

We can offer you and your loved ones a little more piece of mind, even if we cannot guarantee that your problem will be resolved before the holiday season is through.

Being uncertain about what to do or what your alternatives are, particularly when dealing with a complex legal system, can be very stressful to say the least.

It also doesn’t help to experience times when your paycheck is unpredictable or to worry about how you’ll pay your medical expenditures.

We can provide you with our expertise and guidance while we help you with car accidents and long-term disability claims. In fact, that is what Cunnane Law in Edmonds is particularly good at.

We understand that you might be having a difficult time this year, more than ever, and our wish for you is for strength and peace and a happy holiday season surrounded by your loved ones.

Note: This information was provided not for any specific claim and is written in broad and general terms and may not be the right path to follow for a particular claim or case. This information is not intended to create an attorney client relationship. It is always best to receive direct legal counsel for your legal issues. It is never too early to call the attorney, but it can be too late.

Holiday Decorating Can Result in Injuries

Posted on: November 27th, 2022 by Marcel Colon

Have fun this holiday season, and stay safe and healthy!

Following Halloween, the Christmas season officially starts on November 1st. People start decorating for the holidays from Thanksgiving through to Christmas and New Year’s. To celebrate this joyous season, Christmas trees are set up, wreaths are hung, yard decorations are placed, lights are strewn over the house and landscape, and menorahs are lit. Exercising caution can help prevent common injuries, but decorating has hidden risks that should be considered.

Rushing to Get Things Done Takes a Toll

Almost everyone finds the holiday season the busiest time of year. People are rushing to complete work assignments before the end of the year while also balancing holiday shopping, event planning, family visits, decorating, baking, and a host of other activities. Some people rush through their decorating as quickly as possible due to a lack of time. However, decorating in a hurry can result in shortcuts and safety risks, resulting in minor or serious injury.

Keep Safety in Mind When Decorating

Christmas lights are a popular Christmas tradition, but they also present a very real risk to people’s health and safety. Plugging in lights that are old or with frayed wires can result in electrical shorts that can start house fires or cause serious injury from electrocution. To avoid a short circuit, never connect more than 210 watts worth of light strings at once. These are less obvious safety precautions to follow, but they can help you stay safe throughout the holidays.

While candles are a common year-round home decoration, they are also popular for the holidays. It takes only a heartbeat for a candle placed next to a dry Christmas tree to become a catastrophe. Blow out candles before leaving the room and keep them away from the Christmas tree and anything combustible. In November and December of each year from 2016 to 2018, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that there were approximately 100 Christmas tree fires and approximately 1,100 candle fires. This led to 30 fatalities, 180 injuries, and annual property losses of around $56 million. While one may believe they won’t experience this, it is wise to rule out any possibilities. Water the tree frequently to prevent drying out and creating a fire hazard. Do not leave a menorah burning unattended if you celebrate Hanukkah. To prevent it from tipping over, place the menorah on a strong surface. Candles and menorahs should be kept out of pets’ and kids’ reach. A house fire caused by a candle or decoration is one of the worst things that could happen.

Unfortunately, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 18,000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms each year for injuries brought on by Christmas decorations. Decorating-related lacerations, strains and sprains, fractures, contusions and abrasions, and ingestion were the most frequent injuries seen in the emergency room. Be careful when decorating your home this year to avoid going to the emergency room for any reason.

Do You Need Help?

Holiday decorating should be a joyful family activity that gets everyone in the holiday spirit. Please keep these helpful decorating suggestions in mind to avoid any serious injury during the holidays this year. While we hope this never happens, if you are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or a defective product, please contact Cunnane Law. Our personal injury lawyers are here to assist you with your case and provide free consultations.

It Won’t be a Merry Christmas for Those Affected by These Weird Holiday Injuries

Posted on: December 14th, 2021 by Timothy Hendershot

Don’t let anything ruin your holiday season! Watch out for these weird holiday injuries.

It’s not only about decorating the halls, trimming the tree, and exchanging gifts during the Christmas season. It’s also a time when, no matter how much joy is spread, serious injuries can still occur.

The weirdness of the causes of these vacation injuries is what jumps out the most. While these injuries may not be as dramatic as Santa being injured while falling down the chimney or elves filing workers’ compensation claims after being injured while constructing toys, some of the real-life incidents that have been reported are equally as bizarre.

Christmas Lights: Cheerful, Bright, and… Dangerous?

Hundreds of individuals are injured every year in accidents involving Christmas lights. That’s right, you read it accurately. Hundreds. According to the most recent USCPSC report, there were approximately 150 injuries in the 40-65 age bracket alone.

If you’ve ever seen a movie in which a character falls while installing Christmas lights on the roof, you’ve witnessed something that happens every year in real life. Unfortunately, such falls in real life result in genuine harm, not laughs.

Electrical injuries are also caused by Christmas lights, such as when people are shocked owing to defective wiring or when they are caught in an inopportune combination of electricity from the lights and melting snow. Fires produced by improper wiring on Christmas light strings are also common causes of burns.

Trimming the Tree with Care

Every year, Christmas trees cause a number of accidents and illnesses, and not simply the types of injuries you’d expect, such as cuts from chopping down a real tree.

People have experienced allergic reactions to trees they have placed in their homes. In other cases, people have had their eyes damaged when they bumped into Christmas trees.

Are you in the mood to dance? Maybe you might want to consider sitting still.

People have also blamed their injuries on Christmas music and the holiday spirit. One man said that he had severe joint pain as a result of his excessive dancing at a Christmas party. In another case, an 80-year-old woman said she heard Christmas music and tried to get out of her recliner to dance, but she damaged herself by “shaking her hips.”

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Christmas Cards?

In 2014, one of the oddest Christmas-related injuries of all time occurred. After writing an excessive amount of Christmas cards, a person claimed he suffered carpal tunnel syndrome.

We sincerely hope you never fall victim to these holiday injuries, or any others! We want nothing but the best for all our Edmonds and Seattle-area friends throughout the season. If you need any help with a personal injury case, you know who to contact. From all of us at Cunnane Law, have a safe holiday season and a Merry Christmas!

Note: The injuries listed above are from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC).

Preventing Personal Injuries this Holiday Season

Posted on: December 17th, 2020 by Timothy Hendershot

Careful! Do everything you can to prevent personal injuries, especially in the holiday season.

During this holiday season, whether you are traveling or staying home, it is really important to think about ways to keep you and your family safe and avoid personal injury accidents. There are many dangers that can suddenly happen, from car accidents and home fires to falling off ladders. Safety should be the number one consideration this holiday season, allowing everyone to be stress-free and safe, whatever we are doing.

Below we have listed some of the preventable personal injuries that very often occur during the winter months.

Dangers of Christmas Trees

Many of us have wonderful memories of gathering around the Christmas tree drinking hot cocoa and reading Christmas stories. Buying a live tree from one of the Christmas tree lots in the area can be a great way to spend time with the family, and also a wonderful way to start a family tradition.

Keep in mind that if you drape a Christmas tree that is too dry with lights and flammable ornaments, you may have inadvertently brought a potential fire hazard into your home. Always keep your tree watered to avoid the possibility of a house fire.

An alternative is an artificial tree which doesn’t have organic matter to burn, but the lights can become very hot and ignite ornaments on the tree. A recommendation from most experts, is to unplug the Christmas tree at night or use a timer, which will not only prevent the bulbs from getting too hot but will also save electricity. Another solution is to use LED lights which do not give off as much heat.

Outdoor Accidents

Hanging outdoor Christmas lights can be dangerous and so can removing them again. You should always think safety when putting up lights and try to avoid dry trees and branches. Make sure you have someone with you to spot any potential dangers and to help you with the tall ladders needed for decorating your roof. Falling from a ladder can be quite painful and you could injure yourself.

When it comes time to remove the lights from the house remember to unplug them. Avoid injury by being careful and taking the necessary precautions. And remember to be extra careful if there is snow or ice around so as to avoid injury.

Reckless Driving

During the holiday season which is one of the busiest times on the road, many families drive to visit friends, family and loved ones. Unfortunately it is also a time for unnecessary reckless driving, so be sure to take every precaution while driving because devastating accidents can happen very suddenly. Be sure that you and everyone travelling in the car with you have their seat belts on, including small children. Stay off your phone while driving or use hands-free technology.

If, due to the carelessness of others, you have suffered an injury this holiday season, contact the personal injury lawyers at Cunane Law. We have the necessary experience to represent you and will fight to win you the compensation you deserve.

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