Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Who doesn’t love holiday decorations and lights? They are part of the holiday tradition, brighten any space and put on a smile on everyone’s face. However, as cheerful as holiday adornments can be, they can bring up a number of safety issues. Here are just a few of the ways holiday trimmings can cause slip, trip and fall injuries at your home and local businesses:
Christmas Trees – Large beautifications, like Christmas trees, should always be placed off to the side or in areas with less foot traffic to keep people from running into them or tripping over them.
Electric Cords – Electric decorations and lights have cords. Unfortunately, these can be hard to spot and lead to tripping hazards. Strings of lights and cords should be kept away from walkways to avoid injuries. The best place to store them is along the baseboard, where they are least likely to cause trip and fall accidents. Remember, do not ever staple or nail a cord to a wall as this is a fire hazard!
Live Plants – Live trees and plants require water. When water runs onto the floor, it can create safety hazard to all guests and visitors. All live plants should have drip pans placed underneath them to prevent liquid spills. Should any water spill onto the floor, it must be cleaned up immediately. Mats can always be used to prevent slip and fall tragedies in areas that could get wet.
Christmas Lights – Lights are beautiful way to add some sparkle to your house for the holidays, but it is important to not use these decorative lights as a substitute for proper lighting. When an entryway or stairwell is not adequately lit, a person can easily slip, trip or fall.
Holiday Decorations – Christmas decorations and wall adornments can easily fall down. Any fallen décor should be immediately picked up before it can become a safety hazard.
Keep in mind that holiday ornaments are supposed to bring out the holiday spirit, not injuries. If you or someone you love is injured this holiday season by unsafe holiday decorations at a local business, such as a bank, convenience store, shopping mall or hospital, or even someone else’s home, a Florida Slip, Trip and Fall Attorney at Whittel & Melton can help you understand your legal rights and options. The business or property owner could be liable for your injuries. To schedule your free consultation, please contact us today online or call us statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529.
From all of us at Whittel & Melton, have a safe holiday season and very happy New Year!