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How to Avoid Injuries During Winter

Jan 01, 2021

Winter and the holiday season are supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation, but an accidental injury can upend your plans and leave you with lingering pain and financial obligations long after the tinsel has been taken down and the presents have been unwrapped. In this post, we’ll discuss five easy ways to prevent injuries during winter, and after it comes to a close.

Fairell Roy & Associates in Atlanta provides tough and dedicated representation for clients who have suffered serious personal injuries due to the negligence of another party. If your life has been affected by a personal injury , contact us to schedule a consultation and we’ll do everything we can to help you recover physically and financially in the new year.

Five Ways to Prevent Injuries During Winter

Decorate Carefully

Decorating is one of the best ways to get the whole family involved in your holiday celebrations, but it’s also one of the most common causes of injuries. If you normally put lights on your roof, trees, and around other areas that require a ladder, always make sure that you’ve double-checked the ladder’s stability and cleared the ground you’ll be putting it on. (Notice that we’re assuming you’ll use a ladder — never stand on tables, chairs, or other objects that are not intended to be used as ladders!)

Avoid Trips and Slips

Slip-and-fall accidents are another common source of injuries during the holiday season and winter more generally. Although we don’t see much snow and cold weather during the year, it’s not uncommon for sidewalks, driveways, and other walkways to be slippery and covered in ice when the temperature drops below freezing. Check your sidewalk and front porch for ice and use a de-icing agent to prevent visitors from hurting themselves as they approach the front door. If you choose to go out, wear a pair of non-slip boots that can help you avoid slipping.

You should also take steps to prevent slip-and-fall injuries inside of your home. Make sure that holiday rugs, extension cords, and other decorations are out of the way or secured to the ground.

Cook With Caution

If you’re planning to cook a special meal for your family this year, it’s important to brush up on kitchen safety basics. This is especially important if you’re cooking or frying anything at a high temperature.

Keep your kitchen fire-free by following these preventive measures:

  • Double-check that your appliances are in good working order. Clean the inside of your oven as well as the space behind it.
  • Unplug any appliances that aren’t in use.
  • Test your fire alarms and replace the batteries if necessary.
  • If you’re frying something, make sure that you use a pan or pot that’s big enough for the job. Leave enough room to prevent hot grease from splashing out and causing a fire.
  • Never leave food unattended while it cooks. If you need to run to the store for a missing ingredient or finish up last-minute gift wrapping, turn everything off or ask someone else to take over.
  • Store towels, napkins, and other flammable items away from your stovetop. If you forget to turn the stove or a burner off, you’ll be much less likely to have a fire on your hands.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher near your cooking area and familiarize yourself with how to use it.

Plan Ahead When Drinking

Although you probably aren’t attending many in-person parties this year, it’s still important to note that you should never get behind the wheel after drinking. If you attend a remote celebration and have a few drinks in the company of your friends and family, exercise the same caution you would use if you had gathered at a restaurant or bar. Ask a member of your household to give you a ride if you truly need to go somewhere, but don’t put your life or someone else’s at risk by getting behind the wheel.

Double Check Candles

Candles can make your home feel more festive and inviting, but they can also put you at risk of a catastrophic fire. It’s recommended that you switch to flameless candle options to eliminate the risk of a fire altogether, but we understand that many people do enjoy the look of traditional candles. If you plan to burn regular candles this winter, start by checking your placement. Your candles should be placed on a heat-resistant surface and at least several inches away from the nearest wall. You should also make sure that there’s nothing above them that could catch fire over time. If you don’t normally burn candles in your home, you’ll need to be extra diligent about blowing them out when you exit a room or leave your home.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Atlanta

We hope that this post will help you and your loved ones avoid injuries this winter. We plan to continue posting additional personal injury resources throughout 2021, so be sure to come back to our blog page for additional information. You can also follow us on Facebook for weekly live Q&A sessions in which you can ask us questions anonymously.

If you’ve been injured this winter, contact the Fairell Roy & Associates office to schedule a virtual consultation. We know that nothing will put a damper on the spirit of the season quite like an unexpected injury, but we’ll work quickly and effectively to help you recover and put the incident behind you.

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