The Christmas period is a busy time for everyone with many homes packed with people celebrating the special day. However, in all the anticipation and excitement of the day, accidents are often a regular occurrence.
UK hospitals will have seen over 80,000 injuries as a result of falls, burns and cuts over the Christmas week alone. However there are also plenty of other bizarre accidents that occur on Christmas day as a result of dangerous mix of excitement, tiredness, stress and alcohol. Below are the three scenarios which regularly result in unusual accidents during the festive period.
* Putting up the Christmas Tree
The kitchen is already considered one of the most dangerous rooms within the household when it comes to accidents, however Christmas time poses even more of a risk. Having to handle sharp knives, boiling water and hot food, as well as attempting to work around an excited family, can lead to a number of injuries. Unfortunately the accidents don’t stop there, though, as many people have ended up in A & E due to choking and food poisoning on Christmas day. And it even seems that Christmas crackers can be dangerous, with four people breaking their arm whilst pulling them last year.
* Preparing the Food
The kitchen is considered the most dangerous place within the household on Christmas day with people regularly having to handle sharp knives, boiling water and hot fat while dodging other members of the family. Even the meal itself is no easy task with hospitals taking in many people who have choked during their meal or suffered from severe food poisoning. Christmas crackers also appear to be a safety hazard at the dinner table with four reported cases last year of broken arms.
* Opening the presents
No matter what people think, for children and many adults Christmas is about the presents. Yet it appears that the fortress of packaging around many of the valuable items we buy can cause a number of injuries, with hundreds of people across the country managing to stab themselves with scissors and knifes while attempting to cut away protective plastics or cardboard. The stress and frustration built up from impossible packaging has even lead to some medical experts using the term “wrap rage”, after a British study found 60,000 people went to hospital due to cuts, muscle strain and sprains caused by tearing into their gifts.
The presents themselves have caused some of the most bizarre reported accidents. Last year five people ended up in A & E as a result of out-of-control Scalextric cars.
Unfortunately for the people in these bizarre cases, their injuries are often caused by their own negligence, meaning they are likely to be ineligible to claim compensation for their suffering.
However, if you were involved in an accident during the holiday season which wasn’t your fault, it’s important to speak to a solicitor for legal advice.
Learn more about personal injury compensation claims with Alkers’ personal injury solicitors in Preston & Blackpool.
