Our team at Serious Injury Law Ltd are recommended as a Top Tier firm by the Legal 500 and work exclusively with clients who have serious injuries.

Over the last 30 years, we have dealt with some of the UK’s largest and most complex serious injury cases. This informative article gives an insight into what to remember this Christmas about safety.

This year’s festive season will look a little different to what we are used to. Busy schedules and packed out Christmas parties will be swapped for video calls and socially distanced catch ups. That is, until the ‘five-days of Christmas’ begin. Five days of relaxed restrictions allowed by the government regardless of what tier you have been living under to allow us a few days of ‘normality’. Three households will be allowed to mix indoors, which for many areas of the country (including us in the North West), will be for the first time since March. These restrictions have made many of us assess what is important this year, highlighting even further the value of our families and loved ones at Christmas.

Although our gatherings have been cut down, our Christmas spirit has not. It seems the British public need a reason to celebrate now more than ever. Another thing that has not changed is the fact that this all-pervading state of Yuletide fun coincides with the annual downturn in the weather. Each year there unfurls a plethora of fear-mongers in the media warning you about the “hidden dangers of Christmas”.

Granted, such a concoction of heady conditions may be some cause for concern, yet it seems obvious that safety (and its closely related sibling ‘common sense’) should not come at the expense of your own enjoyment.

Common Christmas injuries to avoid

12 mishaps of Christmas as identified by First aid for life.

  • 1 in 50 people have fallen out of the loft while getting the decorations down.
  • 8% of 16-24 year olds have ended up in A&E during the festive season.
  • 700,000 people have been injured in a sale rush when shopping.
  • 2.6 million people have fallen off a stool or ladder while hanging up decorations.
  • 1,000 people a year are injured by their Christmas tree, usually while fixing decorations to the higher branches.
  • More than 1 in 40 people have suffered an electric shock due to badly wired Christmas lights.
  • Between 1997 and 2010, 26 people died in the UK from watering their Christmas tree with the lights on.
  • 600,000 people have burned themselves roasting chestnuts over an open fire
  • 49% of those preparing Christmas food have suffered an accident.
  • 1 in 10 have spilled hot fat on themselves when cooking.
  • Nearly 1 in 5 have cut themselves preparing vegetables.
  • More than 80,000 people a year need hospital treatment for injuries such as falls, cuts and burns during the festive period, according to the NHS. With 6,000 of these needing to be admitted.

A conscientious Christmas

Unfortunately, further serious accidents do also happen. It is not uncommon for news stories to pair images of overturned cars in front of desolate and snowy landscapes to warn us of the dangers of driving erratically on ice. Naturally, drink driving should always be avoided too.

Yet it should be emphasised that serious injuries can happen to anyone and at any time. So yes, be conscious of everything you do when you go for a walk or get behind the wheel in icy conditions, just as you should when the heavens throw down sheets of impenetrable rainfall; when the sun’s piercing glare dazzles and blinds you; or when the thickest blanket of fog blocks your way.

It’s a case of common sense. Just like at any time of year, one must always be vigilant to make sure that you and your loved ones are safe. But it’s Christmas, so the point is to enjoy yourself.

We wish everybody a safe Christmas, however, if you or any of your family or friends are involved in an accident and require legal assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can also be contacted on 0330 058 0377 for a free, confidential, conversation with an experienced serious injury solicitor. Alternatively, please send us your contact details to enquiry@seriouslaw.co.uk and we’ll call you back or feel free to join the discussion.