Most people look forward to the holiday season and the chance to reconnect with loved ones. It seems like once Halloween is over, people start shopping for gifts, decorating their homes and planning parties. Unfortunately, all of this extra activity can lead to unintended consequences if people and businesses aren’t careful. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s, you should be aware of how holiday traditions might contribute to an incident that causes injury.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published tips on various hazards associated with this festive time of year. No one wants to spend the holidays in a hospital or recuperating in their bed, so we urge you to be aware of the following:

• Vehicle accidents — Travel patterns change during the holidays. Some people travel long distances to celebrate with their families. In the rush before a big day, busy drivers crowd roads on their way to buy presents or food for a holiday feast. Alcohol is often served at parties, even in some workplaces. Heavy traffic, distracted motorists and alcohol can be a dangerous combination.
• Falls on slippery surfaces — Snow and ice certainly add to the holiday atmosphere, but failure to maintain outdoor or indoor premises properly during winter weather could trigger a serious injury. Untended sidewalks and parking lots create hazards for pedestrians and shoppers. Moreover, when people walk inside stores with wet shoes or boots, floors can get slippery very quickly.
• Defective products — Between decorations and gifts, a lot of new products are introduced to our homes each year during the holiday season. Some artificial Christmas trees are flammable, particularly those that are pre-lit. After the presents are opened, gadgets that don’t work properly or that lack proper instructions could cause serious injuries.

Whether or not an unforeseen injury has anything to do with the holidays, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you pursue fair compensation from the liable parties. People often feel a financial pinch at this time of year, so you don’t want to be stuck paying for medical bills and other accident-related expenses, especially if the injuries are also forcing you to miss work.

At Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C., we are accomplished attorneys who represent injury victims throughout Connecticut. Whatever you celebrate, we wish you and your family a happy, healthy holiday season. Should an unfortunate incident occur that requires the assistance a capable lawyer, please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online. We have offices in Hamden and East Haven.