Most people consider holiday decorations a central part of celebrating the season. While decorating your home may be a festive tradition, when holiday adornments have product defects the aftermath can be anything but jolly and leave you and your loved ones with serious personal injuries.
With the holiday season officially here, it is always a good idea to check with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to check out if any of your holiday embellishments have been recalled due to product defects. The CPSC works to decrease and prevent injuries related to hazardous holiday decorations by censoring the Internet and marketplace for unsafe holiday trimmings and any other products that may potentially hurt shoppers.
According to the CPSC, more than 10,000 people make a trip to the emergency room every year for holiday decorating injuries, including burns, cuts and abrasions, electric shock and slip, trip and fall accidents. Moreover, candles are found to be responsible for an estimated 150 deaths every year, whereas Christmas trees are the culprit behind nearly 400 fires every year, causing 20 deaths, 70 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage.
Ultimately, it is essential to speak with a Florida Product Liability Lawyer at Whittel & Melton to ensure that your legal rights are protected if you or a family member has suffered injuries related to holiday ornaments or any other type of defective product. By consulting with a Product Liability Lawyer, you may be able to file a product liability claim and seek compensation for any injuries.
Determining Fault When a Defective Decoration Ends in Injury
If you have been injured from a defective decoration, a Florida Product Liability Lawyer can organize an investigation to determine who the negligent party is – the manufacturer, distributor, retailer or possibly all three. Sometimes establishing blame can be difficult. The manufacturer will most likely try and prove that the product is safe and may assert that the injured party did not use the product as it was intended. This is not usually the case and your Florida Product Liability Lawyer will be responsible in showing how a defective decoration caused your injuries. Other parties that could be responsible for defective products besides the manufacturer, distributor and retailer include the manufacturer, distributor or seller of any defective component of the decoration that added to your injuries.
Recovering Damages in a Product Liability Claim
After the negligent party has been identified in a Florida product liability claim, damages need to be determined. Damages may include loss of past and future wages, emotional distress, past and future medical bills, pain and suffering and any other expenses relevant to your injuries. It is extremely important to have an experienced attorney on your side to protect your best interests when it comes to a defective product because most of these cases involve large companies that will have aggressive attorneys working on their side that will try to get you to accept low settlements. At Whittel & Melton, LLC, we can guide you through the process of a product liability claim and make sure you recover the compensation you rightfully deserve. We can provide you with a complimentary consultation any time, day or night. Contact the Florida Product Liability Lawyers at Whittel & Melton, LLC today.
What Makes Holiday Decorations Dangerous?
There have been several holiday decoration recalls from previous years and the following examples can give you an idea how holiday décor can be disastrous.
• Candles and candle holders that pose a fire hazard.
• Christmas lights that pose a fire hazard due to a nonexistent fuse.
• Candles with the wrong wick size that caused flames to burn irregularly.
• Christmas lights with exposed wires that pose a risk for a fire or electrocution hazard.
• Christmas lights with undersized wires that have the potential to cause a fire or electric shock.
The Florida Product Liability Lawyers want you and your family to enjoy a safe and happy holiday season this year. Follow these safety tips when decorating the inside and outside of your home and remember, always use your best judgment.
Light Safety:
1. Make sure all lights have fused plugs that meet safety standards.
2. Make sure outdoor lights are sanctioned to be used outdoors.
3. Check all sets of lights (indoor and outdoor) for cracked bulbs, exposed or frayed wires and damages sockets.
4. Turn off lights when not at home or asleep.
5. Installing timers for your lights can not only save energy, but can prevent a deadly fire.
6. The CPSC recommends using only three standard-size sets of lights per extension cord.
Tree Safety:
1. If using an artificial tree, make sure it is fire resistant.
2. Trees should be kept away from fireplaces and other sources of heat as well as doorways.
Decorating Safety Tips:
1. Always use flame-resistant decorations. Those made of plastic or nonleaded metals are highly encouraged.
2. Place candles somewhere out of a child’s reach.
3. Never place candles near the tree or any other holiday decorations.
4. Make sure sharp or fragile holiday décor is placed where a child cannot easily grab it.
Ladder Safety Tips:
1. Make sure a ladder is placed on a dry and sturdy surface before climbing.
2. Do not lean too far on either side of the ladder.
3. Always have someone hold the ladder for you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over a three year period, almost 18,000 people were taken to the ER due to falls from holiday decorating. Make sure to make safety your number one concern when participating in any kind of holiday decorating!
The Florida Personal Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are committed to keeping you and your family safe for the holiday season. We always advise following simple safety precautions and urge you to install working smoke alarms in your home in case an emergency happens to erupt.
If you have been severely injured in Florida by perilous holiday products or any other defective products, contact the Florida Product Liability Lawyers at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or reach us toll-free at 1-866-608-5LAW (5529).
Happy Holidays!