Unfortunately, in many communities, the holidays are a time of many fires and burns. Holiday lights, decorations, meals, and candles all pose Miami burn injury hazards at this time of year. To prevent this type of Miami personal injury, follow these simple tips for the holiday season:
1) Be careful when hanging holiday lights and decorations. Any lights and decorations with electrical wire need to be checked carefully for damage. Any frayed or worn cords should be replaced promptly. When plugging in lights, check manufacturer instructions to ensure that you are using the right lights and the right plug for your needs. You should never, for example, hand indoor lights outdoors. Check lights occasionally to ensure that they are not too close to heaters or any flammable materials (such as curtains).
2) Be very vigilant about candles. Candles lead to a large proportion of Miami holiday fires. If you like the look of candles, consider battery-operated candle-like decorations, which pose a smaller risk of fire. These decorations can be an especially good idea if you have small children or pets, who can easily get burn injuries or can cause a fire by playing with candles. If you do decide to use candles, ensure that they are placed far from any flammable materials and keep them well supervised. Extinguish your candles before heading outdoors to errands.
3) Do a quick walk-through of your home before leaving for extended periods of time. If you are heading out for hours of shopping, to a holiday party, or are leaving for the holidays, stroll through the house to ensure that there are no obvious fire hazards. Make sure that holiday lights are out, candles are extinguished, and that your stovetop is off. At this time of year, many of us are a little rushed, and it’s easy to make mistakes or to overlook an obvious hazard. A quick check before you leave can help save your home.
4) If you have children and guests visiting your home, check your home for obvious hazards. If your guests are injured in your home, you could be subject to a Miami premises liability claim. Be especially careful about fireplaces, space heaters, and any burn hazards. While these may pose no threat to adults, they can cause serious injury to small, curious children. For the same reason, if you have a pool, you will want to take steps to ensure that the pool area is not accessible for small children. Lock the pool area securely and ensure that no one can get in. Miami pool accidents and drowning can still occur during the holidays when curious children wander into a pool area.
5) Check your chimneys and fireplaces for safety. While a roaring fire can help you set the stage of a holiday event, chimneys and fireplaces are unsafe if they are not correctly maintained. If you hope to have a roaring fire, make sure that your fireplace is checked for safety and cleaned correctly first.
6) Make sure that your smoke detectors are working correctly. During the holiday season, you are probably buying batteries for gifts and toys, so buy a few extra for your smoke detectors if it has been some time since the batteries were replaced.
The entire legal team at the Flaxman Law Group would like to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season. The Flaxman Law Group would also like to remind you that our phones will continue to be staffed during the holiday season, so you can reach someone if you are injured. You can always contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal needs.