Many people may have had their Halloween decorations up for weeks without realizing that their own property creates a personal injury threat.
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) October 28, 2014
Halloween is just days away, and many houses are festooned with ghosts, vampires, and of course, the ever-ubiquitous zombie.
Unfortunately, a large number of people fail to take personal injury prevention into account when they’re decorating their homes with these touches of the holiday. In doing, they put their families, their guests, and even trick-or-treaters in danger.
The Nagelberg Bernard Law Group wants to remedy this by offering some of their own personal injury prevention tips to avid Halloween decorators. Larry Nagelberg, who heads up the Los Angeles law firm’s personal injury practice, had this to say:
“It’s never too late to see to the safety of your decorations,” said Mr. Nagelberg. “Many people may have had their Halloween decorations up for weeks without realizing that their own property creates a personal injury threat. People get hurt every year because they failed to acknowledge the hazard created by straight-forward projects and ornamentation. This can lead to trips to the hospital and animosity between neighbors. That’s scarier than any haunted house could ever be.”
The Nagelberg Bernard Law Group asks citizens of Southern California to understand and respond to these personal injury threats:
•Carving Out a Niche- Pumpkin carving can be a fun activity, but it has to be reserved for those who are old enough for the responsibility of using a knife. Families with younger children should ask their kids to pull out the guts of a pumpkin and draw on a face, at which point parents can take over the actual work of carving.
•The Ingestion Question- Any kind of decoration that could be consumed by a pet or a child needs to be kept out of reach of the same. This means objects that most people don’t pay any mind to until they have kids: candles, the batteries in electronic objects, little knick-knacks like plastic spiders and eyeballs, etc. Keep such things in storage or up high, but be aware of the next threat…
•The Height of Folly- Some of the decorations that get put out may tempt a child to climb up to get to them. A parent thinks “creepy Frankenstein’s monster” while a child thinks “those neck bolts can totally hold my weight.” If there’s a chance a child will climb furniture to get to a Halloween decoration, it’s best to keep those things in storage. This is also a good time to check the home for any furniture that hasn’t been properly anchored to the wall.
•Tis the Season for Allergies- Some of the traditional forms of decorating could produce allergy risks for your family or any guests who drop by. While pumpkin carving may be fun, a pumpkin seed allergy is a very real danger. And the latex that’s common in some decorations or masks can also pose a threat. Citizens having parties should ask guests about allergies and take the necessary corrective actions.
•Creepy Clutter- Families spend years amassing Halloween decorations, and over the course of time, those decorations may start to spill onto walking paths. It’s better to cut back on what’s displayed than to crowd areas where people will walk, both inside and outside. This is especially important with older guests and people who walk up to your front door on Halloween itself.
•Fear of Fire- Paper and wooden decorations pose a distinct fire hazard, especially if they’re placed near candles. It’s best to keep flammable substances far away from open flames and to have a fire extinguisher at the ready in case a blaze breaks out.
The Nagelberg Bernard Law Group represents the victims of numerous types of personal injury situations, including automobile accidents, dog bites, slip and fall incidents, defective products, and wrongful death in any of the above. They have guided injured persons through the legal process for more than 30 years and their efforts have helped secure more than $400 million in compensation for clients. Interested persons are invited to the Nagelberg Bernard Law Group’s Los Angeles personal injury website to receive a free consultation.