California Injury Lawyer Offers Safety Suggestions For Stringing Christmas Lights

California Injury Lawyer Offers Safety Suggestions For Stringing Christmas Lights

For one Sierra Madre man, decorating for the holidays partly proved deadly. A few weeks before Christmas in 2008, Wayne Wojdack was unsettled lights from a tree guise his home when he suddenly fell from the ladder on which he was standing, catch his leg in one of the rungs on his way down. The doctor at the emergency room told him he had dislocated his knee and recommended he peep an orthopedic surgeon. Wojdack, however, suspected the injury was more serious and sought a second feeling. A CT Sweep unobstructed a tear in the leg ' s artery. He was moved to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, where he underwent emergency surgery. His insistence on further testing prevented gangrene from developing, which could have claimed his leg—and maybe parallel his life. Each winter, thousands of Americans suffer akin accidents while decorating their homes, warns a California injury lawyer.
During November and December, around 12, 000 Americans arrogate medical attention in hospital emergency barracks for injuries caused by cascade, cuts, shocks, and burns related to holiday decorating, according to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC ). Torrent from ladders tally for approximately half of these visits, with around 6, 000 people obtaining emergency medical attention, according to the Centers for Disorder Inside track and Prevention ( CDC ).
At Huntington Hospital, where Wojdack was rushed for the torn artery in his leg, 62 % of all emergency room injuries treated throughout the holiday season are the payoff of deluge, according to the hospital ' s injury prevention coordinator with trauma services. In December 2009, 85 patients were treated in the hospital ' s emergency room for injuries from cascade of 15 feet or more.
Falls from ladders are the most common type of decorating - related fall, accounting for 43 % of corresponding incidents, followed by shower from rooftops, furniture, steps, and decks, according to a ruminate by the CDC. Fractures were the most common holiday decorating - related injury, more than half of which were caused by cataract from ladders ( 51 % ). The develop groups injured most frequently were vernal and middle - promote adults ( 20 - 49 elderliness of grow up ). Also, manhood suffered fewer injuries than men.
The CDC has unconcerned a guide of safe ladder practices:
Make unmistakable the ladder is on a lined up come forth religious to climbing onto it.
For every four feet of its culmination, the ladder should be eager one foot right now from the wall.
If you cannot reach something, move the ladder.
Do not stand on the ladder ' s top two rungs.
Keep the area around the top and bottom of the ladder fair.
A folding ladder should never be used when partially closed, so check that it is locked unbarred abbot to using.
When using ladders to string lights or hitch on other decorations on the roof, always have someone dock the bottom.
When used improperly or without caution, ladders can be entirely dangerous. Midpoint two oldness after his fall, Wayne Wojdack cannot move his leg back and radiate and must languid a knee brace to control his foot when he walks.