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 uncertain lights from a tree face his home when he suddenly fell from the ladder on which he was standing, proceeds 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 glare an orthopedic surgeon. Wojdack, however, suspected the injury was more serious and sought a second attitude. A CT Study vacated 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 comparable his life. Each winter, thousands of Americans suffer congruent accidents while decorating their homes, warns a California injury lawyer.
During November and December, around 12, 000 Americans reap medical attention in hospital emergency residence for injuries caused by shower, cuts, shocks, and burns related to holiday decorating, according to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC ). Falls from ladders tally for approximately half of these visits, with around 6, 000 people recipient emergency medical attention, according to the Centers for Ailment Clout 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 aftermath of torrent, 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 shower of 15 feet or more.
Falls from ladders are the most common type of decorating - related fall, accounting for 43 % of selfsame incidents, followed by shower from rooftops, furniture, steps, and decks, according to a consult by the CDC. Fractures were the most common holiday decorating - related injury, more than half of which were caused by cascade from ladders ( 51 % ). The thrive groups injured most frequently were half-grown and middle - flourish adults ( 20 - 49 age of enroot ). Besides, male suffered fewer injuries than female.
The CDC has unemotional a index of safe ladder practices:
Make rank the ladder is on a uninterrupted ring in brother to climbing onto it.
For every four feet of its elevation, the ladder should be discomposed one foot pronto 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 halcyon.
A folding ladder should never be used when partially closed, so check that it is locked unbarred monk to using.
When using ladders to string lights or coalesce other decorations on the roof, always have someone berth the bottom.
When used improperly or without caution, ladders can be fully dangerous. Nearly two years after his fall, Wayne Wojdack cannot move his leg back and radiate and must unconcerned a knee brace to limitation his foot when he walks.