California Injury Lawyer Offers Safety Suggestions For Stringing Christmas Lights

For one Sierra Madre man, decorating for the holidays almost proved deadly. A few weeks before Christmas in 2008, Wayne Wojdack was hanging lights from a tree outside his home when he suddenly fell from the ladder on which he was standing, catching 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 see an orthopedic surgeon. Wojdack, however, suspected the injury was more serious and sought a second opinion. A CT Scan revealed 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 possibly even his life. Each winter, thousands of Americans suffer similar accidents while decorating their homes, warns a California injury lawyer.
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During November and December, around 12,000 Americans receive medical attention in hospital emergency rooms for injuries caused by falls, cuts, shocks, and burns related to holiday decorating, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Falls from ladders account for approximately half of these visits, with around 6,000 people receiving emergency medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control 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 result of falls, 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 falls of 15 feet or more.

Falls from ladders are the most common type of decorating-related fall, accounting for 43% of such incidents, followed by falls from rooftops, furniture, steps, and decks, according to a study by the CDC. Fractures were the most common holiday decorating-related injury, more than half of which were caused by falls from ladders (51%). The age groups injured most frequently were young and middle-age adults (20-49 years of age). Moreover, women suffered fewer injuries than men.

The CDC has composed a list of safe ladder practices:

Make sure the ladder is on a stable surface prior to climbing onto it.

For every four feet of its height, the ladder should be moved one foot away 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 clear.

A folding ladder should never be used when partially closed, so check that it is locked open prior to using.

When using ladders to string lights or attach other decorations on the roof, always have someone anchor the bottom.

When used improperly or without caution, ladders can be quite dangerous. Almost two years after his fall, Wayne Wojdack cannot move his leg back and forth and must wear a knee brace to control his foot when he walks.

By: Larry Drexel

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Larry Drexel is a Public Relations manager. To obtain free, informative books or articles, or to find a qualified California Injury Lawyer, she suggests visiting California Injury Lawyer.