CChristmas is right around the corner, and before we know it, family and friends will be coming over to celebrate the holiday. Unfortunately, while it may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, for others, the holidays can be when suffering personal injuries are all too common. Whether it be getting in a car accident while in a shopping center, getting injured while using a defective Christmas gift, or slipping and falling on ice at a Christmas tree farm or in the store, injuries can happen when we least expect them.

In any event, if you believe you experienced an injury due to the carelessness of another, do not hesitate to contact an experienced personal injury attorney who will inform you of your rights and fight to get you compensation for the injuries that you may be entitled to.

Common Christmas Injuries

According to Consumer Reports, emergency room visits tend to peak between Christmas and New Year. With the exchanging of gifts, many people may be dismayed upon opening their gift that, for whatever reason, their gift is defective or simply poorly designed. While a defective or poorly designed gift may sound harmless, such gifts often cause injury. If the gift requires batteries to run, faulty connections and loose wires can also lead to suffering painful electric shocks.

Few things are more emotionally devastating than losing a loved one. While losing a loved one is always tragic, the situation becomes even more tragic when that person dies because of someone else’s negligence. In the aftermath of a loved one dying, so much must be figured out. While this is a time of mourning, it must also be a time of action if you have reason to believe your loved one died a wrongful death.

If your loved one died a wrongful death, it could be easy to feel alone and isolated. Your loved one is gone, and nothing will bring them back. However, it is essential to know that you are not alone in this time of unbearable sadness. If your loved one died wrongfully, contact a wrongful death attorney who will protect your rights and fight for the most favorable outcome possible in your case.

What is a Wrongful Death, and What Situations Do They Occur In?

Simply put, a wrongful death is a death that would not have happened had it not been for the unlawful act of someone else. Various behaviors may lead to a wrongful death, such as intentionally trying to cause harm or disregarding someone else’s safety. There are many different situations where a wrongful death may occur. These include the following:

When young children are learning to walk, they fall down constantly. Usually, these falls result in little more than a bump or bruise. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies become less resilient and the dangers of falling increase substantially. Elderly people who fall may suffer from hip fractures and other broken bones, concussions, spine injuries, or other severe injuries. Fall-related injuries often have a profound impact on an elderly person's life, both physically and psychologically. The CDC reports that many people who fall become afraid of falling again, which prompts them to become less active and avoid enjoyable activities. This reduces strength and balance and increases the chances of falling again. If you have an elderly loved one who has been injured in a fall, you may be able to take legal action against the party responsible for his or her fall injuries.

Liability for Fall Accidents

In order to successfully bring a personal injury lawsuit against another party, you will need to prove that they were negligent in some way. For example, if your loved one was injured in a fall at a grocery store, you may be able to prove that the store was negligent in failing to clean up a spill in a timely manner or failing to put up a "wet floor" sign. If your loved one was injured in a fall at a nursing home, you may be able to prove that the nursing home was negligent in failing to properly monitor your loved one or provide him or her with the necessary assistance.

Liability often comes down to the foreseeability of an accident.  If a reasonable person in the defendant's position should have known that there was a danger of someone falling and being injured, then the defendant may be held liable.

Last month, the governor of Illinois signed the Family Bereavement Leave Act. This new law amends the Child Bereavement Leave Act (CBLA) and expands the scope of unpaid bereavement leave that is available to Illinois workers. This new law will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

The previous law only covered the loss of a child or stepchild. Under the new law, however, a two-week, unpaid bereavement leave extends to employees who have experienced a stillbirth, pregnancy loss, and a number of other types of losses.

Unintentional Acts

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 1 and 24 is unintentional injuries. One in five child deaths is a result of unintentional injury.

Dogs can be sweet and kind. However, dogs are still animals capable of inflicting serious injuries. Studies show that dog-related injuries are occurring more and more frequently and currently account for over a third of homeowner insurance claims. Illinois is ranked second in the nation for dog bite injury claims.

If your or a family member were bitten by a dog or otherwise sustained injuries because of a dog, you may be able to file an injury claim and recover damages. You could be compensated for medical costs, pain and suffering, and more.

Liability for Dog Injuries

A dog’s owner may be legally responsible for any injuries caused by his or her dog. In Illinois, the owners are liable for dog-related injuries if: