The holidays should be a joyful time of year. During the winter months, however, many types of accidents can occur, leading to serious injuries, debilitation, and even permanent disability. If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence around the holidays, you might be able to bring a legal claim against the negligent party for the damages you suffered.
Here are five common accidents that can lead to personal injury around the holidays:
1. Winter Sports Injuries
Winter sports come with inherent risks — but they can be even more hazardous if proper safety measures aren’t followed. In the event you were injured at a ski resort while you were skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling, you may be able to hold the resort liable if you were hurt due to their negligence, carelessness, or recklessness. While every case is unique, you may be able to raise a claim for negligently maintained equipment, failure to maintain a reasonably safe environment, malfunctioning chairlifts, or various other factors that caused your injuries.
2. Drunk Driving Accidents
The holiday season is a time for celebration with family and friends. Often, these get-togethers involve alcohol, increasing the risk of drunk driving accidents. Not only can collisions involving a driver who was under the influence cause serious injuries, but they can also be fatal. If you were injured in a car crash caused by a drunk driver, they may not only face criminal liability — you may be entitled to recover damages for a serious injury by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
3. Weather-Related Car Accidents
The weather around the holidays can be snowy, rainy, and icy, which doesn’t always make for the best roadway conditions. Of course, a driver can’t be held liable for the weather itself, but they can still be held accountable if they did not operate their vehicle in a reasonable manner under the circumstances. You may be eligible to receive compensation for your economic losses and pain and suffering if you suffered a serious injury in an accident caused by a driver who operated their vehicle carelessly or recklessly in winter-weather conditions.
4. Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents year-round. However, during the holiday season, distracted driving is a bigger problem due to busy schedules and increased travel. Whether they are texting about holiday plans while driving, looking at decorations on the road, or navigating directions to a holiday party, a driver who diverts their attention from the road for just a moment can cause a collision. If you suffered a serious injury in a car crash caused by another driver’s negligence and distraction, you may be entitled to recover your damages in a lawsuit.
5. Snow and Ice Slip and Falls
Although snow may look picturesque — especially around the holidays — it can be extremely dangerous when a property owner does not clear it within a reasonable amount of time. Importantly, property owners have a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions on their premises. Whether the accident occurs in a parking lot, on the sidewalk, or in a park, a snow and ice slip and fall can lead to severe injuries and lifelong disability. A slip and fall victim may be entitled to take legal action to recover their damages if a responsible party had knowledge of a snow or ice-related hazard and failed to remedy it.
Contact an Experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney
If you sustained injuries in an accident around the holidays that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. It is important to have a knowledgeable personal injury attorney by your side who can help you secure the monetary recovery you deserve. The attorneys at the Dearie Law Firm, P.C. strive to uphold the rights of accident victims and work diligently to pursue the maximum compensation available in each client’s unique case.
The Dearie Law Firm, P.C. has convenient office locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, as well as mobile locations serving Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. Contact us today for a consultation.