The holidays should be a time when you relax and get together with loved ones. However, there is a reason why medical staff doesn’t get those days off. The emergency room is often filled with patients during this time who let the festive season get the better of them. From cooking family meals, to overindulging – the holidays are a time of extra caution.
Some common issues ER doctors and nurses come across during the holidays include the following:
Cuts and Lacerations
Carving a turkey can be a challenge. If you are not proficient with a knife, you can get seriously injured or injure someone else. Knife wounds are a common injury during Thanksgiving. Common injuries include deep cuts and lacerations that may or may not require stitches.
Serious Burns
Besides baking a turkey, some people prefer to deep fry their turkey to get a delicious crust. However, if the bird is partially frozen or wet when it hits the hot oil, the bird can catch on fire or even explode. The explosion, combined with flying, scorching oil, can singe eyebrows and cause third-degree burns on the face and other parts of the body. People also get burned if they accidentally drop boiling hot gravy on themselves or if they grab a hot pan without an oven mitt.
Food Poisoning
Leftovers from Christmas or Thanksgiving meals can spoil if they are kept at room temperature for too long. Consuming them can cause food poisoning. Similarly, a large turkey left out to thaw for hours can spoil and the high oven temperature or hot oil may not be enough in destroy the resulting bacteria. In fact, even roast chicken that is not cooked through can cause salmonella poisoning, which can be life threatening.
If you suffer a serious injury during the holidays and head to the emergency room, the last thing you want or expect is negligent medical staff. Medical malpractice is not uncommon during the holidays. If you think your injuries worsened because of improper medical procedures or negligent staff, you have the right to sue for damages.
Get in touch with an attorney at the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens for a consultation today. We offer our services in Chicago, Waukegan, Woodstock, Libertyville and Antioch, IL. We have decades of experience representing clients who suffered because of a significant injury or death that could have been avoided if it weren’t for medical negligence.
