The Two Most Common and Two Most Bizarre Holiday Lawsuits

The holidays are supposed to bring out the best in humankind. However, the holidays can also bring out some of our worst vices and tendencies. Holiday vices, like excessive drinking, can have potentially significant and even fatal consequences. These careless actions lead to some of the most common holiday lawsuits.

Traditionally, the holidays are also about celebrating with friends and family. Do you have a weird uncle who is never short on crazy or entertaining stories? Maybe guys like him are central to some of the most bizarre holiday lawsuits.

At London Harker Injury Law, we know it can be hard to separate facts from fiction. We’ve got the two most common types of holiday lawsuits and the most bizarre ones you’ve ever heard of.

The Two Most Common Types of Holiday Lawsuits

The holidays are a time to let loose and relax. However, some people let loose too far, and their careless actions can have significant, real-world consequences. Some of the most common holiday lawsuits stem from careless and 100 percent preventable behaviors.

Drunk Driving Car Accidents

Unfortunately, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that there tends to be a surge in drunk driving-related crashes and fatalities between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Thanksgiving is another holiday where there are significantly high reports of drunk driving accidents.

Most people know that drunk drivers can face stiff criminal penalties for driving under the influence and causing a collision. However, victims injured in crashes involving impaired drivers can also file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the impaired driver or their insurer to recover the money they deserve for their financial losses and emotional distress.

Slip and Fall Cases

Are you hoping for a white Christmas? Then you better hope you’ll get a shovel and ice-melting chemicals under the Christmas tree this year. Or that mittens and a snow blower are part of your Hanukah festivities. Why? It’s because weather-related slip and fall cases are common during inclement weather events over the holidays. During the holiday season, you tend to welcome more friends and family into your home, more delivery drivers enter your property, and more people stop by to wish you well. When one of these people slips and falls on your property, you may be responsible for covering their medical expenses.

Avoid a slip-and-fall accident lawsuit by taking proactive steps to maintain your property. Shovel sidewalks and driveways, keeping them free from snow and ice. Ensure your property is well-lit so visitors can see where they are going. Finally, if you are decorating for the holidays, ensure you don’t leave loose cords out for your friends or family to trip on as they make their way to your home.

The Two Most Bizarre Holiday Lawsuits

If these bizarre lawsuits are any indication, some downright Grinches are out in the world.

Christmas Overkill

Some people love Christmas. Some people love Christmas a lot! That’s the case for one Florida family who are so thrilled to welcome the holiday season that they deck their halls with nearly 200,000 lights and decorations each holiday. The display is so popular that people from around town flock to their neighborhoods to enjoy the holiday cheer. However, not everyone enjoys the lights and traffic congestion. The city of Plantation, FL, took the family to court over the display, only to have the court rule against them. The court said the city failed to prove that the display caused a significant disturbance, and the lights remained on.

However, in an odd twist, some years later, detectives found that the family responsible for the Christmas display had squatted on the property the entire time. Detectives say they found evidence the “homeowners” tried to purchase the property but failed to secure a clean title. The “owners” now have new legal troubles, and thousands of dollars in back taxes have been assessed against the property.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

Repeating Christmas music can get annoying, but does it amount to cruel and unusual punishment? That’s what a group of Arizona prison inmates claimed when they filed a lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Notorious former Sheriff Joe Arpaio forced inmates to listen to Christmas songs for 12 hours daily. The lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office claimed the treatment violated the inmate’s rights.

The court later dismissed the case.

Get Holiday Help from a Trusted Utah Personal Injury Attorney

Have you been injured in a holiday accident caused by someone else’s wrongdoing? At London Harker Injury Law, we’re here to help. No matter what time of year, we can manage your case from start to finish, giving you time to heal and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Call our Utah office today at 77CARCRASH for a free case evaluation.

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