It’s still a week away, but no doubt your kids already are hyped up for trick-or-treating. Personal injury attorneys with Orlando’s Todd E. Copeland & Associates want to make sure your costumed cuties’ Halloween fun doesn’t turn into a real-life fright night. Here’s how…
- Choose costumes wisely: First and foremost, make sure your child’s costume fits well. Avoid long, flowing fabrics that can easily trip your child (fall injuries are the top cause of child visits to the emergency room on Halloween) or catch fire if it comes into contact with candlelit jack-o-lanterns. Check labels for flame-retardant fabrics. And let your kids get creative with face paint or makeup rather than masks, which can limit your child’s field of vision.
- Be the prop master: Lots of costume ideas beg for handheld props like pirate swords and fairy princess wands. But all that swishing and swashbuckling your kids will doubtless be tempted to do can cause injuries, particularly to the eyes. Choose props made of soft, pliable materials that lack sharp points or edges. Or, give your kids some cardboard or foam and let them design their own props.
- Think visibility: Have your child carry a flashlight, or place reflective tape on their shoes, props and costumes. This will help make them more visible to oncoming cars. Keep in mind that statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween night than any other night of the year.
- Curb the candy rush: Forbid your children to eat any trick-or-treat candy until you’ve inspected it. Toss any homemade treats from strangers and allow your kids to eat only factory-wrapped candies. Keep an eye out for signs of tampering including ripped or loose wrappers, pinholes and opened boxes. At worse, your child’s candy could have been poisoned. At best, all that sugar just isn’t healthy. One novel idea – Many parents are allowing their kids a trade deal. Kids can trade in their entire candy haul for a coveted toy, trip to a local attraction or other non-candy treat.
If your child does suffer a Halloween-related injury or illness, get medical treatment immediately. Then, contact and Orlando personal injury attorney to find out how we can help secure fair compensation for your losses. Of course, we hope you won’t need us. After all, Halloween should be a fun, carefree time for kids. But we’re here if you do.
From all of us here at Todd E. Copeland & Associates, have a safe and happy Halloween.
