The holidays are a time to celebrate and spread joy and happiness. However, the holiday spirit sometimes overflows and leads to disastrous accidents and unusual holiday lawsuits. What are the three most common and the three most bizarre holiday lawsuits?
The Three Most Common Holiday Lawsuits
Holidays are about love, joy, and peace on earth. Unfortunately, some people take celebrating the holidays to the extreme, and their careless actions can cause devastating accidents that could change a person’s life forever. The most common holiday lawsuits that stem from these careless actions include:
Drunk Driving Accidents
By far, the most commonly occurring holiday lawsuits stem from drunk driving accidents. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows a rise in the number of drunk driving-related crashes and fatalities between the Christmas and New Year holidays.
People injured in a drunk driver-related accident can seek compensation from the driver’s insurance company or file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver or their insurer for compensation for their financial losses. In addition to civil penalties, drunk drivers can also face criminal charges for their actions.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are also common around the holidays, primarily because of the inclement weather conditions associated with the season. Falling leaves around Thanksgiving can become a safety hazard, predominantly when the leaves are wet or slick with rain or morning dew.
The time between Christmas and New Year can also be dangerous because of ice and snow. All commercial property owners must keep their businesses reasonably safe for guests and customers, including maintaining sidewalks, driveways, and paths, freeing them from ice and snow. Residential property owners and tenants are encouraged to do so, as well. Property owners who fail to remove snow or ice from their property can face premises liability lawsuits when an individual slips, falls, and injures themselves.
Product Liability Lawsuits
Between Christmas and Hanukkah, many gifts are exchanged between family and friends. When you purchase a gift for someone you love, you expect that item to be safe. However, not all products are safe and reliable. Some consumer products can be downright dangerous and cause significant injuries and potentially death. When a defective product causes an injury, the injured person may be eligible to file a product liability lawsuit against the careless manufacturer or company.
The Three Most Bizarre Holiday Lawsuits
Although the holiday season is supposed to bring out the good in humanity, it can also bring out the Grinch in some people. These are some of the most bizarre holiday lawsuits:
The Jingle Bell Blues
If you’ve ever worked retail during the holidays, you know how annoying it can get to listen to the same handful of Christmas songs over and over again, day in and day out. However, one man took his distaste for Christmas music one step further, filing a lawsuit against his neighbor.
The neighbor set up a tremendous Christmas display with lights, figurines, and a reindeer that played the song Jungle Bells non-stop. One man became so fed up with the song he filed a lawsuit claiming the individual was causing noise pollution. He won his case, and the neighborhood was finally treated to a silent night.
Too Much Christmas Cheer
One family in Florida loves Christmas. A lot. They love getting into the Christmas spirit so much that they create a lavish holiday display with nearly 200,000 lights covering their lawn, trees, landscaping, and every inch of their home. The decorations draw large crowds to the neighborhood, and kids of all ages light up when they see the festive holiday display. However, the annual family tradition has been subject to controversy.
The city of Plantation, FL, decided to use the legal system to stop the display. However, the city was unsuccessful, and the court ruled in favor of the family, saying the city did not establish how the display harmed the city or caused a significant disturbance.
In an even more bizarre turn of legal events, the family responsible for the extreme Christmas display has been squatting on the property for years. Instead, the family created a fake deed. Detectives say they have evidence the family tried to purchase the home but couldn’t get a clean title because of issues with the property. The “owners” have no legitimate title and owe thousands in back property taxes.
Grinch Wants Elf on the Shelf Gone
Elf on the shelf has become a popular but annoying holiday tradition for many parents. However, one Georgia judge says the game causes emotional distress and wants the insanity to end. Although this was not an actual lawsuit, some parents may wish it was. That Georgia judge created a mock court order banishing the elf from his shelf and sending him back to the North Pole.
Holiday Help Is Here
Do you need legal assistance over the holiday season? Call JJ Legal at 312-200-2000 or contact us online for a free legal consultation.
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