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Health & Fitness

10 Tips for a Fun and Safe Halloween

Enjoy your Halloween by avoiding activities notorious for causing injuries. These helpful hints will help you avoid the need to consult with a personal injury attorney on November 1st!

The Law Office of Daniel J. McCarey, LLC specializing in personal injury, has come up with a list to help ensure your Halloween is free from ghoulish injuries and scary trips to the emergency room.  Everyone wants to enjoy the unofficial kick-off of the holiday season by getting a fun costume and trick or treating with your kids.  Unfortunately, Halloween ranks right up there with New Years Eve when it comes to occurrences of trips to the hospital.  Heed these tips and you won't need to consult my office to discuss possible lawsuit scenarios!

1.  Make sure wet leaves are swept from your sidewalk and driveway.  Laws regarding homeowners liability varies from state to state, but rather than chance it, you should get that broom out before the costumed-kiddies arrive.

2.  Never underestimate your dog's potential reaction once the doorbell rings and little gremlins and goblins shout "trick or treat."  You should formulate a plan in advance as to how you will control Toto so as to prevent a situation whereby your startled dog bites an unsuspecting child.

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3.  While it may be cool to have a Halloween prop in your front yard, make sure it is out of the path to your front door and/or that it is not hidden from plain sight so as to cause a tripping hazard.

4.  Even if you are planning to be a grinch and not dole our candy this year, please turn your porch lights on.  The majority of Halloween accidents occur due to lack of lighting.

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5.  If it is raining out and therefore you need to drive to houses to trick or treat, please exercise extreme caution.  Kids seem to dart out of nowhere on Halloween and sometimes they are dressed in dark colored costumes that are difficult to see.  Trick or treaters should bring flashlights with them at night and use them anytime they are walking in the street so as to warn oncoming drivers of their presence.

6.  Be careful when wearing masks which obscure your vision or costumes that drag on the ground, both create risks of injuries.

7.  Never allow children eat any Halloween candy until it is thoroughly checked by an adult.  If the wrapper is torn or the air-tight seal is broken, chuck it.  Candy tampering is a sad, but real reality.

8.  Have children trick or treat in groups.  The old adage of "there is safety in numbers" is tried and true to prevent all sorts of potential problems and dangers.

9.  Take your time!  When children run from home to home, the risk of trip and fall accidents rise.  Rest assured, the candy will be waiting for you once you get there!

10.  Leave potentially dangerous costume props at home this will lessen the chance of children horsing around with them and causing themselves or others serious injury.

The Law Office of Daniel J. McCarey, LLC has office locations in Scotch Plains, NJ and New York City.  We handle car, motorcycle and truck accidents, construction accidents, dog bites, product liability, wrongful death and medical malpractice claims.  For more information, please call (908) 939-8055 or visit our website at http:www//mccareylaw.com 

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