When the cold Canadian winter finally recedes, it’s the time for celebration! Unfortunately, summer is also the season for injuries and accidents. Ranging from sunburn to allergies, falls, motor-vehicle accidents, sports injuries and insect bites/stings, this is a busy time for ERs and doctors around the country.

A 2011 study conducted by the Canadian Insititue for Health Information notes that bicycling injuries are among the most common of summer recreational and sports injuries. Workplace injuries and falls also spike during the summer months. Summer is also the season for home improvement projects, renovations, spring-cleaning etc and these activities can all be potentially risky.

The fact is that most accidents are preventable and avoidable. They’re usually caused by someone’s fault or negligence. Preventable injuries cause the death of nearly 15,000 people annually across Canada. They are also the reason for 3.5 million ER visits and 231,000 hospitalizations.

Serious injuries cause huge physical, emotional and financial burden on not just the injured person, but also on the entire family. They can lead to loss of income, high medical and rehabilitation expenses and immense pain and suffering.

A study conducted in 2004 estimated that there is also a huge economic burden on society as a result of such injuries. The cost was assessed to be nearly $19.8 billion in both direct and indirect expenditure, reduced productivity, hospitalization, disability and early death.

Recent figures show that 20% more accidents occur during the months June to August. Popular opinion assumes that more alcohol-related fatalities occur during winter holidays when weather conditions and visibility are poor and there are many more people driving under the influence of alcohol. However, Canada’s National Collision Database figures reveal that there are more collisions in August than in any other month.

The primary risk group are younger drivers aged between 16-24, vulnerable road-users like pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists, high-risk drivers who drive impaired, without seat-belts, aggressively and at high speeds.

The cost of these collisions has a huge impact on the national economy and the losses represent 2-3% of the country’s GDP. Apart from this, the social and personal costs are huge when catastrophic injuries or fatalities happen.

Statistics have been compiled that reveal the prevalence of different types of injuries during the summer months. Home-based accidents and injuries also become much more common during this season, when children and seniors are out enjoying the warm summer sun.

Accidents are waiting to happen around the home. A simple activity like lawn mowing can become dangerous and risky. Skateboarding accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, serious fractures etc. Drowning accidents, swimming-pool accidents and injuries, burns from grills and barbecues etc are some of the common reasons for people to rush to the nearest ER.

If you or a dear one has been injured in an accident, it’s important to get immediate medical attention. Following this, contact a reputed and experienced personal injury lawyer to evaluate the circumstances of your case. You may be entitled to compensation, if your accident was caused by someone else’s negligence or fault.