In January when the country was covered in snow and the cold hit, the number of injuries raised. Although because of the quarantine, people are closed in their homes, both adults and children hurried to enjoy the snow outside. The results of this are severe injuries, that resulted in plaster, sutures, and surgeries.

This year in January, the insurance company BTA recorded over 200 injuries of the population. The average damage is 269.54 euros. The largest damage – 1 000 euros - was compensated for the fracture of the arm.

"This year in January, we have practically registered no injuries due to fireworks on New Year's Eve, but with the arrival of winter weather in Lithuania, we started to register more accidents than ever due to slippery road surfaces or accidents while enjoying winter entertainment. However, injuries at home have not disappeared from our statistics”, - says Ronaldas Grizickas, the company's head of personal insurance products.

Slips dominate

According to R. Grizickas, due to weather conditions, the main injuries of the population in January this year were caused by slipping on ice or snow - such events accounted for almost half of all injuries.

"We recorded such events when people slipped on snow or ice and also stumbled while walking the dogs. We have cases where people fell while riding a bike, slipping while climbing out of a car, digging snow, etc. 

As you know, the snow caused a lot of trouble to the residents, not only damaged their property but also injured them - we registered an incident during which a tree fell on the resident's leg. The consequences of all these events are dislocated legs, ligament sprains, broken arms, legs, elbows, spines, ankles, even jaws, as well as split heads and dislocated vertebrae”, - he says.

Since winter is still not receding and a jumping thermometer column will not facilitate driving and walking conditions, R. Grizickas advises to take care of suitable footwear with non-slip soles and go very carefully, slowly, feet with a full sole, as well as leave the bike for spring.

Injuries in the home - off-site lockers

According to the expert, under strict quarantine restrictions, there was no shortage of accidents in the home environment.

"Residents have approached us about various injuries: slipping and falling at home, in the bathroom, falling off the stairs, balding coffee, lifting the pump and stretching the neck, spilling hot oil, cutting fingers, using a sewing machine to hit a toe, knocking a foot into the foot finger, splitting the chin during the training, falling on the vase and cutting the arm, scalding the leg with hot water", - R. Grizickas names.

According to him, injuries at home usually occur through carelessness, distraction, and haste. The expert advises not to do several jobs at once: when climbing stairs, do not surf on your smartphone, do not kick or knock furniture - sometimes a punch can end in frustration, as shown by injury statistics.

A child's play that ended in sewing an eye

According to R. Grizickas, at the beginning of the year, there was no shortage of children's injuries - they all happened while playing. Such events could be avoided if the playing offspring were supervised by an adult, on the other hand, sometimes it is enough to just turn around and the child is already injured.

“For example, we have recorded an incident in which a child jumped on the bed and fell and hit his head on a radiator. Another event - while playing a child fell and broke his head, his eyebrows were cracked. Otherwise, one child injured another by throwing a piece of ice at him - his eyes were pierced, which he even had to sew. Other children's games ended in knocked out teeth, finger fractures, and the result of skating on a bicycle, roller and skateboard ramps was an open wound in the leg, which also had to be sutured”, - he says.