Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is celebrated in various parts of the world on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In the U.S., various southern cities celebrate Mardi Gras every year. However, it is in New Orleans that the Mardi Gras celebrations are the most iconic. Although the event falls on a Tuesday, the celebrations usually last two weeks. To enjoy the Mardi Gras parades and festivities, tourists come to New Orleans from all over the U.S. and even from different parts of the world. However, along with the excitement for the event, New Orleans also sees increased personal injuries during Mardi Gras.
Common Causes of Personal Injuries During Mardi Gras:
Since the city is swarming with tourists during the Mardi Gras season, the risk of personal injuries increases. Some of the common causes of personal injuries during Mardi Gras include:
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Thefts and Assaults:
The number of tourists visiting New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season keeps increasing yearly. Due to overcrowding in the city, there’s an increased risk of danger from the people. The festive season sees an increase in the number of theft and assault cases in the area. Although this hasn’t stopped people from coming to the event, some people have had their Mardi Gras ruined due to personal injuries resulting from cases of theft and assaults.
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Inebriated Guests:
Tourists take the Mardi Gras weekend as an opportunity to indulge. However, inebriated guests are likely to become the victims of slip-and-fall accidents. They are also more likely to start drunk fights and hurt other people. This also causes an increase in the number of EMS calls on the Mardi Gras weekend.
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Accidents:
As the parades roll out, the chances of vehicular accidents also increase. Since guests flock to New Orleans from all over the country, the roads become congested. The combination of parade traffic with tourist traffic can lead to accidents. Although better parade arrangements can help avoid accidents, some are unavoidable due to the increased number of vehicles on the roads.
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Mismanagement in Hotels:
During the Mardi Gras weekend, hotels and restaurants in New Orleans report 80% occupancy in most cases. Hotels have to set up rooms faster to accommodate their guests, so they often ignore safety precautions. When furniture isn’t inspected properly or rooms are cleaned in a hurry, guests suffer.
Hotels also have to prepare more food during the Mardi Gras season than the rest of the year, so the kitchen staff cuts corners to meet the demands. However, ignoring food safety practices can put the guests at an increased risk of food poisoning.
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Protocols to Follow in Case Of An Injury During Mardi Gras:
No one wants to get injured when they are on vacation and in the middle of having fun. However, avoiding an injury is only sometimes possible, especially in an overcrowded place like New Orleans during the Mardi Gras weekend. If one does get injured at Mardi Gras, there are a few things they should do to minimize the damage and help with their recovery.
- Get Checked at a Hospital:
When one is celebrating an event with over a million people, they will feel unmatched levels of excitement. The state of one’s mind will only be heightened further if they are drunk or intoxicated. As a result, if they get injured, they may not realize how badly hurt they are, so it is important to get checked by a medical professional.
If EMS is called to the scene and they tell the victim that a doctor should examine them, they must not delay their trip to the hospital. Sometimes, people may brush off their injury to enjoy the rest of the event. However, one will only make things worse by not getting checked properly.
- Contact a Lawyer:
If an injury is caused by the negligence of a business, the victim may be entitled to compensation. However, in most cases, a victim won’t be able to figure out how to make a claim on their own. If such is the case, they must reach out to a Mardi Gras injury lawyer after being treated at a hospital. A lawyer can not only help figure out how much compensation a victim deserves for an injury, but they can also assist in filing the claim.
How to Enjoy Mardi Gras without Getting Injured:
Often, injuries at Mardi Gras are caused by negligence of a business or a staff member. However, some personal injuries can be avoided by following safety precautions. Here are some tips that can help visitors make the most of the Mardi Gras event without getting injured:
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- If visitors go to Mardi Gras and Easter parades every year, they might already know how to keep themselves safe during the parade. However, if it is someone’s first time at Mardi Gras, knowing how to avoid getting hurt during the parade is essential. It would be wise to join online forums about the event and talk to people who have seen the parades before to learn about the safety protocols. Adhering to every safety rule during the actual parade is critical to remaining unscathed.
- It is important to remember how much alcohol one can tolerate before passing out. A visitor can easily avoid slip-and-fall accidents if they are not too drunk or intoxicated. If one wants to indulge, they should make their friends or family members accompany them.
- It is wise to always travel in pairs or groups during the Mardi Gras weekend to avoid running into thieves. This way, visitors can also protect themselves from assaults if they don’t exit the hotel alone.
- A good way to go about safe travel at Mardi Gras is to check the reviews of hotels before booking a room and pick the one with the best safety standards. It’s also a good idea to look up which hotel has the best quality food to avoid any case of food poisoning.
Mardi Gras is an important Christian event that marks the beginning of Lent. It is a season for coming together and having fun while watching parades and exploring different corners of New Orleans. However, this event can also result in tourists sustaining personal injuries. Any visitor should always ensure that they follow the safety protocols to avoid getting injured during the Mardi Gras weekend.
