It seems like just about every Fourth of July we hear about a massive fireworks display somewhere in the country that went horribly wrong and caused multiple serious injuries and even fatalities. In fact, these catastrophic incidents are rare.
Multiple fireworks-related injuries do occur every Fourth of July, however. An average of 9,000-plus people are injured and four are killed by fireworks annually. Most of these injuries occur in backyard accidents.
Most fireworks injuries are caused by incorrect use. Often, this involves people lighting them too close to others (or themselves) or not lighting them properly. Common injuries involve burns as well as lacerations and eye damage caused by flying debris and sparks.
Sometimes, injuries are caused by malfunctioning fireworks that weren’t properly made. They might explode too soon or in an unexpected way. Even when the work properly, they may not always take a predictable path — particularly if the wind is blowing. They can veer off-course and injure people who thought they were in a safe viewing area.
If you or a loved one has been injured by fireworks, it’s important to determine who bears responsibility. If you were at a fireworks show, for example, was the company in charge of the show negligent? What about the business or government entity that hired the company? Did they have a permit for the show? Was there a problem with the fireworks themselves?
These are all questions that should be considered as you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other expenses and damages that resulted from the injuries. An experienced attorney can help you hold the appropriate parties liable.
