Catastrophic Burns from July 4th Fireworks

We just commemorated America’s independence and, true to tradition, many people celebrated the holiday with fireworks. Whether watching government-sponsored displays or experimenting with store-bought firecrackers, these attention-grabbing pyrotechnics can be dangerous if handled negligently.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated four fireworks-related deaths and 11,100 injuries during the 2016 calendar year. Of the reported injuries, 31% were suffered by children and 69% involved burns, especially to victims’ heads and extremities. These statistics exemplify the risk involved when fireworks are not handled in a proper manner.  While the Safety Commission reports that most harmed individuals fully recovered, the most severe incidents left victims severely hurt by catastrophic, life-altering injuries.

Most common causes of firework injuries

Firework accidents generally result from misuse or malfunction of the explosives. Examples of misuse include:

• Improper lighting of fireworks. This may include handling fireworks in an inappropriate manner or negligently lighting them under circumstances that put others at unreasonable risk of harm. Severe burns from firework debris fall under this category, along with firework explosions that result from ignition near combustible materials.
• Mischievous behavior. Some of the more common firework “pranks” include lighting fireworks inside of a building or launching a firework at another person. When individuals use fireworks to intentionally cause harm or discomfort to others, the results can be catastrophic.

Malfunction occurs when the firework fails to perform in the manner intended by the manufacturer. These types of accidents include:

• Tip-overs. When preparing to light fireworks, users generally set them up to travel into the sky. Under some circumstances, an unstable base may tip over, causing the explosive to travel into a crowd of people or into an explosive material.
• A fireworks tragedy may also result from a blowout, where the device explodes into a violent fire. These explosions can happen without warning and they can prove deadly to those in the vicinity.

Firework injury liability

Georgia lawmakers legalized the sale and use of most firecrackers in 2015, including bottle rockets. These relaxed regulations have made fireworks increasingly available for average citizens, many of which have no training on the proper use of these dangerous explosives. When severe burn injuries occur, there may be several parties at fault, including:

• The product manufacturer. If the firework malfunctions, the manufacturer and/or designer may be liable for resulting injuries.
• The individual igniting the firework. Responsibility for improperly using a firework commonly lies with the individual lighting it.
• A private pyrotechnic company. If the fireworks display is being presented by a private business, the company may be held accountable for any injuries caused by their fireworks.
• A government agency. If the fireworks display was sponsored by a government agency, that public entity may be held responsible for injuries.

Fireworks can pose a significant danger when used incorrectly. If you or a family member has been injured in a fireworks accident, trust the skilled Georgia personal injury attorneys of Harris Lowry Manton LLP to fight for your rights. Call us today at 404-961-7650 in Atlanta, or in Savannah at 912-651-9967. You can also reach us through our contact form.