Please fill out the form below and a representative at Malman Law will contact you within 24 hours to discuss the specifics of your personal injury case.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Fourth of July celebrations rarely occur without fireworks. However, the majority of those lighting fireworks for part of the celebration do not use basic safety precautions while doing so, which can lead to serious injury. According to the National Fire Protection Association, thousands of people every summer – typically children and teens – are injured while using fireworks. That is because most individuals do not understand the risks inherent to the celebratory mini-bombs, including devastating burns, household fires, and even death.
The NFPA reports that, in 2013, hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. treated 11,400 people for firework-related injuries. It was estimated that 55 percent of those injuries were to the extremities (arms, hands, and legs), while 38 percent were to the head. On the 4th of July, two out of five fires that are started are due to fireworks – more than any other single cause of fire in the country.
These numbers alone prove the severe risks of using fireworks. When firework use is paired with irresponsibility or even the influence of alcohol, serious injuries can easily occur.
Most firework injuries are caused by negligence. An innocent bystander or individual watching the fireworks can easily be injured if the person lighting the fireworks is acting negligently. If negligence is the cause, the injured party does have a potential personal injury lawsuit. In order to proceed with that lawsuit, the injured party would have to prove the following:
Sometimes there is no one acting irresponsibly at the time of the injury; instead, the firework product itself was defective. In these cases, the company that manufactured the firework and/or the company that sold the firework could be held liable for any injuries caused by the unsafe products.
Because fireworks are inherently dangerous, the injured party would need to prove that the manufacturer knowingly sold a defective firework or acted carelessly when they designed their firework product. Because it is difficult to prove which point in the supply chain caused the defect, the injured party may need to file a strict liability claim, which shows that the firework was unreasonably dangerous and, therefore, caused unnecessary injuries.
If you have suffered from serious burns or other injuries this holiday from fireworks – whether due to a product defect or someone’s negligence – you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact Malman Law today for a free consultation regarding your injury claim. Schedule your appointment at 888-625-6265 or ask an attorney a question online by filling out an online contact form.
ALL FIELDS REQUIRED
2 years ago I was involved in a trucking accident involving a 14-wheeler truck that nearly disabled me for life. Steve fought to make sure that I received the most possible compensation for my injuries. I was about to take the insurance company’s lowball offer, but decided to call Steve first – it was the best decision I’ve made yet
NOAH TAFFELPersonal Injury Victim