The Fourth of July and other holidays are celebrated by lighting fireworks, sparklers, bottle rockets, and firecrackers. However, the misuse of these pyrotechnics often transforms the celebration into a catastrophe.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), emergency rooms handled more than 12,500 fireworks-related injuries in 2017. In the same year, pyrotechnics and explosives were responsible for at least eight fatalities. Clearly, this alarming statistic underscores the need for further measures to reduce accidents caused by explosions of fireworks.

How Hot Do Sparklers Get?

On Independence Day and throughout the summer, kids of all ages will be running about with sparklers the most. However, physicians claim that parents are unaware of how hot these flames can reach, up to 1,200 degrees, and the hazards associated with touching them, even for just a short moment.

According to burn centers nationwide, one-third of the 10,000 burn injuries that occur annually involve children less than 15 years old. What’s more, 28% of the injuries result from improper handling of sparklers.

How Common Are Fireworks Injuries?

Per a 2018 estimate by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fireworks caused around 19,500 fires that resulted in five fatalities, 46 injuries including burns, and 105 million dollars in property damage. Adding insult to injury, 28% of these incidents were started by pyrotechnics on July 4th.

In the same year, hospital emergency rooms treated 9,100 persons for accidents connected to pyrotechnics, and the majority of them had injuries to their limbs. In addition, 34% of the injuries were to the victim’s head or eyes, according to a study by the CPSC.

Liability for Fireworks Injuries

Suppose you attended a professional display for a fireworks show. The event organizer is responsible for protecting you and other participants from injuries caused by explosions and falling debris. Possibly, no safeguards were taken to guarantee that the crowd doesn’t come too close to the explosive zone. Or maybe they lacked the appropriate or sufficient staff to respond to an emergency. In such a circumstance, you might sue the promoter, and in certain cases, the city and town or county could also be held accountable, although some state statutes restrict municipal responsibility.

Fireworks Accidents and Premises Liability

If you were harmed during a fireworks show in a person’s backyard, you might file a premises liability case against the homeowner or owner of the property. It depends on several variables. Here are some more considerations to make. Were the fireworks authorized? Are the warning labels adequate? Your greatest resource for determining who may be held accountable for your fireworks-related injuries is a lawyer who specializes in personal injury law.

Kansas City Attorney for Fireworks Injuries

Each year, as the spring months carry into summer, the risk of getting badly harmed by fireworks increases. If you or a loved one suffered injuries from fireworks, you should contact a personal injury attorney in Kansas City immediately. There may be choices that might help you advance in your recovery and beyond.

Our staff at Peterson & Associates, P.C. has decades of experience successfully defending clients who have been harmed in Kansas City or anywhere in Missouri as a result of pyrotechnic accidents. After an incident involving dangerous fireworks and subsequent injuries, our legal team may be able to aid you in pursuing justice.

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