Fourth of July Should Be Free Of Fireworks Accidents

With the Fourth of July right around the corner and the season of fireworks already underway, it is the perfect time to remind ourselves about the dangers of fireworks and the safety measures that should be taken to avoid a fireworks accident. While a fireworks display may be spectacular to watch, an injury from a fireworks accident can be devastating.

Every year we hear about how dangerous fireworks can be, yet emergency rooms continue to be filled around Independence Day with people who have suffered burns to their legs, arms and face, as well as significant injuries to their eyes. In even more serious cases, people have had their fingers blown off or have lost their life. Earlier this month a Pennsylvania man died from the injuries he suffered after the fireworks device he was lighting went off prematurely.

Fireworks accidents can happen to anyone. Just ask New York Giants star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. The 27-year-old football player was setting off fireworks over Fourth of July weekend in 2015 and was about to wrap things up when he decided to set off one more display. Despite many failed attempts at getting the fireworks to ignite due to the wind, he kept trying until finally the fuse lit. Unfortunately, the bright colors were not exploding in the sky but right in front of the 6’5” player. Pierre-Paul wound up having his right index finger amputated as well as skin grafts to cover the severely burned areas of his hand. He recently detailed the events of his nightmare in an article with Sports Illustrated.

No firework is safe. Even sparklers burn at around 2000 degrees and account for 19% of the injuries from fireworks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a Fireworks Information Center detailing the types of accidents and injuries that can occur from fireworks, as well as safety tips and reminders for using fireworks. Some of the more critical safety pointers include:

• Never allow young children to handle fireworks and always supervise them when fireworks are in use.
• Never stand over a fireworks device, look down into it or try to reignite it if did not go off.
• Never taunt another person with a firework or throw a firework at someone.

July 4th should be a time to relax, celebrate, and enjoy time with friends and family. If you or a family member is injured in a fireworks accident due to someone’s carelessness, you need to concentrate on taking care of your family. Contact the skilled and experienced attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C., to ease the burden of dealing with the legal aftermath of the accident caused by an irresponsible person.