Fireworks Accident: A Time-Honored Tradition Turns Tragic

A widespread and delightful kind of entertainment, fireworks are most frequently seen at and near important occasions throughout the year.

If you have ever experienced fireworks injuries, you know how fast things may change. What is intended to be a day of joy will end up being a day of fear and harm. You may be dealing with burns or scars; you might even have accidentally set a house on fire with fireworks.

Have fireworks caused injuries to you or your kids? which kind of injury occurs most often in fireworks accidents? In this blog, we’ll delve into accidents that happened because of fireworks, firework injuries, and how to prevent fireworks accidents.

Fireworks Accidents Statistics

According to a firework report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), injuries from fireworks are significantly on the rise. According to CPSC projections, fireworks injuries increased by 25% in the United States between 2006 and 2021. In 2022, an updated study revealed that 10,200 injuries were reportedly caused by fireworks.

How many injuries from fireworks? In 2021, at least nine people died, and approximately 11,500 were hurt in fireworks accidents. Fifty-nine percent of the 8,500 estimated fireworks-related injuries involved males, while forty-one percent involved females.

According to the statistics from the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, injuries caused by using bottle rockets, sparklers, Roman candles, etc., mainly occurred to men. Additionally, it mentions that more than half of the injuries affect victims’ hands, fingers, or legs. Eye injuries account for 20% of these injuries.

Firecrackers can cause accidents? Of course. Firecrackers are the common cause of most accidents. Children who sustain injuries after being hurt in accidents with fireworks can suffer long-lasting psychological distress and irreversible scarring. For young children, these accidents can be highly stressful.

What is the decibel level of a typical firework? The decibel level of a typical firework at a close proximity can reach as high as 150-175 dB. However, this can vary depending on the size and type of firework, distance from the explosion, and other environmental factors.

Causes of Firework Accidents 2024

Accidents involving fireworks can happen when they “go off” or explode in a way that is not intended. In other cases, this could happen due to improper handling of the explosives or flaws in the fireworks themselves. Firecrackers accident include:

• A firework that went off too soon and hurt someone
• Throw an old firecracker into the bonfire
• While the user is still carrying the firework, suddenly, it goes off
• Accidents involving the explosion or fueling mechanisms of the fireworks
• Numerous further forms of accidents

Fireworks accidents frequently result from negligent behavior on the part of people. Sometimes it’s not the user’s fault; instead, it’s a problem with the fireworks. These injuries might be catastrophic.

Which Kind of Injury Occurs Most Often in Fireworks Accidents?

Severe burn injury: The most typical fireworks injury is a burn injury. Pain and redness are symptoms of a mild burn—blistering results from more severe burns. The most severe burns result in skin damage and white, leathery skin beneath the surface.

Eye injuries: Fireworks explode, sending hazardous debris into the air. They can puncture the eye; children under 16 accounts for about 45% of firework-related injuries. The most frequent of these injuries are those that cause temporary or permanent visual loss.

Hearing loss: Hearing loss can occur when noise levels exceed 85 dB. Three feet away, a fireworks explosion can be 150 dB loud. Ear discomfort and ringing in the ears might be other symptoms besides a hearing loss. To avoid hearing damage, keep at least 500 feet away from fireworks.

Hand injuries: Fireworks can result in severe burns and firework hand injuries. Many serious fireworks-related hand injuries result in losing a finger or thumb. Some of these are deep cuts, torn tendons, and broken bones. Emergency care is necessary for severe firework hand injury.

Facial injuries: Strong fireworks have the potential to hurt the face seriously. Fireworks can burn the face in addition to damaging the eyes. Broken bones and facial tissue loss are two more severe firework face injuries that can occur.

Legs and arm injuries: Between June 21 and July 21, 2020, 25% of all fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency rooms involving the legs and arms.

Fireworks have the potential to result in fatalities, severe burns, physical damage such as amputations or blindness, and even fatalities. Even though fireworks are a common feature of American celebrations, many people overlook how unpredictable and uncontrollable they can be.

Accident-Causing Fireworks Types:

Fireworks come in a wide variety of sizes; some explode in the air, and some remain on the ground. Any, however, could result in severe burns or other kinds of harm. The following fireworks are some of the most common ones that cause harm:

• Sparklers
• Bottle rockets
• Reloadable shells
• Firecrackers
• Roman candles

No matter what kind of fireworks are utilized, accidents or faulty products might result in injuries.

It’s vital to keep in mind that fireworks can be dangerous if mishandled, as much fun and beautiful as it may be to see a clear summer night sky lit up with bright colors.

Fatal Fireworks Accidents

At least three individuals, including a child, lost their lives in a fireworks injury accident over the Fourth of July weekend, and many more were harmed.

Police allegedly discovered a seriously injured man unconscious and not breathing in California. He reportedly used illegal fireworks before passing away at a hospital.

After calling for help, Mount Vernon resident Camrynn Ray McMichael passed away in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Common fireworks related injuries were the cause of his death. This was the fatal fireworks accident in 2022. The below picture shows the happy face of Camrynn Ray McMichael.

In Minnesota, a firework explosion left an 18-year-old with severe burns on his hands and face. He passed away in the hospital.

In a South Florida fireworks incident, a guy had his hand blown off, necessitating emergency personnel to transport the severed body part to the hospital. With the help of the fire rescue team, the man’s hand was transported to the hospital.

CPSC Warning on July 4, 2024 Fireworks Accidents

Each year, thousands of Americans are injured by fireworks, with injuries increasing significantly around the Fourth of July. Last year alone, over 9,700 people were hurt and eight died due to fireworks accidents, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Misuse, including illegal fireworks, contributed to these incidents.

Sparklers, often seen as harmless, can burn as hot as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, causing serious injuries such as burns and cuts. The most affected groups are teens and young children. Despite CPSC warnings, many fireworks still contain unsafe materials, making them potentially dangerous.

Who is Responsible for the Firework Accidents?

Depending on the circumstances of the incident, several parties may share responsibility for a fireworks accident. Liability could be linked to the following:

The negligent person: A person in charge of the fireworks acted negligently. If someone else was wounded due to irresponsible actions, that individual is frequently considered to have committed negligence.

The manufacturer: Even if the user takes all reasonable precautions to ensure safety, a defective firework can malfunction and cause harm to them. Firework accident lawyers specializing in product liability can assist you in bringing a fireworks injury lawsuit against the negligent party when a design or manufacturing problem is to blame.

For larger fireworks displays, the organization in charge of running the fireworks may be held accountable for any firecracker accidents or injuries resulting from the display.

Burns and other explosion-related injuries are frequently caused by fireworks. Some pyrotechnics have the potential to cause severe injuries, such as limb loss, loss of vision or hearing, or other sorts of physical harm. Several firework burns accidents and firecrackers have been connected to wrongful death lawsuits.

How Can You Prevent Firework Accidents?

Incorrect handling of fireworks can result in burns and vision problems in children and adults. Avoid using fireworks at home, as this is the best way to keep your family safe. Attend free fireworks displays and let the pros handle the illumination.

• Don’t give small children bottle rockets or sparkles.
• Comply with local and federal fireworks regulations.
• Never play around with fireworks.
• Always have an adult nearby when young teens use fireworks.
• Never point or set off fireworks at someone else.
• Purchase only authorized fireworks, then keep them in a cool, dry area.
• Never light a firework while using drugs or drinking alcohol.
• After an event, don’t let youngsters go picking up fireworks fragments. Some could detonate at any moment.
• Keep a garden hose or pail of water close by the place where you’re firing the fireworks.
• Never allow children to play with fireworks. They are too risky. Hot enough to melt gold, sparklers can reach 1,800 °F (982 °C) in temperature.

What To Do If I Get an Injury from Fireworks?

When you get severe injuries in a fireworks accident, you might question whether you have a legal method to pursue justice. The majority of the time, when fireworks go wrong, it’s because someone else acted irresponsibly. If someone else’s negligence resulted in your injuries, you have the legal right to pursue justice.

You could bring a premises liability claim if you were harmed during the fireworks display or a personal injury claim against the individual who was using the firecrackers, depending on the specifics of the accident.

Legal options for fireworks accidents and injuries frequently include financial compensation. This is given to the affected party to assist in making up for any losses brought on by accident. This may involve paying for medical care, hospital bills, pain and suffering, and other fees.

Please get in touch with a firework injury attorney to learn about your legal options if you think you suffered burn and firework injuries due to someone else’s negligence.

Documenting the victims’ injuries is necessary to claim financial compensation for personal injuries. Your claim’s most crucial component may be your medical records. LezDo TechMed assists in reviewing your medical records as proof when seeking compensation.

To wrap up,

Due to their sound, sparkle, and quick explosion of color, firecrackers are frequently utilized at festivals to convey a festive mood. Always put your safety first. Attending public events where professionals control the fireworks is the only way to enjoy them safely. In the US, domestic fireworks displays result in tens of thousands of avoidable injuries.

Visit our Twitter, to get more insights:

1/5 The misuse of fireworks poses a particular risk to children.
35% of all emergency department admissions for fireworks accidents involve patients under 15.#fatalfireworkaccident #fireworkinjurylawyer #lezdomedlegal pic.twitter.com/w9uYveYXpy

— LezDo MedLegal (@LezDoMedLegal) December 17, 2022