According to the Insurance Journal, in 2017 alone 12,900 people were injured in fireworks accidents and another eight people were killed in accidents involving fireworks. Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLLC is a personal injury law firm in Iowa City, Iowa here to offer you some tips and advice about how to stay safe from fireworks accidents this July 4th. The National Safety Council reminds fireworks users to never use professional-grade fireworks, and that legal fireworks are not safe and need to be handled with care. What are some steps you can take this Fourth of July if you plan to use fireworks?
- Never let young children use fireworks and only allow older children to use fireworks under close adult supervision. Children make up a large percentage of the number of people injured by fireworks each year. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, children under 15 years of age accounted for 36 percent of the number of injuries, and half of the emergency room department visits due to fireworks involved children and youth under age 20.
- Don’t drink and use fireworks.
- Don’t light fireworks inside your home or indoors.
- Wear protective eyewear when lighting fireworks.
- Light one firework at a time and watch where the firework is aimed; it should never be aimed at other people or property.
- Keep a fire extinguisher or water nearby to put out a fire.
- Be aware of the risks of sparklers, which can burn as hot as 2000 degrees according to the National Safety Council. The National Safety Council recommends that children and adults use glowsticks instead.
What are common injuries stemming from fireworks when accidents do take place? According to the Insurance Journal, burns to fingers, hands, and arms were the most common injuries. Fireworks also caused injuries when they resulted in a fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 44 percent of the injuries treated for fireworks accidents were burns.
When using fireworks this Fourth of July, it is important to consider the risks. Because many cities have cancelled their fireworks displays to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, there has been increased concern that private individuals may put on their own fireworks displays or even try to acquire illegal fireworks. At the end of the day, everyone needs to be responsible for their safety and for the safety of their children. If you or someone you love was hurt in a fireworks accident due to another person’s negligence or neglect, or if your home was set on fire due to a neighbor’s misuse of fireworks, Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLLC, a personal injury law firm in Iowa City, Iowa may be able to help you.
Types of Firework Accidents
USAttorneys.com recently released a new video showing the top 5 fireworks accidents. What are these firework accident types? The types include:
- Deadly fireworks explosions
- Fireballs
- Shrapnel Explosions
- Sparkler Injuries
- Unintentional Deployment from Storage
These types of accidents are all alarming and can pose serious injury risks to those involved. Explosions can happen when people lighting fireworks fail to get away from the point of explosive fast enough. This can happen when people fail to gauge how long they have to move away once they light the fuse, or because of a defect in the firework. Fireballs that rise up from a firework with too much explosive can lead to fires, burn injuries, and deaths. When a firework explodes unexpectedly or when people are too close to the point of explosion, innocent people can get struck with shrapnel, leading to puncture wounds and burns. Sparklers are very hot and when children misuse them, fires and accidents can occur. Finally, it is important to consider how you’ll store fireworks and think twice before saving fireworks for next year or for the next holiday. Improperly stored fireworks can pose serious safety risks. As USAttorneys.com’s video shows, improperly stored fireworks, when they light on fire, can form a chain reaction like the Mexico firework factory explosion. If you or someone you love was hurt because someone misused fireworks, you may have the right to seek damages under the law. Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLLC is a personal injury law firm in Iowa City, Iowa that may be able to help you.
Injured from Fireworks? A Personal Injury Lawyer in Iowa City, Iowa May Be Able to Help You
If you or your child was injured from fireworks due to a neighbor’s misuse or due to another person’s negligence or neglect, you may have the right to seek damages for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. The personal injury lawyers at Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLLC in Iowa City, Iowa can review the details of your case and help you take the next steps for your injuries. Contact us today to learn more.
