At The Reiff Law Firm we have provided trusted and thorough personal injury representation from our Philadelphia office for decades. While Pennsylvania allows non-explosive fireworks, it prohibits fireworks that produce an explosion. Because of their grandeur many people forget that fireworks are explosives with the potential to cause sever injury, property damage or even death.
Fireworks Injuries and Accidents on the Rise
Demand for fireworks has greatly increased throughout the united States, including Pennsylvania. According to U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, firework imports into the United States have increased 700% in the past 34 years. Driving on Pennsylvania roads and highways, large billboards advertising fireworks are noticeable to both children and adults. This visibility has spurred thousands, if not millions, of Pennsylvanians to venture out to storefronts and seasonal tents in Pennsylvania selling state legal sparklers, fountains and novelties. However, sometimes non sanctioned fireworks are imported and sold in Pennsylvania further, simply because the products are legal does not make them safe
In recognition of the dramatic increase in firework-related injuries, fires, and accidents the National Fire Protection Association has formed an alliance to end the use of consumer fireworks stating that “There is no such thing as a safe firework”. Injuries and accidents typically spike over the 4th of July weekend, when over 10,000 people will be injured in the United States. Unfortunately due to the appeal of fireworks, a large percentage of those injured are children.
How Can You Prevent Fireworks Injuries?
As an experienced burn accident lawyers, we urge you to take all steps to reduce the risk of a fireworks incident. Fireworks injuries are typically serious and can include:
- temporary or permanent hearing loss
- temporary or permanent loss of sight
- burns
- loss of limb
- shock
- smoke inhalation
After handling numerous fireworks injury cases, we have developed some steps and guidelines to help prevent fireworks injuries. Be sure:
- To only use consumer-grade fireworks. Professional-grade fireworks are more powerful than novices expect and routinely cause severe injuries.
- To prevent children or teens from handling or using fireworks.
- To emphasize safety when using sparklers. Sparklers burn at extremely high temperatures and are responsible for many burn injuries.
- To never discharge a firework from a metal or glass container. In the even of a backfire, the container will shatter and spray shrapnel.
- To always light fireworks away from your and others’ body and face.
- To only light one device at a time.
- That there aren’t any fire warning s or drought restrictions. Fireworks can cause fast spreading fires that result in millions of dollars or damage and death.
We hope that these tips help you avoid injury so that you never have to use our legal services. But, if you are injured, our attorneys are standing by to offer the litigation experience you need for recovery.
Our Attorneys are Experienced in Handling Fireworks Personal Injury Matters
The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm investigate and pursue severe fireworks injury cases. If your injury was the result of negligence by another person or corporation, compensation may be available. To review a potential firework injury lawsuit, please contact one of our lawyers for a free, no-obligation consultation.
