The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, recently released information showing that the number of fireworks-related injuries has increased considerably since the turn of the century.
The CPSC is the federal agency in charge of regulating many products on the nation’s shelves to ensure that they are safe for customers.
Since 2006, the number of injuries due to fireworks has climbed steadily. In 2021, around 11,500 people suffered reportable injuries because of fireworks accidents. This number marks a 25% increase in injuries since 2006.
In most cases, the injury was to a person’s hand. However, many others suffered injuries to the face or the head.
Firework injuries involve both legal and illegal products
The CPSC reported that many reported injuries involved fireworks that were not in compliance with regulations. On this note, many fireworks used in other states are not legal in New York.
Of course, the law will not stop all people from using fireworks that are banned. Furthermore, injuries can and too often do still happen with fireworks which New Yorkers can use legally, like sparklers.
Many firework injuries are very serious. Fireworks can cause significant burn injuries either directly or because the fireworks ignite a fire.
Fireworks also are prone to causing other severe injuries, such as the amputation of a finger or even one’s hand. Scarring of the face, blindness and other injuries to the head or face are possible.
Who is liable?
In many cases of fireworks-related injury, it is the injured person themselves who is at fault for the accident. A person who injured themselves through careless use of fireworks may not have any legal recourse for seeking compensation for their damages.
However, there are cases where another party may hold some liability. For instance, fireworks manufacturers or retailers may be held liable in some cases where they sold unreasonably dangerous products that injured people. In other cases, a property owner may be held liable through the legal theory of premises liability after a person was injured by fireworks on their property.
