Boston Injury Lawyer Jeffrey S. Glassman and the staff at our law offices wish all of you a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday. Please do your part to celebrate responsibly, which means don’t drink and drive, practice safe driving and safe boating, and leave the fireworks to the professionals.
Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts but that won’t stop many from traveling to Rhode Island where some fireworks have been legalized. The Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts is one of only four states where fireworks remain illegal.
While the Globe article makes light of the risk associated with fireworks, the fact of the matter is that fireworks accidents are a real danger around the Fourth of July. In 2006, 11 people were killed and more than 9,200 were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than two-thirds of fireworks injuries occur around the Fourth of July.
-One-third of all fireworks injuries involve children under the age of 15 and nearly half of all fireworks accidents involve victims under the age of 20. The most frequent injuries reported involve the hands and eyes, as well as the head, face and ears. More than half of all injuries involve burns. Other common injuries associated with fireworks include contusions, lacerations, and foreign objects in the eyes. Fireworks injuries are associated with blindness, third-degree burns and permanent scaring.
-Firecrackers cause the most injuries, followed by sparklers and rockets. More than one-third of all fireworks-related deaths involve professional-grade fireworks that are sold to consumers.
-Common causes of injuries include the availability of high-grade fireworks being sold to novice users, being too close to fireworks, operator error, child curiosity and experimentation with homemade devices.
Residents and guests who are injured by fireworks, whether on private property or at a professional fireworks display, may be able to seek damages to recover the cost of medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses that result from a fireworks accident in Massachusetts.
If you are injured over the Fourth of July holiday, contact Boston Injury Attorney Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 877-617-5333.