Fireworks Injuries: Understand Your Legal Rights

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 14,700 people were injured by fireworks in 2024. Eleven people died from their injuries. This represents a 52% increase in fireworks-related injuries from 2023.

While some people suffer injuries at a municipal fireworks display, many suffer injuries while using fireworks they purchased for home use. For example, in 2022, a Park Township, Michigan woman died after a fireworks explosion at home. Another man, Jared Maddox from Gilmer, Texas, died when his house exploded after fireworks projectiles assaulted his home.

Some of these injuries could have been prevented had the fireworks manufacturer ensured their products were safe. Many others were avoidable if the person lighting the fireworks wasn’t negligent.

This article discusses the types of injuries people suffer from fireworks. It also explains your legal options if you experience an injury or property damage from firework use.

A fireworks injury can be life-altering. If you’ve been hurt by a faulty firework or a negligent user, consider contacting an experienced personal injury attorney near you. An attorney can explain your legal rights and options and determine if you have a valid personal injury claim. They can be a critical advocate in gathering evidence, witness statements, and other documentation to support your case.

The Dangers of Fireworks

Fireworks are inherently hazardous. Firework manufacturers are required to put warning labels on their products. This helps prevent injury and death. It’s a federal crime for a company to sell fireworks without sufficient warnings.

According to the CPSC, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act requires that firework manufacturers comply with the following:

• Consumer fireworks must contain warning labels about the hazards and function of fireworks
• Fireworks sold for personal use must meet specific construction and performance standards

Even with these warnings, fireworks are still capable of causing harm. If fireworks hurt someone, they can sue the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, and retailer under strict liability.

Fireworks and Serious Injuries

You risk injury whether you are setting off fireworks or are a bystander at a Fourth of July parade or public fireworks display.

Young children are especially vulnerable to severe injuries caused by dangerous fireworks. Some of the most common injuries linked to fireworks include:

• Severe burns
• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Hearing loss
• Loss or amputation of an appendage or limb
• Eye injuries
• Fireworks-related deaths

Further, if a defective firework causes property damage and fires, the property occupants could be hurt or suffer significant financial loss.

Whether resulting from improper use or a product defect, fireworks-related injuries can be catastrophic.

Fireworks Safety Protocols and Injury Prevention

If you plan on using fireworks, you must take precautions to keep you and your family safe. Some safety tips that help avoid injury include:

• Always follow the directions on the fireworks package, and never modify or experiment with homemade fireworks.
• Only let children or young adults use fireworks with supervision. Even seemingly harmless fireworks, such as sparklers or firecrackers, still burn at high temperatures if misused.
• Only set off fireworks outdoors at a safe distance from houses and other fire hazards, such as tall grass, dry leaves, and other fireworks.
• Do not try to reignite used or malfunctioning fireworks.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies. Soak any used or misfired fireworks before discarding them. This helps prevent fires or accidental ignitions.

Seeking Damages After a Fireworks Accident

If you or your family member suffer a fireworks-related injury, you may have a claim for damages. It depends on whether your injuries occurred at home or at a town-wide Fourth of July celebration.

When you first meet with your attorney, they will help determine which parties to name in your lawsuit. They will also help assess your damages. Depending on your situation, you can recover economic damages for:

• Medical bills for medical treatment
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages
• Permanent disability
• Other damages

If a firework damaged your home, vehicle, or other property, you may also be entitled to compensation for property damage.

Defective Products and Manufacturer Liability

Under product liability laws, Companies that fail to design or manufacture their products correctly open themselves to liability. You may have a legal claim if you’re hurt using defective fireworks. There are four main types of fireworks defects. This includes when the fireworks are:

• Fired in the wrong direction
• Overcharged
• Detonated prematurely
• Sold with warnings that are not clear and legible

Even when used properly, fireworks are explosives that can cause severe injuries. However, the likelihood of a firework injury is magnified by manufacturing or design defects in the fireworks or a lack of adequate warnings.

Imagine buying fireworks for an Independence Day celebration. You warn your friends and family to stand 20 or 30 feet away from the fireworks to be safe. But the unit detonates within seconds of lighting it. You and your guests end up with burns and lacerations. You suffer third-degree burns and facial disfigurement.

Your attorney can argue that the manufacturer was negligent. Had they made the fireworks correctly, they wouldn’t have detonated early.

Negligence for Improper Use of Fireworks

Most injuries caused by fireworks result from consumer misuse. Common mistakes include:

• Lighting the fireworks improperly
• Lighting the fireworks too close to other people
• Lighting the fireworks while holding them in one’s hand

Injured spectators may be able to hold the person or company setting off the fireworks liable for negligence. Even the person or the event organizer for the fireworks show may be responsible for not supervising such an activity.

Further, your attorney may determine that the property owners hosting the fireworks display may also be a responsible party.

Take Legal Action for a Fireworks Injury

If you or a loved one are injured while using fireworks, you may have a claim for damages. The same is true if you’re hurt while watching fireworks at a friend’s house or in town. Once you receive medical attention for your injuries, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. Your attorney can help identify the liable parties and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Most attorneys offer a free case evaluation to fireworks injury victims. You can discuss your case, legal options, and how to proceed. Visit FindLaw’s attorney directory to find a local lawyer experienced in personal injury law.