Each year, Florida residents celebrate the New Year with fireworks. However, a number of Florida and Carver Heights personal injuries occur each year due to fireworks and other types of New Year’s Eve celebrations. This past New Year ’s Eve, for example, 12-year-old Diego Duran was at home watching fireworks with his family when a stray bullet hit him. Police believe that the bullet was fired as part of a New Year’s Eve celebration and could have come from miles away. While police continue to investigate, Duran is still undergoing treatment for severe head injuries.
While fireworks can be fun to watch, they can also be quite dangerous. They can cause Carver Heights burn injuries, eye injuries, broken bones, facial injuries, hand injuries, and more. Fireworks can explode unexpectedly, causing injury, and they can also cause burn injuries to those who stand too close. Even now that New Year’s Eve is over, the threat of fireworks remains. Many homes have left-over fireworks from the New Year, and some retailers are selling their supply of fireworks at discount prices. Children and teens are especially fascinated by fireworks and may be curious to try them. The supply of fireworks at this time of year makes them a risk for Carver Heights injuries to children and minors. To keep your children safe, make sure that you:
1) Talk to your teens and children about fireworks and especially illegal fireworks. Teens can easily buy fireworks online and some retailers are simply not cautious about selling fireworks to minors and children. Make sure your children understand the risks and very real dangers of fireworks so that they are not tempted.
2) Do not keep fireworks in your home. This makes it easier for your children to access them. As well, as fireworks deteriorate, they can pose a greater danger as they become more unstable.
3) If you have fireworks left over from New Year’s, dispose of them safely. Call your local city waste management office to find out how to safely dispose of unused fireworks. Do not simply place them in the garbage, where they can go off and cause a fire.
4) If you must store fireworks, do so as safely as possible. If you do decide to store fireworks in your home, carefully read the manufacturer’s suggestions about storage. You should keep fireworks in a cool, dry environment, far from any flammable materials. You should also keep your fireworks in a locked area, where your children cannot access the fireworks on their own.
Make sure that the key for the area is not available to your children. Before using the fireworks at a later date, check the condition of the fireworks carefully before use. Older fireworks can deteriorate, making them more unstable and therefore more likely to cause injury.
If you or your child have been injured by fireworks, contact the Flaxman Law Group to discuss your rights. If you were injured at a fireworks event, the event organizers may be liable for your injuries if they did not take adequate precautions to protect you and your family. If you were injured by fireworks in your home, retailers or manufacturers may be liable if they product was defective and unsafe. Arrange for a free accident consultation with the Flaxman Law Group to learn more about your legal options.