It’s almost time for the holidays, which means fun, food, and fireworks! While fireworks are fun to watch, they also come with serious safety risks. If you have been injured in a fireworks incident, it is beneficial to know who can be held responsible should you choose to seek compensation.
Fireworks Safety Tips
To lessen the risk of an injury, here are a few tips for how to properly use fireworks:
- Maintain a safe distance
- Only light one at a time
- Keep a water hose nearby
- Don’t discharge in metal or glass containers
If you have followed all safety precautions and still experienced an injury, you may have a personal injury case. Further, even if you did not follow all safety precautions and were injured, you still may have a personal injury case.
Who is Liable?
Depending on the circumstances of the incident, different people or companies may be responsible for your injury.
The Homeowner
If you were attending a party at another person’s home and you were injured by fireworks that the property owner or another guest discharged, you might have a case.
To file a claim against the homeowner, it must be proven that they handled the fireworks negligently or recklessly, which directly led to your injury.
The Manufacturer
If you were injured due to a product malfunction, the manufacturer may be responsible.
The Importer and Retailer(s)
Importers and retailers can also be held responsible for some of the same reasons as manufacturers. Even if they were unaware of product defects, they assume that potential liability when they sell fireworks.
Damages You Can Seek After an Incident
If you choose to move forward with a claim, you can seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Some examples of recoverable damages may include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages for time off from work following the incident
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of limbs and permanent impairment
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Property damage
South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers
We hope that you have a safe and happy holiday weekend. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being injured by fireworks, give us a call. At Thurmond Kirchner & Timbes, P.A. we can help you understand state and local fireworks laws, as well as who can be held liable based on the particular circumstances of your case. Take the first step toward receiving the compensation you deserve and set up a free consultation with one of our South Carolina personal injury attorneys.