Firework injuries in Chicago: Who’s responsible?
Defective Products - February 14, 2025 by Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates
Fireworks are celebratory except when their use leads to injury–a not uncommon outcome. Firework injury victims may have grounds to seek compensation for their injuries and other losses. The Chicago defective product lawyers from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates have been fighting for injury victims for over 100 years, and we are here to help you get financial justice for your firework injuries.
The legality of fireworks in Chicago
Federal laws heavily regulate the possession, distribution, and use of most fireworks. Under the Illinois Pyrotechnic Use Act (PUA), almost all other types of fireworks are banned throughout the State. Some firework-adjacent devices are not banned under the PUA but could still be banned by local municipalities. These devices include, among others:
- Sparklers
- Trick matches
- Snappers
- Snake or glow worm pellets
- Party poppers
- Small toy cap guns or pistols, provided their “explosive” compounds fall within limits
Those using fireworks or other ignitable devices can face penalties from the criminal justice system. But victims injured by the fireworks deserve personal justice and need compensation to cover their losses. The team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates can help.
Your attorney can investigate to find the negligent party
You must file a claim against the party responsible for causing your injuries to collect compensation. Several parties could potentially bear culpability, including:
The product manufacturer
The firework or smaller, legal device could have been defective, perhaps exploding too quickly or, in the case of sparklers, burning too quickly. The manufacturer or package designer may have also failed to warn users of possible dangers or provide thorough instructions on how to use the product safely.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that in a recent year, about 18% of fireworks tested contained “noncompliant components” such as “fuse violations,” “prohibited chemicals,” and “overloaded amounts of pyrotechnic materials.” These examples of noncompliance are acts of negligence.
The fireworks user
A person could set off fireworks as a prank to scare those nearby or use them to entertain a willing audience. If fireworks misfire or malfunction, or if a victim is just unfortunately injured by the “natural” consequences of the explosion, the person who ignited the firework could be responsible for the resulting damages.
A fireworks-show sponsor
Most professional fireworks shows run smoothly and according to Illinois pyrotechnic use regulations. Still, an unlikely and devastating injury could occur. If the show sponsor or company demonstrated negligence in any way, that party could be liable for paying victims damages.
Firework injury statistics
According to the CPSC annual report, fireworks caused 9,700 injuries and eight deaths during the course of one year. A further statistical breakdown shows:
- 800 emergency-treated injuries were for firecracker injuries.
- 700 emergency-treated injuries were for sparkler injuries.
- 42% of all fireworks-related injuries were burns.
A closer look at the body parts affected shows:
- 35% hands and fingers
- 22% head
- 19% eyes
- 11% trunk and other parts
- 8% legs
Common injuries from fireworks
Burns represented the most common fireworks injuries and accounted for 58% of injuries to hands and fingers. They also caused most injuries to the arms, heads, faces, and ears. Other firework-injury diagnoses included contusions, lacerations, abrasions, fractures, and sprains.
Those responsible for fireworks injuries need to pay
Our Chicago defective product lawyers will investigate your accident to determine what product defect or other act of negligence caused your injury and fight to make the responsible party compensate you for your losses. A successful case outcome requires proving the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, breached their duty, and this breach caused the accident, leading to your measurable damages. Our team can compile and present convincing evidence to meet these standards.
Most fireworks are illegal, so any use violates the duty of care to preserve safety. If your injury results from a malfunctioning legal device, the product manufacturer may have violated their duty to produce a safe product. Whatever your situation, we will get to the bottom of it.
To determine how much your case is worth, we examine how severe your injuries and related consequences are and the degree of the at-fault party’s negligence. Your attorney will account for your medical expenses, income lost during recovery, and other costs incurred by the accident and injury. The non-economic consequences of your injury also matter, and you can count on us to put a fair dollar value on the pain, emotional suffering, and quality-of-life losses you have sustained.
We are committed to the fight for justice
Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates is here to help you recover the losses you have sustained from a fireworks injury. We are committed to the fight for justice and ready to put our experience and resources to work for you. Scheduling your free consultation is easy. Just call (800) 985-1819 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you.
