Michigan Fireworks Injuries

Larry Buckfire

Contributor

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The July 4th holiday is a great day for picnics, family fun, and for fireworks shows. The city sponsored fireworks area always great fun but festivities also often include private fireworks. Many fireworks are sold legally through retail outlets and others are purchased either illegally or in neighboring states. These private displays are entertaining, but also very dangerous.

A tragic example is the Michigan fireworks death of a 27 year old Melvindale Michigan mother of three who was killed when she struck by an illegal firework on Independence Day. A grassroots picnic with a $1,000 fireworks show ended in horror -- a grand finale of 25 blastoffs and lights illuminating the motionless body of Danialle Barse, 27, of Taylor. She had bent over to see why the first firework didn't launch. Moments later, it did. The explosive meant to propel 200 to 300 feet into the air struck her head, and a crowd of 30 -- including her three sons and fiance -- could do nothing as the rest of the show cascaded above.

Sellers of the illegal fireworks can be subject to lawsuits for injuries caused by the sale of the fireworks. Parents of unsupervised children can also be sued for injuries caused by these fireworks. My firm had previously obtained a significant settlement for a child who suffered a permanent eye injury after being struck by a bottle rocket lit by an unspervised child.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.