Unsafe fireworks use could leave you liable

Independence Day weekend is here and the fireworks are starting to come out.

City firework displays are planned across the Bluegrass, but many Kentuckians will also incorporate backyard fireworks into their celebrations.

LARRYWHILE MANYPEOPLE WILLINCORPORATEBACKYARDFIREWORKS INTOTHEIRCELEBRATIONS...YOU MIGHT WANT TOTHINK TWICE.EACH YEARFIREWORKS STARTAN AVERAGE OF 18-THOUSAND FIRES.THAT'S EVERYTHINGFROM STRUCTURESAND VEHICLES TOLAND.BUT THE HUMANTOLL CAN BE EVENGREATER.18 PEOPLE DIEDLAST YEAR ... ANDMORE THAN 15-THOUSAND ENDEDUP IN THEEMERGENCY ROOMDUE TO FIREWORKSACCIDENTS.MOST OF THAT DUETO MISUSE.IN ADDITION TOFEELING GUILT - THEPERSON BUYING THEFIREWORKS ORSETTING THEM OFFCOULD HAVE OTHERCONSEQUENCES TODEAL WITH.LEX 18'S SOFIAMILLAR GOES IN-DEPTH ON HOWACCIDENTS COULDLEAVE YOU LIABLE.IT'S THAT TIME OFYEAR AGAIN.THE FOURTH OFJULY WEEKEND ISHERE.AND THEFIREWORKS ARECOMING OUT.IT'S ALL FUN ANDGAMES UNTILSOMETHING GOESWRONG.JOE GRIFFITH: "YOUNEVER THINK IT'SGOING TO BE YOUWHEN THE DAYSTARTS OUT, BUT ITCAN AND THEINJURIES CAN BEJUST DEVASTATINGBECAUSEFIREWORKS AREDANGEROUS."JOE GRIFFITH IS ANATTORNEY WITHHUGHES ANDCOLEMAN INJURYLAWYERS.THE FIRM RECENTLYREACHED ASETTLEMENT FOR ALOUISVILLE WOMANWHO WAS BLINDEDIN ONE EYE LASTYEAR DURING AFOURTH OF JULYCELEBRATION...WHEN SOMEONEACCIDENTALLY SHOTA BOTTLE ROCKET INHER DIRECTION.JOE GRIFFITH: "THISONE JUST WENT OFFRIGHT IN FRONT OFHER FACE, RIGHT INFRONT OF HER EYEAND IT WAS JUSTDEVASTATING."GRIFFITH SAYS THEYWANT TO STRESSFIREWORK SAFETYAS PEOPLE PREPAREFOR THEWEEKEND...BECAUSEIF ANYTHING GOESWRONG, YOU CAN BEHELD LIABLE FORANY PERSONALINJURY ORPROPERTY DAMAGE.JOE GRIFFITH:"WHEN YOU ARE ASOCIAL GUEST ONSOMEONE'SPROPERTY, AS THEPROPERTY OWNERYOU HAVE CERTAINDUTIES TO YOURGUESTS.

ONE IS TOPROTECT THEMFROM HAZARDOUSACTIVITY.FIREWORKS,BECAUSE THEY'REVERY DANGEROUS,ARE DEEMED BY THELAW TO BE AHAZARDOUSACTIVITY."THE U-S CONSUMERPRODUCT SAFETYCOMMISSIONESTIMATES MORETHAN 15-THOUSANDPEOPLE WENT TOTHE EMERGENCYDEPARTMENT FORFIREWORKSINJURIES IN 2020.BATTALION CHIEFJORDAN SAAS WITHTHE LEXINGTON FIREDEPARTMENT SAYSTHEY'RE ALREADYSTARTING TO DEALWITH THOSE CALLSFOR HELP HERE INLEXINGTON.JORDAN SAAS:"WE'RE ALREADYSEEING FIREWORKSINJURIES.

I KNOWTHERE WAS ATLEAST ONEREPORTED LASTWEEK WHERE APERSON WASTRANSPORTED TOTHE HOSPITAL WITHPRETTY SIGNIFICANTINJURIES.

THE BESTWAY PEOPLE CANAVOID PERSONALINJURY WITHFIREWORKS IS TOLEAVE IT TO THEPROFESSIONALS."SOFIA MILLAR:"THERE AREPRECAUTIONS YOUCAN TAKE TO HELPMINIMIZE THE RISKOF AN ACCIDENT IFYOU PLAN ONLIGHTINGFIREWORKS THISWEEKEND...EVEN IFIT'S SOMETHING ASSMALL AS ASPARKLER."THESE TIPS ARESTRAIGHT FROM THENATIONAL SAFETYCOUNCIL.NEVER ALLOWYOUNG CHILDREN TOHANDLE FIREWORKS.NEVER USEFIREWORKS WHILEIMPAIRED BY DRUGSOR ALCOHOL.ANYONE USING ORNEAR FIREWORKSSHOULD WEARPROTECTIVEEYEWEAR.NEVER POINTFIREWORKS ATPEOPLE.DO NOT TRY TO RE-LIGHT A FIREWORK.KEEP A BUCKET OFWATER NEARBY JUSTIN CASE.AND AFTER YOU'REDONE, MAKE SURETO SOAK USED ORLEFTOVERFIREWORKS INWATER BEFORETHROWING THEMAWAY.SOFIA MILLAR LEX 18NEWS.LARRYTAKING A CLOSER