Lawsuit: Ligonier Township fireworks accident blinded N.Y. man in one eye
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A New York man has filed a personal injury lawsuit alleging a fireworks accident two years ago in Ligonier Township blinded him in one eye.
Samuel Breslin, a resident of Albany County, N.Y., filed suit in the U.S. District Court for Western Pennsylvania against Adam Wagner of Indianapolis.
The two men were at a social gathering in Rector on Jan. 15, 2017, when a “mortar-style fireworks” struck Breslin in the eye and face, “causing immediate and permanent severe injuries, including but not limited to fractured facial bones, permanent pain and permanent loss of sight,” the lawsuit said.
Neither party could be reached for comment. Breslin’s lawyer, Ryan T. Donovan of Albany, N.Y., did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The lawsuit said Wagner bought the “professional-grade, mortar-style fireworks” in the state of Indiana and brought them to the gathering, located on Jacob Miller Road in Rector.
Wagner allegedly lit the fireworks without the permission of the homeowner, within close proximity of the residence, from an “unstable” base on frozen ground and while under the influence of alcohol, the lawsuit said.
“Some of the fireworks used by the defendant had damaged bases and would not sit level on the ground prior to ignition,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges negligence and asks for $2 million in compensatory damages for “pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses and future pecuniary losses.”
The case has been referred to the court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program.
Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Stephen at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.