Get medical care first. Then save photos, packaging, event details, witness names, and any instructions or warnings connected to the firework. If the injury happened at an event or on someone else's property, report it promptly.

A firework that did not go off can still ignite unexpectedly. Relighting it can place a person's hands, face, and body too close to an explosive or hot object.

Save photos, medical records, packaging, warning labels, instructions, receipts, incident reports, and witness information. If the injury happened at an event, also save tickets, event details, and the location of the incident.

Surveillance footage can be one of the most important forms of evidence in a hit-and-run, but it may not be saved for long. Businesses, apartment buildings, gas stations, parking lots, homes, and dashcams may capture useful footage. Ask for preservation quickly and document who you contacted, when you contacted them, and what they said.

Do not assume a partial license plate is useless. Write it down immediately and pair it with every detail you remember: vehicle color, make, model, body damage, bumper stickers, direction of travel, intersection, time, and witness information. Police, insurance investigators, or attorneys may be able to combine those details with camera footage or other evidence.

A police report can document the time, location, vehicle description, injuries, witnesses, and the fact that the other driver left the scene. California DMV guidance also requires certain accident reporting when someone is injured, killed, or property damage exceeds the reporting threshold. In a hit-and-run, the police report can become a key piece of the insurance and evidence record.