Doctor: Leave Fireworks To Professionals

(CBS) -- Some advice so you don't end up at the hospital this 4 of July: Leave the fireworks to the professionals.

Every year people lose fingers, thumbs, eyes and even their lives when a firework goes off in their face. Dr. Tom Espisito is the director of Loyola's trauma, critical unit and burn center and says people are warned and don't listen and they don't always learn a lesson.

"Unfortunately, there is a fair amount of recidivism, frequent flyers, they show up again on our doorstep. The only people that aren't at risk of being recidivists are the ones that die," said Dr. Esposito.

If losing a finger or having a fatal infection set into a burn doesn't scare you, maybe the cost will. Dr, Espisito says the average price of a hospital visit for a serious fireworks accident is $15,000.