You may be eligible for compensation if you have received an injury due to electricity on the job or at home. Speaking to an electrical injuries lawyer is the best first step in learning about your claim. Contact our office today to get started.
Electricity makes the world go around. From the lights we turn on and off, the appliances we use daily, to equipment in skyscrapers, the world depends on it 24/7. As vital as electricity is to everyday life, it’s also hazardous if not treated with the respect it deserves. You can be injured by electricity on the job, at the office, or home. Children are more likely to suffer an electrical injury in the house, primarily because of their inherent curiosity.
Electrical injuries can kill or seriously hurt someone very quickly, without warning. These injuries leave permanent scars and damage from both the charge and burns. Injury cases like these require high technical expertise to determine what happened and why. Contact an electrical injuries lawyer today.
OSHA calls electrical injuries one of the “fatal four” on construction sites. Electric shock or electrocution can happen in several ways:
Injuries like this can cause permanent and irreparable damage to the body and be fatal.
OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) has identified four major types of injuries:
The severity of the victim’s injuries can vary widely depending on the amount of current, the voltage, length of exposure, and the path the electricity takes through the body. An electrical injury attorney can help you better understand the types of injuries involved and what legal recourse you may have. When a human body makes contact and creates a “circuit” for current, there are entry and exit wounds, usually third-degree burns. These burns can be minor and pinpoint-sized but allow current to flow easily.
Inside the body, the current inflicts deep tissue injuries to nerves and muscles and damage to the nervous system. Even momentary contact can leave a significant amount of severe tissue damage. Some wounds will heal, but others may be permanent.
You may be eligible for compensation if you have received an injury due to electricity on the job or at home. Speaking to an electrical injuries lawyer is the best first step in learning about your claim. Contact our electrical injury lawyer to get started.
Who is liable for your injuries? That will depend on the circumstances that led up to your accident. If you were injured on the job, you would likely be able to file for worker’s compensation to cover your medical bills and part of your salary. But suppose your work-related injuries were caused by a third party, such as a subcontractor. In that case, you may be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit instead of or in addition to your worker’s compensation claim.
Defective products are the responsibility of the designer, manufacturer, or other party involved in getting the product to a consumer. An electrical injury from something you purchased may also come under product liability from a small home appliance like a coffee pot or iron, a more oversized item like a stove, or lights in and around your home.
Electrical wiring inside your home or commercial property may be traced to the company that installed it or someone responsible for maintenance, such as an electrical repair company.
Utility companies may also be responsible if downed power lines cause an electrical injury or electrocution. Most people who experience electrical injuries are construction and utility workers, but anyone can make contact with a live wire. A utility company may neglect tree-trimming and cutting to prevent trees and other foliage from interfering with and pulling down power lines during a storm. These same companies may not maintain their equipment when it begins to deteriorate and needs replacement. Negligence can lead to an accident with serious injuries.
Nationwide, utility companies have a responsibility and a duty of care to keep the public safe from accidental contact with powerful voltage. Even if the company complies with the National Electric Safety Code, it still may bear responsibility for an accident. This is why you need to work with an attorney experienced in electrical injury claims.
Each case is distinctive and unique. Therefore, your electrical injury attorney will thoroughly investigate your accident to determine the responsible parties so they can be held liable for your injuries.
Danger from electricity is not frequently obvious. Because electrical injuries are so devastating to the body, a victim requires considerable medical attention and treatment to recover. Unfortunately, some of these injuries may lead to permanent disability, even after surgery and rehabilitation. After an electrical injury, you may be able to collect damages for medical expenses, current, and future, such as:
A surviving spouse, child or children, and even parents of an electrocution victim may be able to file a wrongful death suit after losing a loved one to an accident. Reach out today.
Electrical accidents can significantly reduce a person’s quality of life, including severe, permanent injuries that lead to disability. Electrocution can mean sudden death for someone. Determining the negligent party is complex. An investigation should start quickly after an accident to find the root cause before vital evidence is either tainted or disappears altogether.
