Electrocution Accident Lawyer
An electrocution accident occurs when someone makes contact with an electrical source, causing an electric current to pass through the person.
Electrocution accidents can result in both internal and external bodily injuries.
Electrocution accidents and electric shock accidents can cause injuries ranging from minor burns and pain to life-threatening injuries, permanent bodily damage, and even death.
Although some electrocution accidents occur because of the injured person’s negligent actions, electrocution injuries can also result from the negligent actions of a secondary party.
In the case that an electrocution accident occurs because of another party’s negligence, the injured person may qualify to participate in an electrocution accident lawsuit to compensate for the costs associated with the injury.
If you believe that you suffered an electrocution accident injury at no fault of your own, you should contact an electrocution accident lawyer to discuss whether you qualify to participate in an electrocution accident lawsuit.
Common Causes of Electrocution Accidents
Electrocution accidents commonly occur when an individual is exposed to a high voltage electrical source, but can also be caused by a low voltage electrical source.
Some electrocution accidents occur as a result of downed power lines, electrical equipment malfunctions, power line contact, faulty wiring, and defective and dangerous products.
Statistically, the most likely place for an electrocution accident to occur is on a construction job site.
Construction Site Electrocution Accidents
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) 2017 report:
54% of all fatal electrical injuries occurred in the construction industry.
Contact with / Exposure to electric current is the sixth most common type of workplace fatality.
There were 2,210 nonfatal electrical injuries in 2017.
Younger workers are more likely to experience electrical injuries:
- Workers 16 to 17 years of age experienced electrical fatalities at 5.4 times the average for all age groups
- 18 to 19 age group – 2.4 times
As an employer, you are required to provide a safe workplace for your employees.
If a construction site electrocution accident occurs because the construction site is unsafe, then the employer may be held liable for any costs incurred as a result of the injury.
Construction site electrocution accidents commonly occur as a result of:
- Exposed electrical wiring
- Improper electrical wiring markings during excavation
- Improper training for machinery or job tasks
- Faulty electrical wiring and/or errors in the electrical wiring installation process
- Defective and dangerous construction equipment
Whether it be the actual job site, the equipment provided, or the training given or required for employees, it is up to the construction site employer to ensure that the construction workers are safe from the threat of an electrocution injury.
If the employer fails to meet safety expectations, provides an unsafe worksite or equipment, or does not confirm that employees are properly trained or certified for the job at hand, then the employer has failed to meet his or her duty of care to the employees.
If the employer fails to meet the duty of care to employees, any electrocution injury that an employee suffers on the construction site, which is in some way related to this breach of duty of care, is likely the fault of the employer and the employer can be held liable.
Workplace Electrocution Accidents
The same is true for all workplaces.
If the employer provides an unsafe work environment that results in a workplace electrocution accident, the employer may be held liable for any costs involved with the accident.
In every industry, there are specific laws and regulations which mandate workplace safety.
If you suffered a workplace electrocution injury and want to determine whether your employer failed to meet workplace safety expectations, contact an experienced electrocution accident lawyer to help you define your employer’s duty of care to you, the employee.
It is important to remember that workplace electrocution injuries range from minor to severe.
Even if you believe that you suffered only a minor injury, you may have also suffered a more serious long-term injury that is not obvious to you at first.
Workplace electrocution accidents can sometimes result in nerve damage, heart damage, brain damage, or other serious internal injuries that are not immediately recognizable.
Therefore, you should always seek medical attention right away after suffering a workplace electrocution injury.
If you suffer a workplace electric shock injury, you may qualify for worker’s compensation to cover the costs of your injury and your time away from work.
Private Property Electrocution Accident
Similar to an employer’s responsibility to provide a safe work environment, private property owners and businesses are expected to provide a safe environment for all visitors, guests, and customers.
If an electrocution accident resulting from an unsafe environment occurs on private property, then the property owner or operator may be held liable for any injuries that occur.
These types of electrocution accidents fall under premises liability, and you should consult an electrocution accident lawyer to discuss whether an electrocution accident on private property qualifies as grounds for a potential electrocution accident lawsuit.
Defective and Dangerous Product Electrocution Accident
Electrocution accidents also commonly occur both in the workplace and outside of the workplace as a result of a defective and dangerous consumer product.
When electrical products such as electrical tools, kitchen appliances, bathroom products, etc. are defective, they can sometimes pose an electric shock risk to users.
When a manufacturer designs a defective product or fails to warn customers of a potential danger associated with their product, and that product causes the user(s) to suffer an electrocution injury, the manufacturer can be held responsible for the injury.
The most common electrical shock injuries occur as a result of defective and dangerous large home appliances, followed by smaller home appliances.
In most defective and dangerous product electrocution accidents, the manufacturer or seller of the product is held liable for the accident.
However, if the defective and dangerous product was provided by an employer, the employer may also be held liable for putting the employee(s) at risk.
If a loved one has died as a result of a defective and dangerous product electrocution accident, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf.
What To Do If You Suffer an Electric Shock Injury
If you or a loved one has suffered an electric shock injury, you should seek proper medical attention right away, no matter what the severity of the injury seems to be.
The faster you are able to receive medical treatment, the less likely you are to suffer long-term damage.
Electrocution victims who fail to receive medical treatment put themselves at a much higher risk of permanent bodily damage.
This also lessens your likelihood of qualifying for an electrocution accident lawsuit in the case that another party is responsible for your injury.
If you believe that another party is responsible for your injury, you should contact an electrocution accident lawyer from TorHoerman Law Firm.
Our team of personal injury lawyers handles a wide array of electrocution cases – workplace, private property, and defective and dangerous product electric shock injury cases.
TorHoerman Law offers free no-obligation case consultations for all potential personal injury clients.
So, contact us any time to discuss your potential case with an electrocution accident lawyer, free of charge.
Filing an Electric Shock Accident Lawsuit
An electric shock accident lawsuit is handled like any other personal injury lawsuit, so it may be best to familiarize yourself with the steps in a civil lawsuit before you take action.
You should not wait too long to take action, however.
Your state’s statute of limitations limits the time you are allowed to file a lawsuit, so if you wait too long after the accident, you may not qualify to participate in an electric shock accident lawsuit.
After contacting an electrocution accident lawyer, if you decide to file an electric shock accident lawsuit, there are a few important steps that you should take.
First, begin to gather as much evidence as possible regarding your injury.
Keep all photos, videos, medical documents, or any other documents related to your injury.
For a more detailed explanation of potential evidence, check out our guide to gathering evidence.
You should also keep any documents relating to the costs associated with your injury.
This can include medical bills, lost wages, and other tangible costs.
Along with the costs associated with your injury, the at-fault party can also be held liable for your pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of the ability of life, and other non-tangible costs.
These costs are known as damages.
You can learn more about damages on our assessing damages guide.
Based on the details of your accident and injury, you may choose to file both compensatory damages and punitive damages.
Once you have assessed your damages, your electrocution accident lawyer can help you to calculate compensation for your injuries.
Determining liability in an electric shock accident lawsuit can be difficult – oftentimes, there are multiple potential parties liable for your damages.
Your electrocution accident lawyer can help you determine who is liable.
In the unfortunate event that you have lost a loved one as a result of an electric show accident, you should contact an electrocution accident lawyer who is also an experienced wrongful death attorney.
Due to the nature of the case, a wrongful death attorney may have more experience trying cases similar to yours.
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