Electrical accidents that give rise to a personal injury case most commonly involve an electrocution, electric shock injury, burns causing tissue and internal organ damage, and/or trauma to the brain. Victims may be able to pursue claims for pain and suffering compensation or Workers’ Comp benefits.
A free, no-cost, no-obligation legal consultation with an experienced electrocution lawyer who specializes in helping victims who have been injured in accidents with electricity can help you to recover the best possible settlement.
If you want to find out how much your electric shock settlement may be worth, you can also call for free consultation with one of our experienced electrocution attorneys.
Types of electrical accidents
The four most common electrical accidents involve: (1) electrocution which causes death or serious injury; (2) electric shock which causes non-fatal but debilitating injuries; (3) burns that injure both the skin and a person’s internal organs; and (4) trauma to brain that causes neurological damage.
Electrical accident causes
The two main causes of electrical accidents are: (1) direct exposure to electricity such as when a person touches a live power line or is injured by an electrical arc flash; and (2) indirect exposure to electricity such as when a current is conducted through water or a metal ladder.
Injuries from electricity are commonly caused by: (1) contact with downed power lines before they have been de-energized; (2) faulty electrical wiring; (3) faulty or malfunctioning electrical equipment; (4) worn out or damaged electrical cords and power cords; and (5) a failure to use GFCI devices which are designed to stop the flow electricity if there is a change in the flow of current.
Preventing electrical accidents
The top strategies for preventing electrical accidents include: (1) never touch a downed power line; (2) stay away from power lines when trimming trees, doing roof work, or cleaning gutters; (3) keep appliances away from water; (4) don’t overload outlets; and (5) always use GFCI outlets and plugs.
A GFCI or “ground-fault circuit interrupter” is an essential electrical safety item because GFCI outlets and plugs can prevent people from being shocked or electrocuted by cutting off power to the outlet or plug when there has been a fault interruption in the electrical current.
Other ways of preventing accidents with electricity involve: (1) putting covers and plug protectors on outlets in homes with young children; (2) discard and do not use power cords that are frayed or cracked; (3) don’t use plugs where the third prong or “grounding pin” has been removed; (4) use circuit breakers and fuses that are the proper size and rating; (5) don’t overload outlets with too many devices; (6) when doing work on your home or out in your yard, use non-conductive ladders and insulated poles; and (7) hire a qualified electrician to perform all system repairs.
Do I have a case if I’m injured in an accident with electricity?
People who have been injured in electrical accidents may be able to file a lawsuit against the negligent party or parties in order to recover compensation for your pain and suffering as well as money damages to pay for your medical bills and lost wages if you couldn’t work because of your injuries.
What happens with electrical accidents at work?
Electrical accidents that happen at work may affect your legal claim and compensation. Many states will only allow injured workers to file a Workers’ Comp claim against their employers, thus prohibiting workers from suing for pain and suffering compensation. However, when accidents with electricity at work are caused by someone other than your employer or a co-worker, then you may be able to sue the negligent third-party or third-parties.
Unfortunately, many personal injury lawyers don’t know about this third-party rule so they end up erroneously telling electric shock victims that they have no case. Worse yet, many personal injury lawyers are not electrocution lawyers, so they miss viable third parties who are also culpable and who could be sued successfully, believing erroneously that an accident with electricity at work is only covered by Workers’ Compensation. This lack of understanding can cost families dealing with severe injuries from an accident with electricity at work millions of dollars because the proper defendants are never identified.
That’s why it’s so important that people talk with an experienced electrocution attorney after an electrical injury at work.
Do I need a lawyer to represent me if I was injured in an accident with electricity?
When electrical accidents result in serious injuries or death, you need a lawyer to protect your legal rights. You need an experienced electrocution lawyer who knows how to handle these cases and who has the resources you’ll need to successfully win against negligent utility and power companies who are responsible for causing harm.
An electrocution lawyer who specializes in cases involving accidents involving electricity will know how to identify all of the responsible parties that other lawyers often will miss and all of the layers of insurance coverage that may be available to you so you can receive the fullest, fairest settlement.
An inexperienced attorney won’t know how to avoid the many mistakes that could destroy your case. Also, he or she probably won’t have access to the extensive resources necessary to conduct the investigation, hire the experts and litigate in court as the utility companies and their insurance companies try to “win” by dragging the case out long enough that you can no longer afford to pursue your claim.
These cases are the polar opposite of an ordinary personal injury case.
How much does a lawyer cost?
It will cost you absolutely nothing unless and until we recover a winning settlement or trial verdict in your case. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee is contingent on us winning your case. If we don’t recover, you don’t pay and you owe nothing.
You do not have to pay any costs or expenses up front and you will never pay anything out of pocket. Case costs and expenses are reimbursed upon recovery. Our electrocution attorneys are only paid after your case is successfully won and our fee is paid out as a percentage of the settlement or trial verdict that we win for you.
Get help from an experienced electric shock injury lawyer
If you or someone you love is a victim of serious personal injury or death caused by electricity, you can call and speak with Jeff Feldman, arguably the nation’s most experienced electric shock and electrocution attorney. Jeff has litigated electrocution cases and electric shock injury cases in multiple states for families whose loved ones were injured after electrical accidents that were caused by faulty consumer products, negligence in the building and construction industry, downed or low-hanging overhead power cables, and defective or poorly maintained pool equipment. Jeff also consults with injury lawyers throughout the country on electrical injury and wrongful death cases involving electricity. You can call Jeff toll free at (947) 282-4269 for a free consultation.
