What Are Common Mistakes Lawyers Make in Electrocution Lawsuits?

An electrocution lawyer must have extensive experience, resources, knowledge, time and assets to properly defend a serious injury or death case against a large power utility company. Anything less will not protect you or garner a successful outcome to your case.

This is because power companies have incredible assets and national defense teams that will do anything possible to avoid liability for the harms they’ve caused to your loved ones. Yet many people make the mistake of hiring a general practitioner to handle electrocution cases.

Here are five common mistakes often made by lawyers who aren’t seasoned in litigating these complicated cases.

1. They don’t explore all parties who may be responsible for the power line coming down. Often, there are multiple contractors through the power company who had a role in creating the hazard — or could have prevented it from occurring.
2. They wrongly assume the exclusive remedy is workers’ compensation. There may be outside contractors of the power company who can be held accountable for their negligence and the negligence of their employees. Here’s more information about legal remedies other than workers’ compensation.
3. They do not have the network and ability to locate good local counsel in throughout the country. This is imperative in cases that are outside of their jurisdiction, and in finding the best witnesses possible to prove the negligence that occurred.
4. They go to a witness service or other means of locating experts because they do not have their own network. The background, education, experience and credibility of an expert witness will determine whether or not that expert and his or her opinion will stand toe-to-toe with the powerful utility companies in proving your case.
5. They do not have enough experts. Some lawyers will find one expert in one discipline, but do not have all of the bases covered, such as including experts on aging power infrastructure, electrical engineering, mechanics, the National Electric Safety Code, wood science, and various medical disciplines.