California Electrocution Accident Lawyers
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Knowledgeable California Electrocution Accident Lawyers Navigating Legal Claims With Care
While essential for day-to-day lives, electricity can be dangerous. A mistake or negligent behavior with electrical components can lead to painful injuries. Some electrical injuries can result in death. For fatal scenarios, surviving family members and legal heirs have the right to file a wrongful death claim against a negligent defendant who caused the electrocution.
Individuals or companies who do not take reasonable safety precautions may be held accountable for the injuries and deaths they cause. Our electrocution injury lawyers have experience handling these kinds of cases. Call us at (888) 488-1391 for a free initial consultation regarding your situation.
What Is Electrocution?
Many people use the words “electrocution” and “electric shock” interchangeably. There is, however, a critical difference between them. Electrocution means that the victim has died. If an injury victim survives, they have suffered an electric shock, which has different legal implications. Families of victims who die from electrocution may pursue a wrongful death claim.
Survivors of electric shock can file a personal injury claim. Each type of claim involves different financial considerations and legal procedures. It is beneficial to work with an experienced electrical accident lawyer who understands the rules that apply to your specific situation.
The Medical Consequences Of Electrical Injuries
There are many potential consequences of an electrical injury. The most serious cases are electrocution that results in death. However, even if you are able to survive an electrical injury, you could face medical complications for years to come. What follows are some of the most common medical conditions that develop after an electrical injury.
Immediate Effects
One of the most common injuries caused by electricity is a burn. Like any burn, electrical burns come in varying degrees of severity. Burns that only affect the outer layers of the body are easier to treat; if a burn penetrates to deeper layers of body tissue or covers a greater portion of the body, the chances of survival decrease.
Unfortunately, burns are not even the most serious medical complication of an electrical injury. The human body requires electric signals in order to survive. Your nervous system constantly sends messages that keep your heart beating, your lungs filled with oxygen, and your organs functioning properly. Electrical injuries can interfere with the electrical signals sent by the nervous system, which can leave a victim with a loss of sensation or sensations of tingling and discomfort.
It can also leave you unable to move your body parts properly. In serious cases, electrical injury can interfere with the signals that keep the heart beating at a healthy rhythm. A victim might need to be shocked with a defibrillator in order to restart their heart at a life-sustaining rhythm. Even mild arrhythmias that do not need to be shocked can lead to chronic cardiac problems.
The Long-Term Consequences Of An Electrical Injury
An electrical injury can cause many medical complications in the months and years after an accident. Heart problems are among the most serious. If your heart receives a mild electrical shock, it could have difficulty maintaining its usual electrical rhythm, which, in turn, can weaken the heart muscle over time.
Many chronic heart conditions can develop over time when the heart is weakened. Even a seemingly minor condition can become fatal in an instant because the heart is necessary to keep you alive, which is why it is important for electrical injury victims to get expert medical advice. A cardiologist can monitor your condition over time.
While an emergency room doctor might be able to monitor your heart rhythm immediately after the accident, a cardiologist will be able to detect any changes over time. A specialist will also be able to watch for early warning signs of damage, which is a good way to protect yourself from chronic cardiac conditions. Unfortunately, cardiac conditions are not the only long-term complications that can arise as a result of an electrical injury.
A study published by the College of Family Physicians of Canada identified many other symptoms that have been found after electrical injuries. These were categorized as neurological symptoms (as a result of bleeding or swelling in the brain), psychological symptoms (such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and personality changes), eye injuries (specifically referring to cataracts), and pain.
Any one of these conditions could permanently alter a victim’s life. You might be left unable to work, enjoy your hobbies, or engage with your family and friends the way you did before the accident. All of these losses are subject to compensation in a personal injury claim.
$1,500,000.00
Settlement in a Wrongful Death Motor Vehicle Accident – largest Wrongful Death Settlement in Monterey County in 2020 – Top 20 Wrongful Death Settlement in California for 2020.– Judd Ross Allen
Who Pays For Electrical Injuries Or Electrocution?
Responsibility for electrical injuries or electrocution depends on whether a party’s negligence caused the harm. To pursue compensation, the victim or their family must show that the defendant’s actions or inaction directly led to the injury or death.
At Arash Law, led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., our electrocution accident lawyers can identify potentially responsible parties in these cases. Some of the most common defendants include:
Employers
Employers are generally responsible for all injuries that occur to their employees while on the job. As a result, California, like other states, requires employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Employers can also provide alternate proof of financial responsibility to be sure the claims are paid. Workers’ compensation insurance covers all medical bills related to workplace accidents.
This insurance may also cover a set portion of your lost wages. Workers’ compensation coverage also has set benefit amounts for wrongful death claims, meaning that surviving family members can file a claim for workers’ compensation death benefits if an employee is electrocuted while on the job. As you can see, workers’ compensation policies have limited benefits.
Since workers’ compensation benefits are capped, victims and their families may have additional legal options. A California electrocution accident lawyer can assess the situation and gather evidence to determine other avenues for financial recovery beyond workers’ compensation.
Land Owners
The law requires all landowners to maintain their property in a safe condition. Landowners must take reasonable precautions to prevent injuries from occurring on their property. Electricity is dangerous, and there are many basic safeguards that are used to protect the public from it. Property owners who fail to correct electrical problems can be held financially responsible for any electrical injuries or electrocutions that occur.
Private homeowners must warn guests of any hidden dangers, such as a faulty light switch. Store owners must go a step further and actively inspect their property to make it safe because the public is being invited onto the property for the owner’s financial benefit.
Companies That Manufacture Defective Products
The United States has strong consumer protection laws. Manufacturers are expected to sell products that are safe to use, and when consumers are injured due to a defective product, the manufacturer may be legally responsible for the resulting damages.
There are many ways that a consumer product can cause electrical injuries. A lamp, for example, might have faulty wiring that causes the electricity to arc when it is used.
A defective electrical system in a car could injure the driver or even cause secondary accidents by causing the car to crash. Manufacturers must pay for the injuries caused by their defective products.
So long as a consumer is using the product as intended, they may pursue compensation for their injuries and losses.
Wrongful Death Claims In Electrocution Cases
The sad reality is that not all victims are able to survive their electrical injuries. When a victim is electrocuted, surviving family members (or legal heirs) have the right to file a wrongful death claim against the defendant who caused the death. Filing such a claim can be an incredibly difficult process. The survivors must relive memories of their loved ones in court, with an opposing attorney asking hostile questions.
They must watch their loved one be reduced to dollars on a settlement sheet. These are very painful things to endure, and it is important to be sure you are prepared for the difficult process before filing a wrongful death claim. Though it can be hard to do, it is incredibly important to hold negligent defendants accountable for electrocutions. Without accountability, there will be no change, and other innocent victims could be electrocuted as well.
Our experienced wrongful death lawyers can help you understand the whole process before you commit to it. We assist clients in preparing for the settlement process and explain factors that may affect the value of a claim. If a settlement offer is not accepted, we can also help guide you through the steps involved in taking a case to court.
We will explain the process of filing a complaint and receiving an answer. After that, the lawyers engage in investigations to discover all evidence that might be relevant to their claims. This “discovery” process can involve depositions.
There are also ongoing negotiations during the discovery process. Often, the information that is discovered can make a defendant more likely to settle. If not, we will prepare for trial. We will guide you throughout the process.
Reach Out To Our California Electrocution Accident Lawyers
If you search online for an “electrocution injury lawyer near me,” you will find many injury attorneys in your local area. Our electrocution accident lawyers have decades of combined experience handling cases involving all types of electrical injuries and accidents.
Electrocution injuries can also happen after car accidents, such as when collisions bring down power lines or expose live electrical systems. You can also reach out to our skilled car accident lawyers in similar cases.
We represent clients in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Riverside, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, San Jose, San Diego, Fresno, Sacramento, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California.
Call (888) 488-1391 to schedule your free initial consultation. You don’t have to face the insurance companies alone. Let our experienced legal professionals advocate to protect your legal rights at all stages of the claims process.
