California Electrocution Accident Lawyers
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- What Is Electrocution?
- Electrocution Injury Statistics
- The Medical Consequences of Electrical Injuries
- Immediate Effects
- The Medical Consequences of Electrical Injuries
- The Long Term Consequences of an Electrical Injury
- Who Is Responsible for Paying for Electrical Injuries and Electrocution?
- Employers and Workers Compensation Insurance
- Land Owners
- Companies That Manufacture Defective Products
- Wrongful Death Claims in Electrocution Cases
Record-Breaking Electrocution Accident Lawyers
Electrocution occurs when an electrical injury results in death. When this happens, surviving family members (and legal heirs) have the right to file a wrongful death claim against a negligent defendant who caused the electrocution. It is important to do so.
Electricity is dangerous, and individuals or companies who do not take reasonable safety precautions must be held accountable for the deaths they cause. The experienced injury lawyers at our injury law firm are skilled in handling electrocution cases. We also handle other electrical injury cases, so be sure to call for your free consultation after any type of electrical accident.
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, an important legal distinction. If a victim does not survive their injuries, the family must file a wrongful death claim.
Injury victims who do survive an electric shock may file their own personal injury claim. There are different financial claims and different procedural rules that apply to each type of claim. Be sure to work with an experienced electrical accident lawyer who understands all the rules that apply to your particular claim.
Electrocution Injury Statistics
Electrocution is one of the most frequently occurring fatal problems in the workplace. The CDC reports that, between 1992 and 2002, there were a total of 3,378 workplace electrocutions reported in the United States, which accounted for five percent of all deaths that occurred on the job in the U.S. By 2002, electrocution was the sixth leading cause of fatal injuries to workers. Nearly half of these deaths occurred in the construction industry.
In addition to these deaths, thousands of more workers suffered nonfatal electrical injuries during this same time, illustrating why it is so important for employers to follow OSHA guidelines for training, supervision, and safety equipment. Employers who fail to do so put their workers at risk of death. They must be held accountable when their workers suffer preventable electrical injuries.
Of course, not all electrocutions occur on the job. It is possible to be electrocuted inside of a private home or a business. It is possible to be electrocuted due to negligent maintenance of electrical equipment.
The utility provider or local governing agency could be accountable for failing to protect the public from dangerous electrical equipment. In all these cases, it is important to consult with an experienced injury lawyer about your legal rights. You are not only protecting your own legal right to be compensated for injuries. You are also holding companies accountable for their negligence so that other innocent victims do not suffer the same injuries you have.
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. But 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.
There are many chronic heart conditions that 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 the best way to protect yourself from chronic cardiac conditions. Unfortunately, cardiac conditions are not the only long-term complication 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 Is Responsible for Paying for Electrical Injuries and Electrocution?
Employers and Workers Compensation Insurance
Employers are legally 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 your workplace accidents.
This insurance also covers a set portion (but not all) 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.
You may not be able to recover all of your lost wages. Permanent disability benefits are also capped, so you may not receive enough compensation to pay for all the medical care you require throughout your life. Workers’ compensation benefits are not the only source of compensation for electrical injuries, which is why it is important to work with an experienced accident lawyer who knows how to find all the defendants who may owe you 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. No matter who owns the property, the owner can be held accountable for electrical injuries that occur to anyone who is lawfully present on the property.
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, the law requires manufacturers to pay for their injuries.
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 are entitled to fair 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.
The experienced wrongful death lawyers can help you understand the whole process before you commit to it. We help prepare victims for the settlement process. During negotiations, we explain the fair value of your claim and help you decide whether to accept or reject a settlement offer. If you choose to reject a low settlement offer and take your case to court, we will thoroughly prepare you for the litigation process, as well.
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. We will be sure you are ready for your deposition and know what to expect.
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. You will know what is going to happen and how to prepare for difficult testimony. Our experienced litigators will be with you every step of the way.
Experienced California Accident Lawyers for All Electric Injury Cases: Electrocution, Burns, and More
If you search online for an “electrocution injury lawyer near me,” you will find many California injury attorneys in your local area. So what makes our firm the best? Our skilled electrocution accident lawyers have decades of experience. They know how to handle cases involving all types of accidents and all types of electrical injuries.
Our experienced legal team has also collected over 500 million dollars for clients across the Golden State. California injury victims trust us to protect their legal rights. Our experienced legal professionals serve 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 today to schedule your free consultation. You don’t have to face the insurance companies alone. Trust our experienced legal professionals to protect your legal rights at all stages of the claims process.
