What Injuries Could Be Caused by an Electrical Accident?

Electrical injuries can be severe and, in some cases, fatal. These may occur on the job – for example, an electrician or construction worker could accidentally come into contact with a live electrical wire. Fortunately, most workers who come into contact with unsecured electrical wires are trained to prevent electrical injuries, but accidents sometimes happen. Electrocution injuries can also happen outside of work. For example, anyone could accidentally come into contact with a downed power line after a storm.

A man is injured in an electrical accident on a job site.

In some situations, electrical accidents are avoidable. Sometimes an employer or property owner fails to take the necessary steps to fix dangerous wiring situations, train employees, warn people to stay away from electrical power stations, or protect electrical equipment from damage in storms or other situations. If this has happened to you or someone you know, the resulting injuries could be painful, serious, and expensive to treat. An electrical accident lawyer can help you explore the options for receiving compensation.

Darrigo & Diaz Attorneys at Law have represented people injured in electrical and other accidents since 1999. If you’re unsure how to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses after an electrical accident, please contact us for a free consultation. There is no obligation; if we take your case, you don’t have to pay anything until we secure a settlement.

Common Electrical Injuries

Electrical accidents can cause many different types of injuries:

Cardiac injuries. This is often the most immediate issue after an electrical injury. A current passing through the body can stop the heart. Even if CPR and other efforts successfully restart the heart, there may be permanent cardiac damage.
Muscle injuries. The electrical current may also cause muscles all over the body to contract sharply, leading to muscle damage and pain.
Nerves and tissues may be destroyed as electricity passes through them.
Brain or neurological issues. An electrical jolt may have a detrimental effect on the brain, leading to seizures, loss of consciousness, memory loss, cognitive issues, and other neurological symptoms.
Thermal burns on the skin may be mild to serious, depending on several factors.
Secondary injuries may occur from falling or being thrown backward by an electrical current.

The severity of any of these injuries may be affected by the kind of current and its intensity, how long the person was exposed, how and where the current traveled through the body, and if there was any electrical resistance. Sometimes the extent of an injury isn’t apparent right away, but there may still be a serious problem. If you or someone you know has received an electrical shock, seek medical treatment immediately – even if you feel fine. Your doctor can check you over for any potentially serious issues.

Most Common Causes Of Electrical Accidents And Injuries

These accidents can occur in many ways, but here are some common situations where they may happen:

Missing or poor ground-fault protection.
Misusing extension cords. For example, some items are not meant to be plugged into extension cords.
Incorrectly using electrical equipment can happen in various ways, both in the workplace and at home. Overloading circuits, leaving electrical cords in water or other puddles, and failing to put up signs warning people of danger are all issues.
Installing equipment incorrectly may lead to overloading breakers, too much power flowing through one junction, etc.
Failing to take precautions when using electrical appliances close to water, such as a pool or bathtub.
Improper training of workers who use electrical equipment or wiring. A disaster may happen if employees don’t know all the steps to keep themselves and others safe.
Unsafe workplace practices. It’s one thing to train your employees on safety and using equipment the right way. It’s another thing to supervise and ensure they’re doing what they were trained to do. If workers or even managers are skimping on safety measures around electricity, this could lead to a serious accident.
Lack of signage warning people to stay away from certain areas with high amounts of electrical current.

What Kind Of Damages Could You Receive After An Electrical Accident?

You may have many bills if you’ve been harmed by an electrical accident. It’s important to speak with an attorney to figure out just what kind of damages you should be seeking, but here are some possibilities:

Your medical expenses, including physical or occupational therapy, equipment to use at home when working on physical therapy exercises, travel costs to go to a doctor who isn’t close by, mobility aids, and other costs associated with your injuries and their treatment.
Lost income. This includes any time you missed at work because of your injuries and any future lost income if you cannot return to work in the same capacity as before. Even if you had paid time off, you still lost money using that time when you might have saved it for a vacation or other use. With heart or brain injuries, some patients may be out of work for weeks or even months with heart or brain injuries.
Pain and suffering. This refers to both physical and mental devastation that may occur after a serious injury.
Permanent injury or disability. Cardiac or brain injuries often lead to permanent damage. Sometimes people are unable to return to their work or have to take a less strenuous job that may not pay as well.
Loss of consortium or companionship if you lost a loved one in the accident.

Darrigo & Diaz Electrocution Accident Lawyers

When you’re dealing with injuries after an electrical accident, you need the help of a personal injury lawyer to protect your legal rights and help you prove the negligence of another person or entity. Please contact the Darrigo & Diaz Attorneys at Law for a free consultation. As always, the initial consultation is free, and if we take your case, we have a no-win, no-fee guarantee. Call us at 813-734-7397.