The use of electricity in the modern world is unimaginable. Even Benjamin Franklin might not have imagined that his discovery would have such an influence in the twenty-first century.
As the usage of electricity has increased in number, the number of electrical shock injuries has also gotten increased.
Yes, electricity is not only bringing brightness to everyone’s home but also putting thousands of families in darkness by picking the life of their loved ones.
If you are the one who suffered from electric shock injuries. Don’t move away.
Through this blog, you come to know what to do after experiencing electrical shock injuries, the possible lawsuits you can file, and finally, hints you how to claim electric shock compensation.
Before that, know about medical records, which will be essential in your lawsuit.
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Electrical shock injuries
Electrical shock injuries occur when the body comes into contact with live electricity, which transmits an electric current through the body.
A burn might occur when electricity flows into or out of the body. In some situations, an electric shock can cause dread and pain.
However, it can be severe enough to knock someone unconscious and stop their heart. It is determined by the voltage, the kind of current, and whether or not the current implicates the heart.
Types of electrical shock injuries
The four most common electrical shock injuries are as follows:
- True electrical shock injuries
- Lightning Injuries
- Flash Injuries
- Flame injuries
True electrical shock injuries
When someone touches an electrical circuit, they can sustain true electrical injuries.
This type of electrical injury has various effects depending on the current voltage, the state of the body, and the length of time exposed to the current.
There are four types of true electrical shock injuries:
- Electric shock
- Falls triggered by electrical energy contact
- Burns
- Electrocution (fatal)
Lightning Injuries
They are injuries caused by lightning strikes. A lightning injury, which comprises relatively quick but high-voltage electrical energy, is claimed to cause an electrical current to flow throughout the victim’s whole body.
While instantaneous mortality from electrical shock injuries is expected due to the high voltage of a lightning strike, survivors often turn out better than those who suffer from other electrical injuries from a longer-lasting application of lower voltage.
Flash Injuries
Arc flash injuries are frequently linked to first-degree burns, also known as superficial burns, which only affect the top layer of skin since no electrical current travels through the skin.
An arc flash happens, and an electric current is transported through the air when the insulation or isolation between electrified conductors is insufficient to resist the applied voltage.
Although the flash occurs instantly, the effects can be harmful.
Flame injuries
Flame injuries happen when an arc flash ignites someone’s clothing; in these situations, electrical current may or may not travel through the skin.
Electrical injuries statistics
It is difficult to determine the actual rate of electrical accidents since so many occur yet are rarely reported.
4400 individuals are reportedly hurt each year in electrical accidents in the US, according to the American Burn Association, and 400 more people are said to die from electrocution.
Most electrical shock injuries are work-related (miners, electricians, and construction workers). Every year, up to 100 fatalities are caused by lightning.
Young adults or teenagers make up a large portion of the victims. They frequently sustain injuries while engaging in dangerous outdoor adventures like climbing electric poles or exploring dangerous locations like train stations.
The majority of children who are injured in household accidents occur as a consequence of oral contact with electrical cords.
Common causes of electrical accidents
An electrical accident may occur almost anywhere, although most occur in the workplace. Certain professions, such as those in manufacturing, construction, and power line work, pose a heightened risk of electrical accidents.
Since they frequently come into contact with high-voltage power lines, power line workers are among those who are most at risk of electrical shock injuries.
Electrical accidents have many potential causes. Some common causes of electrical accidents include:
- Lack of appropriate equipment training
- Misuse of extension cords
- Lack of proper safety training
- Improperly installed equipment
- Negligence when using electrical equipment around water
- Missing ground-fault protection
- Improper use of electrical equipment
- Unsafe work practices
How to prevent electrical shock Injuries?
The best strategy for avoiding electrical shock injuries is to take safety precautions whenever working with or around any electric device. The following are some safety measures to look regarding:
- Inspect electrical wires and equipment before using
- Make sure electrical equipment is properly grounded
- Don’t climb a metal ladder around live electricity
- Use electrical equipment only as intended
- Put on safety gear when handling electrical equipment, such as rubber boots and gloves
- Avoid using extension cords
Who is responsible for an electrical shock accident?
Liability in electrical shock accidents is decided by several factors, including where the incident occurred, who was engaged, and the cause of the electric shock.
The majority of claims for electrical shock accidents are based on negligence. The negligent person is liable for any losses produced by their wrongful acts.
When an employee causes an accident due to negligence, the employer may be held accountable for the employee’s conduct.
When electrical shock accidents happen on someone else’s property, the property owner may be held accountable for any unsafe circumstances.
Likewise, various reasons are there to blame the people in electrical shock accidents.
What can I do if I suffer electrical shock injuries?
If an electric shock hurt you or if a loved one died from electrocution, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit.
You can file a lawsuit against the person or party who was the reason for your electric shock accident.
Depending on your state’s regulations, your injuries, your medical expenses, and whether the harm happened at work, you may be able to receive compensation and damages.
The possible lawsuits you can sue are as follow.
Possible electric shock claims
Not all electric shock claims are the same, which is why there are a variety of claims and lawsuits you could pursue after an electrical accident.
Personal injury
A personal injury lawsuit for damages may be filed by anybody hurt in an electrical shock accident. The person who caused the incident may be liable for paying damages to the affected party.
An electric shock victim will pursue financial compensation for their losses and harms in a personal injury lawsuit.
Wrongful death
Death by an electric shock is known as electrocution. When died in an electrical accident, the deceased victim is not able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
A wrongful death lawsuit, however, enables the remaining family members to seek compensation. If a loved one has passed away due to another’s negligence, some family members may bring a claim for damages.
Workers’ compensation
An employee who gets shocked at work may make a workers’ compensation insurance claim for medical costs, expenditures, and lost income.
That employee may be required to file a separate lawsuit against a third party whose negligence caused the electric shock in order to obtain the maximum amount of compensation available.
Product liability
Home appliances, power tools, office wiring, outlets, and other frequently used electrically powered or electrically current-carrying objects are some everyday objects that cause electrical accidents and give rise to product liability claims.
Product liability lawsuits can be filed when these products’ faults result in injuries—whether due to fundamental design flaws, manufacturing quality issues, or improper usage due to inadequate warnings and instructions.
Electric shock injury compensation claims
The amount of electric shock compensation attainable in an electric shock compensation claim is determined by the severity of the injuries and whether they were fatal.
An electric shock compensation claim is intended to put the victim in the same situation they would have been in absent the accident when they suffered an electric shock injury.
Compensatory damages in a lawsuit include both economic and non-economic damages, such as:
- Medical bills
- Funeral cost
- Burial expenses
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Medical supplies
- Lost earnings
- Loss of consortium
- Compensation for scars
- Emotional pain
- Court costs
- Pain and suffering
When the defendant behaves inhumanely, punitive or exemplary damages may be awarded in specific circumstances for the victim.
This includes harms brought on by the defendant’s intention, persecution, excessive carelessness, or fraud. The jury takes into account the following factors when determining the number of punitive damages to award:
- What amount will punish the defendant and discourage future wrongful conduct by the defendant?
- How reprehensible the defendant’s conduct was?
- The relationship between the plaintiff’s harm and the number of punitive damages.
What should I do to get fair electric shock compensation?
It would help if you made your medical records clear to get fair electric shock compensation. Your medical records hold the complete history of your medical details.
Therefore, your attorney can come to know how the electric shock injuries hurt you, and he will fight for genuine compensation for your injuries.
But your medical records are often unclear, and it carries many unwanted things. Therefore, it is better to hold hands with a medical record review company.
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