High Voltage Electric Shock Injury

Any construction site has the potential to become an injury site for workers and even passersby. In those locations, an injured worker is at risk of suffering long-lasting injuries. In fact, more than 21,000 workers in the United States have been seriously injured because of a high-voltage electric shock, injury, or electrical accident since 2008. 

A construction site has many dangerous tools, work frequently done underground or at heights, or other risks that are present throughout the day for a construction worker. Any accidents or ignored safety protocols can increase the risk factor significantly. If a machine malfunctions, it can lead to critical injuries and even life-threatening issues. 

Electrical shocks can be caused by overhead power lines, damaged cords, defective tools, lack of ground-fault protection, improper wiring, and improper use of extension cords.

While most construction workers have some training in electrical issues, it's often the case that separate electricians or specialists are brought to the site. A construction worker doesn't always know what that other specialist did or the problems that might be lurking behind a panel or newly installed electrical line. This means that when a construction worker tries to do their job, they could accidentally strike something that is dangerous, and they could suffer from an electric shock. Even just a few seconds of an electrical shock can be severe.

At home, a high-voltage electric shock injury could be caused by poor infrastructure maintenance or negligent installation. 

On a construction site, a high-voltage electric shock injury may be caused by a defective product, poor supervision on the job, or improper training for someone installing these items. Construction workers often work alongside electricians and other industry professionals to help complete projects. These construction workers count on these other individuals and the makers of the products they're installing to maintain safety. However, even when a construction worker has done everything possible to maintain safety as their top priority, they can still end up seriously hurt. 

More than 1500 of those people have died on the job. Unfortunately, the vast majority of electrical fatalities are associated with occupations that have little to no electrical training, like plumbing, truck driving, roofing, landscaping, and welding. An employer could be liable for electrical injuries that happen on the job.

Electrocution, whether on the job or at home, can cause serious burns, nerve damage, muscle damage, blindness, and other serious injuries. In severe cases, it can cause the heart to stop, resulting in death.

If you’ve been the victim of an electric shock injury due to no fault of your own, a knowledgeable construction accident lawyer at Morgan & Morgan may be able to help you determine you next steps, such as identifying if this incident connects with a workers' compensation claim or a potential third-party claim if someone else is responsible for your injuries. 

Electrocution injuries can be categorized by their severity in one of two ways: either as a primary or secondary shock. 

When an electrical current passes through someone's body, this is the primary shock injury. Tissues can become heated to the point that they are burned or damaged. Primary shock focuses primarily on the surface of the skin, but higher voltages can also lead to more serious damage throughout the victim's body. One of the most common outcomes of primary shock is a nerve injury, which can occur regardless of how brief the connection with the electrical current was. 

A construction accident lawyer may also evaluate your case for the possibility of secondary shock. If the victim of an electric shock is not able to disconnect from the source of the voltage directly, secondary injuries may occur. This is because muscles get contracted by the electricity and are unable to release the source. This can cause the shock to last longer and generate soft tissue injuries for the victim, such as broken bones, tears, or other nerve damage.

It is essential to get an emergency review of your electric shock injury immediately. These kinds of accidents can have major consequences, such as cardiac arrest, heart fibrillation, external or internal burns, brain injuries, or even death by electrocution. Such injuries can have overwhelming medical costs to treat, and you shouldn’t have to shoulder those expenses if you were shocked by no fault of your own. You may need to pursue legal action in order to recover your rightful compensation after a high-voltage electric shock injury. 

A high-voltage electric shock injury can turn your life upside down and may mean that you are unable to work for a long period of time. For the most severe of electric shock victims, they will never be able to go back to work or live their life normally. Both personal injury and workers' compensation laws recognize that you may be entitled to compensation as a result of these problems. 

Most construction site workers will have a workers' comp claim because they got hurt on the job. However, depending on how they are paid and what other circumstances are at play in the accident, they might also have claims against another guilty party. For example, a construction worker was using a piece of equipment safely and following all instructions but got hurt because the item was defective. This person may find themselves dealing with a third-party claim against a defective product maker or manufacturer. 

If you find yourself struggling with the consequences of a high-voltage electric shock injury, the right personal injury lawyer could help guide you through the process and better ensure that you get what you need. 

At Morgan & Morgan, we'll do everything possible to investigate the cause of the accident and to help you understand your legal options. To get started, contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.