Electrical Shock Injury
Personal injury attorneys who specialize in electrical shock injury claims can cite alarming statistics. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, D.C., estimates there are approximately 350 electrical-related fatalities a year in the U.S., which roughly equals one fatality per day. Statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also indicate that deaths related to exposure to electric current consistently make up around 12 percent of all work-related fatalities. Data from the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH) reports that electrical workers suffer the highest number of electrocutions per year, followed by site laborers, carpenters, supervisors of non-electrical workers, and roofers. Electrocutions kill an average of 143 construction workers each year, and they are the third- leading cause of death at work among 16 and 17-year-olds.
In addition to fatal electrocution, major high-voltage electrical trauma on the job and at home produces devastating physical injuries for upwards of 30,000 victims every year, with many more electrical shock accidents going unreported. The resulting injuries often require extensive medical treatment, from repeated removal of tissue, to amputations, and extensive rehabilitation. Limb amputation rates for victims who experience direct electrical contact can be as high as 75 percent, and most victims who survive high-voltage electrical shock are permanently disabled. The expense of each major case of electrical shock in terms of medical bills, lost wages, and other directly related costs can average between $1 million and $4 million.
Most electrical shock injuries involve direct or indirect contact with live electrical equipment and wiring such as lighting fixtures, circuit breakers, control panels, junction boxes, and transformers. The causes of electrical shock accidents also are many and varied: wiring that is damaged or frayed, unsecured or unguarded power installations, sagging power lines in close contact with people, and inappropriate use of electrical appliances against manufacturers' recommendations are just a few. Among the injuries sustained from electrical shock accidents, the most common are burns, followed by tissue, nerve, and muscle destruction and cardiac arrest.
Electrical shock accidents and injuries can be due to negligence, including failure to address known hazards; failure to follow written safety codes and practices; and common carelessness. Defective products and equipment may also be at fault. Electrical shock liability cases can be complex to litigate. When an electrical shock injury occurs, a thorough investigation and evaluation of the cause(s)--conducted by a personal injury lawyer with direct experience handling electrical shock accidents and injuries--is always the best way to proceed. Once the cause and severity of the injury or damages is determined, an electrical shock injury lawyer and the victim can reach an informed decision about whether or not to pursue a lawsuit or other legal option.
The skilled personal injury lawyers and electrical shock injury attorneys at Schwartz Zweben LLP have successfully represented many victims of defective product injury. They understand the complexity of investigating, litigating, negotiating, and resolving product injury claims and are fully knowledgeable of the liability issues, defense strategies, and legal options involved. In addition, the law offices of Schwartz Zweben LLP and its affiliate law firms have a team of investigators and consultants with the experience and knowledge to successfully and independently investigate the cause of any accident caused by electric shock. As a result, our qualified personal injury attorneys have consistently recovered substantial damages for our clients injured in electrical shock accidents.
If you suffer injury from an electrical shock, or if someone in your family died as the result of electrocution, contact the law offices of Schwartz Zweben LLP. An electrical shock injury attorney on our team can offer you a free, confidential evaluation of your case and advise you of your rights.
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