Electrocution Accident Attorneys

It’s common for electrical accidents to have heart-wrenching, catastrophic consequences for the injured party and their families. This includes emotional anguish, suffering, pain, and financial losses like lost wages and medical bills.

Getting the compensation you deserve from the utility or power company can be complex and challenging. This industry has a history of ignoring public safety measures, and each company works hard to protect its bottom line by denying, covering up, and defending any wrongdoing.

But taking on a big company that has taken the life or hurt one of your loved ones doesn’t have to seem like an impossible challenge. Instead, you only need a qualified Connecticut electrocution accident lawyer in your corner who understands this area of law and anticipates the company’s tactics while fighting aggressively for you.

Hassett & George has a staff of experienced and knowledgeable Connecticut personal injury attorneys who have taken on wrongful death and injury cases due to shock injuries and electrocution accidents. Our electrical injury lawyers have combined decades of experience with a reputation for getting favorable results for our clients in Hartford County. We work to hold any negligent entities responsible so our clients can focus on their health and well-being.

How Often Do Electrocution Accidents Occur?

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are roughly 1,000 deaths yearly in the United States due to electrical injuries. Of these 1,000 deaths, high-voltage injuries cause approximately 400, and lightning strikes cause between 50 to 300 deaths or injuries a year.

Additionally, the survey found a minimum of 30,000 non-fatal shock incidents yearly, and 5% of all admissions to burn units in the United States result from electrical injuries. Children sustain 20% of all electrical injuries, emphasizing adolescents and toddlers.

When it comes to adults, these types of injuries usually happen in occupational settings, and they’re the fourth-leading cause of traumatic death in the workplace. However, for children, the majority of electrical injuries occur at home.

Common Causes of Electrical Injuries

Negligence is a common cause of electrical accidents, including unsafe property conditions, defective products, improper equipment handling on job sites, and labor law violations. Cable installers, carpenters, construction workers, electricians, equipment operators, landscapers, maintenance workers, mechanics, meter readers, roofers, tree trimmers, and welders are all occupations that are more prone to electrical injuries.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that the most common causes of electrical injuries, fatalities, and electrocutions on the job include but are not limited to:

• Accidentally touching electrical components thought to be de-energized in re-wiring or wiring or through misidentified wiring
• Coming into contact with an appliance, tool, machine, or light fixture’s electrical current
• Contact with electrical components like transformers or wiring
• Contact with underground, buried power lines
• Failing to de-energize electrical equipment before you work on it
• Touching overhead power lines

It’s also possible for electrical injuries to happen in commercial spaces or at home by touching electrical outlets or appliances. Although getting a shock at home usually involves a very low-voltage current, it can easily cause muscle damage, burns, and nerve damage.

These shocks or injuries typically happen due to unsafe property conditions or defective products. For example, they can involve having electrical outlets in dangerous spaces, exposed wires, appliance shorts due to a manufacturing defect, faulty wiring, or malfunctioning commercial equipment.

How Is Liability Determined in an Electrocution Accident Claim?

If you have had an electric shock accident that caused serious injuries, contacting an experienced electrocution accident attorney in Glastonbury or Simsbury is a good idea. You can hold someone accountable for your claim under the following circumstances:

General Negligence

Say you had an electrocution accident or injury, and someone else’s error was the cause. In this instance, you can file a claim against that person for compensation for any injuries sustained under a negligence claim. Negligence is when a party doesn’t apply reasonable care and causes another party to get hurt. If you were injured under these circumstances, you can enlist the help of an electrocution accident lawyer and seek compensation.

Product Manufacturers

Electrical product manufacturers are required by law to test their products to ensure they’re safe before they release them to the general public. Suppose you end up with electric shock injuries after using a defective product. In that case, you can file a product liability claim against the manufacturer and sellers to seek compensation.

Property Owners

The property owner is responsible for ensuring the premises are in good condition. However, suppose the owner doesn’t manage the property correctly and exposes any visitors to dangers, and they sustain injuries. In that case, they could hold the owner responsible and file a premises liability claim for damages.

Power Companies

The power company must protect the public from electrical injuries caused by power lines. So, they must fix any broken or low-hanging power lines as quickly as possible to prevent accidents. They have to go through several steps to fix the problem too.

First, they must detect any issues and then shut off power to the area. Next, they have to fix the problem before restoring power. It’s also their responsibility to trim trees that grow close to the conductors to prevent accidents. However, if a power company fails to do so and someone gets hurt, that person can file a lawsuit.

Types of Injuries Associated With Electrocution

When you are electrocuted, an electrical current flows through your body, and the injuries you sustain depend on how severe the shock was and how long you were exposed to it. The most common injury associated with electrocution is a burn, which can range from mild to severe, depending on the intensity of the current and the duration of exposure. Electrical burns can damage the skin, muscles, and internal organs.

Another common injury is nerve damage, resulting in pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected area. Electrocution can also cause cardiac arrest, as the electrical current can interfere with the heart’s normal rhythm and cause it to stop beating.

In addition to these immediate injuries, electrocution can cause long-term effects, such as cognitive problems, memory loss, and chronic pain. Therefore, seeking medical attention immediately if you are electrocuted is vital, as even a small shock can cause serious harm. The longer you go without treatment, the more severe your injuries may become. Your doctor will likely perform tests to assess the extent of your injuries and provide appropriate treatment.

Treatment for electrocution injuries may include medications to manage pain, wound care, physical therapy to help restore muscle function, and surgery to repair damaged tissues or organs in severe cases. Your doctor may also recommend follow-up visits to monitor your progress and ensure you’re healing properly.

How A Lawyer Can Help If You Have Been Electrocuted

As we touched on, electrocution generally involves negligence, and these cases fall under personal injury law. If you prove the defendant is liable for your injuries, you may be entitled to collect compensation, including specific and general damages.

General damages get awarded to the victim for the injury itself. They usually intend to help the victim with trauma, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. The court usually awards these damages for losses you can’t measure or assign a monetary value. So, to recover compensation under this category, you’d need to have an expert’s testimony backing up your claims.

Special damages help compensate you for a specific injury consequence, like medical expenses. Loss of wages also falls under this category, and they’re all things that the court can assign a specific monetary value.

To have the court award you compensatory damages, you must prove that you had a loss from your injury. You also have to prove that the defendant’s actions caused your losses without any other factors contributing to it.

Your personal injury attorney can help prove this in court, and they can gather evidence and witness testimony to support your case. For example, they may collect witness statements, videos or photos of the accident, police records, medical bills, and physical evidence like burn marks. Your attorney will also represent you and help you navigate the complicated litigation process, and they can negotiate on your behalf.

Connecticut Personal Injury Law Firm

In Connecticut, around Hartford County, Hassett & George are reputable and experienced electrocution accident lawyers. We have a team of dedicated personal injury attorneys who fight aggressively for our clients to get the compensation they deserve. Schedule a consultation and see if you have a case today.

Some of the locations our lawyers serve include Simsbury, Glastonbury, Hartford, and more.