Electrocution Lawsuit in California
An electrical accident can turn a routine day into a life-altering event in an instant. For victims and their families, these incidents often bring immense physical pain, emotional trauma, financial challenges, and even death.
When the cause of an accident stems from someone else's negligence—whether it's a property owner failing to address faulty wiring or a manufacturer releasing a defective product—California law allows the victims of these accidents to seek compensation for their losses.
At Injury Justice Law Firm, our attorneys not only have extensive experience with the complexities of these types of cases but also understand the emotional and physical toll these accidents can take. We know how to investigate to determine fault, leverage the law to hold the parties responsible, and get you and your family the compensation you need.
An electric shock from exposure to high-voltage electricity causes electrocution. Even a small electrical current can cause fibrillation of the heart, while larger currents could cause serious burns and cellular damage. The severity of the electrocution injuries will depend on different factors, such as the amount of voltage, duration of contact, and a pathway through the body.
Electrocution injuries, often caused by someone's negligence, can have severe consequences for your personal and professional life. These can include overwhelming medical expenses, permanent disability, and loss of income.
Given the unique nature of electrical accidents, it's crucial to have a personal injury attorney with extensive experience in handling these types of cases. If you or a family member have suffered an electrical injury, remember there's hope for monetary compensation for your losses.
How do Electrocutions Happen?
An electrical accident can occur in a workplace due to an unsafe working condition or defective tools. The risk of injury is more apparent for individuals working on different construction sites. In many cases, workers are traumatized due to bad-quality products, tools that were not properly installed, and employers' sheer negligence.
You don't have to be an electrician or a construction worker to suffer an electrocution injury. At home, many electrical accident injuries occur from malfunctioning products, such as power tools or appliances.
A faulty installation of a product could also cause electrocution. In electrical injury cases, multiple parties could be held liable. These include electrical part manufacturers, building owners, and others.
Electrocution injuries can lead to severe burns, irregular heartbeat and cardiovascular injury, lung damage, scarring, and eye and ear damage. Secondary injuries could also be a serious issue that occurs from a fall after being electrocuted. Electrocutions may even lead to wrongful death.
Common Causes of Electrical Accidents
Electrical accidents can occur in many environments—homes, workplaces, and public spaces. It's important to remember that these incidents are often preventable. Below are some of the common causes of these incidents:
- Old or Faulty Wiring: Outdated electrical systems can degrade over time, increasing the risk of electrical fires or shocks. Faulty wiring is particularly dangerous as it can go unnoticed by property owners until a tragic accident occurs.
- Exposed Wires: Uninsulated or improperly covered wires pose a significant risk, particularly in areas where unsuspecting individuals may come into contact with live circuits. These hazards can be found in older buildings, workplaces, or areas under construction.
- Defective Electrical Products: Faulty design, poor manufacturing, or lack of proper quality control can lead to dangerous electrical tools, appliances, machinery, or even children's toys.
- Neglected Electrical Maintenance: Routine maintenance is critical to keeping electrical systems safe. Failing to inspect, upgrade, or repair electrical systems regularly creates dangerous conditions that can lead to electrocution or fires.
- Improper Installation: Electrical installations performed by unqualified individuals can lead to unsafe setups. Improperly connected circuits or ungrounded wires can result in severe accidents for users.
- Lack of Proper Safety Measures: Work environments, particularly in construction or industrial settings, may fail to implement necessary safety protocols, such as providing insulated tools or enforcing safe distances from power sources.
- Accidents that take place during construction: These are the most common electrical injury cases and often from heavy machinery. It will be necessary to establish who is responsible for the injury in the first place.
- Lack of warning: The absence of a proper warning is not an acceptable safety standard. Electrical sources need to have the proper labeling, or employees need to receive a warning beforehand.
- Power lines electrical accidents: These types of electrocution accidents can occur because of a malfunctioning power line. It will be necessary to determine exactly what kind of accident you are dealing with.
- Contractor's negligence: Some employers tend to neglect the most basic safety precautions, and many people suffer electrical injuries as a result.
Types of Injuries That May Occur
The injuries resulting from an electrical accident can vary widely in severity, depending on the voltage, duration of exposure, and circumstances surrounding the incident. These injuries can have long-lasting, if not permanent, impacts on a victim's health and quality of life. Common injuries include:
- Burns: Electrical burns are among the most common and severe injuries. High-voltage exposure can cause deep tissue damage, while electrical fires may result in external burns. Victims may require surgeries, including painful skin grafts, and face an extended recovery period.
- Nerve and Brain Damage: Exposure to electricity can interfere with the body's nervous system, potentially leading to brain damage or life-altering neurological disorders. Symptoms may range from memory loss and cognitive impairments to motor dysfunction and chronic pain syndromes.
- Electrocution and Cardiac Arrest: Direct exposure to high-voltage electricity may cause immediate electrocution, leading to cardiac arrest, organ failure, or other fatal outcomes. Survivors of severe incidents may experience long-term damage to their cardiovascular system.
- Respiratory Issues: Electrical currents affecting the chest area can interfere with the lungs' ability to function properly, leading to breathing difficulties or asphyxiation.
- Secondary Injuries: Electrical shocks often lead to sudden loss of muscle control, which can result in falls or physical injuries such as fractures, concussions, or internal trauma. These secondary injuries can compound the burdens already endured by victims.
Who May Be Held Liable?
Determining who is liable for an electrical accident can be complicated, depending on the specific circumstances of each case. However, common people and entities who may be at fault include:
- Property Owners and Landlords: Building owners and landlords have a legal obligation to ensure their properties are safe for occupants and visitors. Failure to repair exposed wiring, outdated systems, or other electrical hazards can make them liable for resulting accidents.
- Employers: Construction sites, manufacturing facilities, and other workplaces pose heightened risks for electrical injuries. In workplace-related electrical accidents, employers may be held accountable if they fail to provide proper training, safety equipment, or adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
- Product Manufacturers: Companies that design, manufacture, or distribute defective electrical products may bear responsibility for injuries caused by their products.
- Electricians and Contractors: Electrical professionals who perform substandard work, fail to adhere to safety codes, or do electrical work for which they are unqualified may be held accountable for accidents arising from their negligence.
While determining fault in electrical accidents can be challenging, proving fault and obtaining compensation can be even more complex.
California is a pure comparative negligence state, meaning that even when a negligent party is identified, the victim's compensation can be reduced by any level of fault they may share in the accident (for example, knowingly handling exposed wires or failing to practice safety protocols).
Your best hope of maximizing your compensation is to work with a California personal injury attorney with experience in electrical accidents. At Injury Justice Law Firm, our attorneys have a track record of success in navigating even the most complex cases regarding electrical accidents and other injury accidents.
All cases are taken on contingency. This means if we do not win your case, you pay us nothing. If you have been injured in an electrical accident, call our office for a free case evaluation. Our law firm is based in Los Angeles, CA.
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