
Electric shock injuries can have devastating consequences, ranging from minor burns to severe neurological damage, cardiac arrest, and even death. These injuries often occur in workplaces, construction sites, homes, or public spaces due to faulty wiring, exposed electrical components, defective products, or unsafe working conditions. When electric shock injuries result from negligence, victims may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim. Call Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to speak with a Virginia Beach electric shock lawyer to find out how our firm can help.
Causes of Electric Shock Injuries
One of the most common causes of electric shock injuries is unsafe workplace environments, particularly in construction and industrial settings. Workers who handle electrical equipment, power lines, or machinery are at high risk, especially if safety protocols are not followed. Employers are responsible for providing proper training, personal protective equipment (PPE), and ensuring that electrical systems are properly maintained.
If an employer or contractor fails to follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and an employee suffers an electric shock, the victim may have a workers’ compensation claim or even a third-party lawsuit if another company’s negligence contributed to the accident.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health tracks four types of accidents involving electricity at worksites:
- Fatal electrocutions
- Shock
- Internal and external burns
- Falls caused as a result of contact with electrical energy
Regarding the final item, a risk to life and health that is rarely mentioned is that electric current can knock a person unconscious or throw a person like a strong gust of wind or the impact of a speeding car. Anyone who works with or around electric equipment must exercise caution to protect themselves from suffering serious injuries or getting killed.
Defective products are another common source of electric shock injuries. Appliances, lighting fixtures, and consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones that run on electricity pose dangers. Small components called capacitors are particularly problematic, as they can carry large charges for long periods after a device is unplugged or batteries are removed.
These items must meet safety standards to prevent electrocution risks. If a consumer suffers an electric shock due to a manufacturing defect, inadequate warning labels, or design flaws, they may file a product liability claim against the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer.
The Persistence of Electric Shock Symptoms
An abbreviated list of short- and long-term health problems caused by an electric shock includes:
- Muscle spasms,
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet,
- Trouble breathing,
- Headaches that either persist or come and go,
- Vision and hearing problems,
- Seizures, and
- Heartbeat irregularities
When an electric shock is severe enough, a surviving victim may also bear scars from burns and can experience problems with controlling their emotions and learning new information. Last, struggles with short-term memory are not uncommon for people who suffered near-fatal shocks.
How Our Firm Can Help
Electric shock injuries can lead to serious medical conditions, including heart damage, nerve damage, muscle contractions, seizures, and severe burns. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term disability. Given the complexity of these cases, seeking legal representation is crucial to proving negligence and securing fair compensation. An experienced personal injury attorney can investigate the circumstances, gather expert testimony, and hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence.
Our Virginia personal injury law firm’s attorneys have advised and represented many victims of electric shock injuries. One notable case involved an airline pilot who was forced into early retirement after suffering life-threatening shocks and a fall in a hotel shower. The business owner allowed exposed wiring to hang within reach of a person who was standing while showering.
In another case, a Coast Guardsman nearly lost his life when deteriorated wiring for a dockside fuel pump shocked and burned him. The pump was supposed to have been disconnected from its power source, and our client trusted that it was.
If someone else’s negligence caused you or a loved one to get badly shocked or electrocuted, you should seek advice and assistance from an attorney who has experience handling electric shock injury cases. These types of lawsuits tend to be quite complicated, as they involve both state and national laws and regulations.
The case might also involve elements of product liability, premises liability, and workers’ compensation all at once. Partnering with an attorney who knows how to navigate such complications will matter greatly for obtaining a favorable legal outcome.
Contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to schedule a free consultation with one of our dedicated Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers to find out what legal recourse you may have for the losses your injuries have caused.
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Since 1984, Jim St. Clair has fought and helped Virginia Beach personal injury clients overcome some of the most traumatic moments of their lives. Whether you have been in an accident caused by the fault of another or a victim of medical malpractice, the results can leave you profoundly damaged physically, mentally, and economically. You may be entitled to substantial compensation. Jim is a seasoned and experienced personal injury trial attorney with 40 years of experience. He graduated with honors from Creighton University School of Law in 1984 and then served in a prestigious federal law clerk position for the late U.S. District Judge J. Calvitt Clarke, Jr., in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Over several decades, Jim has enjoyed remarkable success advocating for injured clients and has won notable multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts. He has tried cases in Virginia General District and Circuit Court and in the Eastern and Western District Virginia Federal Court. In one case that went up on appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia, he convinced the court to change the law regarding the statute of limitations in Virginia medical malpractice “misdiagnosis” cases. Jim’s areas of Virginia personal injury law practice include medical malpractice, car and truck injury cases, dog bite injuries, and cases involving negligence at business premises. Within these areas of law, he has also successfully prosecuted numerous wrongful death actions. Outside the courtroom, Jim has served on the board of directors of the Better Business Bureau, taught as an adjunct professor for business law at Old Dominion University, instructed future paralegals at the American Institute of Paralegal Studies, and lectured Virginia attorneys on the subject of “insurance litigation in Virginia.” He is a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia Beach Bar Association. If you have been impacted by the negligence of another, contact Jim St. Clair today for a free, confidential personal injury law consultation.