Workplace electrocution accidents happen in the blink of an eye and can cause devastating injuries. If you’ve suffered an electrical injury at work, you may be left with many questions, concerns, and even anxiety about the future. How did the accident happen? Why did it happen? And now that you are injured, how will you pay your bills and support your family? All of your worries are justified. Electrical accidents in the workplace can result in serious internal and external injuries. They can be incapacitating and leave you unable to work. Burns, tissue damage, and other injuries can also leave you with expensive medical bills.
At Waldman Legal Group, our electrocution lawyer fights to get compensation for construction workers and other employees who experience electrocution injuries in Houston, TX. Call us today to schedule a free consultation at (713) 688-4878.
Electrocution Accident in the Workplace
Electrocution accidents cause thousands of workplace injuries and hundreds of on-the-job deaths in the country every year. Probably not surprisingly, the construction industry leads the way when it comes to electrical accidents in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 60% of electrical injuries and deaths each year are to construction workers. Workers in these five construction jobs, in the order presented, suffer the most injuries and deaths from these accidents:
- Electricians
- Construction laborers
- Power line installers
- Foremen
- Roofers.
While these workers have the highest rate of injuries and deaths, others in the construction trades and other industries can also come into contact with electricity and be seriously harmed. Other industries with high rates of electrical injuries and deaths include public utilities, transportation, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture.
If you or a family member has been the victim of an electrical injury at work, no matter what industry you work in, we can help you learn about your legal options for getting financial compensation. We can also help you if you were injured by an electrical hazard outside of the workplace. Call our law firm at (713) 688-4878 to speak with an experienced work injury lawyer.
Types of Injuries Caused by Electrocution
There are four general types of injuries from electricity, as described by MedLinePlus, an online health information resource from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. They include:
- Cardiac arrest from the impact of electricity on the heart
- Tissue, nerve, and muscle destruction from the electrical current
- Contact burns to the skin, which can cause internal damage, including to the brain, heart, and muscles
- Falls and other accidental injuries from the shock of electrical contact.
As you can see, injuries can be very severe and require ongoing medical care. Sadly, they can often lead to death. Understanding how these dangerous accidents happen is the first step to preventing them.
How Electrical Injuries Happen in the Workplace
The most common ways that hazardous electrical accidents happen at work, according to OSHA, include:
- Coming into contact with overhead and buried power lines
- A lack of protection to shut off electrical power in the event of a ground fault
- A missing or broken path to ground
- Equipment not being used in the manner prescribed
- Improper use of extension and flexible power cords.
When safety standards are not followed, disaster can result. If equipment is defective, serious electrical injuries can occur. Workers who are injured because of these factors may be able to get compensation if negligence by another party can be proven. We can help you learn who may be liable for your accident with an electrocution accident attorney.
Workplace Liability for Dangerous Electrical Accidents
Who might be responsible in your case depends on all the circumstances involved. Once our Houston electrocution lawyers examine all the details of your unique accident and injury, we can more closely advise you. Depending on the circumstances, your employer or a third party could be held liable if they were negligent. Employers might be guilty of negligence if they don’t provide proper training to workers, don’t replace malfunctioning tools or equipment or neglect to enforce safety procedures. Third parties who cause electrical accidents may include contractors from other companies working on a job site, suppliers delivering materials, manufacturers of defective power tools or other equipment, and others.
If you have suffered an electrical injury in the workplace or you have lost a loved one to electrocution, you may be able to get compensation to help with medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Don’t go it alone in trying to get the compensation you need. An experienced electrocution attorney can advise you of your rights, answer your questions and help you consider your best options. Call us today at (713) 688-4878 to arrange a free accident consultation.
What Remedy Do Injured Electrical Workers in Texas Have?
There are different options for getting financial help when you’ve been injured or lost a family member. Depending on your circumstances, they can include workers’ compensation, a legal claim, or both.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
You can file a claim for workers’ compensation insurance benefits if your company subscribes to it. Companies in Texas are not required to carry it for their employees, and some don’t. If yours does subscribe, you could get medical coverage and wage replacement benefits of 70% of your average weekly wages through workers’ comp if your claim is accepted. When people die on the job, their survivors may be eligible to get money for burial costs and death benefits to replace some of an employee’s lost wages.
With workers’ comp, you can’t, however, get compensation for your pain and suffering and money for other non-economic damages. And if an employer provides workers’ comp, in most cases, you can’t sue them for your injuries or your loved one’s death.
Non-Subscriber to Workers’ Comp
If your company doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance to protect employees in accidents, they can be sued by employees. Some non-subscriber companies may carry private insurance that they try to pass off as workers’ comp to prevent employees from suing them, but if it isn’t official Texas state workers’ comp you can file a legal claim if your employer’s negligence caused your electrical injury. You can check to see whether your company subscribes to workers’ compensation by going to the Texas Department of Insurance website.
Third-Party Lawsuits
Even if you get workers’ comp through your employer or you file a non-subscriber claim against your direct employer, you may also be able to sue a third party if another person or company helped cause the accident. A third-party lawsuit in addition to your other claim can be beneficial in helping you get the full amount of fair compensation you need for your damages.
In workplace legal claims, negligence and fault must be proven in order to get anything. Our electrocution lawyers in Houston will carefully investigate your accident to prove fault and negotiate or litigate a claim on your behalf. We can also help you get workers’ compensation by assisting with your initial filing or representing you on appeal if you’ve been denied the coverage you are due.
How Much Compensation Can I Get in a Lawsuit?
In lawsuits, compensation is based on your damages or losses. How much you could get depends on the extent of your losses.
Damages for On-the-Job Injuries
Here are examples of damages in workplace electrical injury claims:
- Payment for doctor bills, hospital costs, rehabilitation, surgery, and other expenses
- Reimbursement for current and future lost wages
- Money for pain and suffering for physical pain and mental trauma
- Compensation for burns, scarring, and disfigurement
- Punitive damages to punish responsible parties for gross negligence.
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a family member to electrocution in the workplace, you may be able to get compensation for damages through a wrongful death claim. Compensation could include payment for:
- Medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Current and future lost wages
- Lost inheritance they may have provided
- Lost love and care
- Lost support and guidance
- The decedent’s pain and suffering
- Your emotional pain
- Punitive damages.
In Texas, only surviving spouses, children, or parents of the deceased can sue for wrongful death. (Additionally, the representative of a decedent’s estate may be able to bring a survival action.)
When you’ve been injured or, sadly, lost a loved one, our electrocution lawyers at Waldman Legal are here for you. We want to help you get the compensation that you not only need, but also deserve, because of all you are going through.
Contact Our Houston Electrocution Lawyer
The careless workplace actions of another party have already cost you physically and emotionally. You shouldn’t have to pay the financials costs as well. If we accept your case, it’s because we believe you were the victim of another’s negligence. We’ll work hard toward getting you the compensation you deserve, whether it’s through negotiations with the insurers of at-fault parties or in the court of law in front of a judge of jury. Call Waldman Legal today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your case at (713) 688-4878. You only pay us if you have a successful recovery, so you have nothing to lose.
