Investigating Electrical Accidents at the Workplace
In order to avoid accidental electrocution, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has established standards necessary for appropriate work to be completed at construction sites.
Specifically in regards to crane usage, the OSHA explains that unless lines have been “de-energized and visibly grounded” or standalone, unattached insulating barriers have been put up to prevent contact with the lines, certain criteria need to be established.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that contact with overhead power lines is the most common cause of electrocutions, resulting in over 40 percent of all on-the-job electrical deaths. Other causes of injuries and fatalities include the following:
- Failure to properly de-energize electrical equipment prior to commencing work
- Contact with electrical components mistakenly thought to be de-energized due to a mistake in wiring or re-wiring, or misidentified wiring
- Contact with buried, underground power lines
- Contact with the electric current of a machine, tool, appliance or light fixture
- Contact with wiring, transformers or other electrical components
Other common causes of electrical injury often fall under the following categories:
- Industrial Accidents
- Farming Equipment Accidents
- Fracking Injury
- Machinery Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Crane Accident Injury
- OSHA Safety Violations
The Lyon Firm has experience developing evidence in electrical injury cases in Ohio through the use of life care planners, economists, and medical professionals to present the highest quality arguments on the plaintiff’s behalf.
This work has resulted in significant settlements that enhanced and secured a dignified quality of life for the plaintiff’s future.
Types of Electrical Burn Injury
Direct contact with an electrical wire sends a heavy current flowing through the body. This can result in massive tissue damage and patients are at risk of developing multi-system organ failure. Electricity passes easily though the human body, and even minor burns can result in damage to vital organs like the heart or brain.
Typically, the extent of injury is determined by the intensity of the electrical current contacted. The long-term prognosis depends on the severity of the initial injury and the development of subsequent complications. Common injuries include the following heart injuries, tissue degeneration, and severe burns.
- Electrical heart injury—Electrical shock can interfere with the heart’s regular current and cells. In severe cases, cardiac arrest (heart attack) can occur.
- Contact (Internal) Electrical Burn Injuries—some electrical burns may not look severe on the outside though significant internal damage occurred. Contact electrical burns occur when the electricity arcing inside the body is converted to heat. This heat commonly follows the current flow, which typically is along blood vessels and nerves. Electrical burns are usually located at the entry and exit points of the voltage.
- Myoglobinemia—In addition to organ tissue damage from electrical burns, a secondary injury of an electrical burn may produce excess levels of myoglobin in the blood, and may lead to acute renal failure (kidney failure).
Utility Company Negligence
The Lyon Firm is investigating electrical injury cases due to utility company negligence and tree care accidents. Electrocution accidents are not uncommon for tree care specialists, and power companies may be liable for injuries sustained.
For property owners, landscapers and tree care specialists, tree trimming can be a perilous task. Electrocution and electrical injury can be severe and prove deadly in many cases. Workers may be taking precautions, but when hidden power lines are hit, accidents occur.
Electrocution due to hidden power lines or foliage that has not been properly dealt with may be the responsibility of a utility company. With that said, tree care and landscaping employees are urged to protect themselves and know the risks of nearby power lines whilst tree trimming.
Tree workers and those maintaining their own property must employ safe practices while removing branches, limbs or trees. Personal protective equipment, proper fall protection gear, and safe ladders and lifts should be utilized. But even when workers are being safe, risks remain when a utility company fails to clear brush from power lines.
Certain tools are particularly risky when used around power lines, due to electrocution accidents. Chainsaws and hedge clippers can easily cut through a live power line, leading to a serious electrical injury.
Unsafe Power Line Injury Lawsuits
Power lines can be difficult to detect, especially when negligent utility companies allow trees to grow out of control around lines, poles and transformers. Overgrowth issues are the responsibility of utility companies to protect the public and private tree care contractors. Otherwise, electrical injury hazards can lead to a host of problems.
Even when power lines are detected, if the infrastructure has not been properly maintained, or has been damaged in a storm, electrocution accidents may be a reality. After storms, some property owners may not be patient enough to wait weeks for utility companies to clean up a mess and may engage in unsafe tree trimming or removal.
Due to the dangerous nature of electricity, utility companies owe residents a high duty of care. This duty of requires proper constructing, managing, maintaining, repairing, installing, and operating electric lines.
External Arc Flashes and Explosions
When an electrical current jumps between two different points, it is called an “arc flash.” Workplace electrical accidents occur when arcing faults (caused by tears or gaps in insulation) allow an electrical current to stray from its intended path. Arc flashes can ignite flammable clothing and materials, the latter allowing an arc flash’s electrical explosion to become a chemical explosion.
About ten arc flashes occur on work sites every day in the United States. These electrical accidents pose workplace burn injury dangers to all electricians, factory workers, or construction workers near the arc. Serious injuries may result from the high levels of heat and intense pressure associated with the arc flash.
Contact an Electrocution Injury Lawyer
Following an electrical injury where you suspect there was negligence or simply have questions about what may have happened, you should contact and experienced catastrophic injury and product liability lawyer.
An electrical injury may have a long lasting impact and should be addressed by a lawyer qualified in complex personal injury matters. The legal recourses from an accident will depend on what caused the electrical injury.
The injury may have been caused by a defective product, mismanagement, or independent contractor negligence during industrial or construction work. A subcontractor or third party defendant may also be subject to general negligence.
In addition to Worker’s Compensation, a victim may deserve further compensation for pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, lost past and future wages, and loss of quality of life.
The legal options will depend on what caused the electrical injury. In any case, these injuries are too serious for the injured party to negotiate a fair and comprehensive settlement without an attorney. The interplay of complex liability questions, subrogation, and possible future life care plans require the attention of an attorney experienced in spinal cord injury lawsuits.
There are personal injury cases where an attorney may not be necessary, but an electrical injury will may long lasting impact and should be addressed by a lawyer qualified in complex personal injury matters.
Often, where the employer is at fault, the case requires a removal of an equipment safety guard or a knowing violation of an OSHA regulation to move past a motion for summary judgment. A subcontractor or third party defendant, however, is subject to general negligence.
Electrocution Prevention
- Ladders shall have non-conductive side rails if they are used where the employee or the ladder could contact exposed electrical equipment.
- Portable metal or conductive ladders shall not be used near energized lines or equipment except as may be necessary in specialized work such as in high voltage substations where non-conductive ladders might present a greater hazards than conductive ladders.
- Conductive or metal ladders shall be prominently marked as conductive and all necessary precautions shall be taken when used in specialized work.
Why Hire The Lyon Firm?
The Lyon Firm has extensive experience representing individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries, including severe burn and electrical accident cases. Our team understands the medical complexity and the legal strategies required to hold negligent parties accountable. We collaborate with medical experts, engineers, and safety professionals to build strong cases that capture both the immediate and long-term impact of an injury.
At The Lyon Firm, we are committed to more than just financial recovery. We believe in restoring dignity to victims and families, providing compassionate representation, and ensuring that corporations, insurers, and employers are held responsible when they fail to prioritize safety. Whether your injury occurred at work, on unsafe property, or due to a defective product, our firm has the resources and determination to pursue justice on your behalf.
Choosing the right law firm can make the difference between an inadequate settlement and the compensation you need to rebuild your life. The Lyon Firm fights tirelessly for clients, guiding them through the legal process with professionalism and care.
Utility Company Negligence Cases
Who is Responsible for Trimming Trees near Power Lines?
A utility company is responsible for power lines, poles, pipes, meters, power outages, overgrowth, repairs, and other issues. If a storm knocks down a power line or a car hits a utility pole, the utility company should fix the problem.
The National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) requires utility companies to make sure trees, branches and other vegetation near power lines are trimmed, pruned and removed.
Can you Sue an Energy Company?
If you’ve been injured as a direct or indirect result of a negligent service provided by a public utility, it’s possible to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your losses.
The utility company is responsible for electrical injuries sustained because of damaged utility wires. While utility companies have a high standard of care to protect the public from injuries, a power company may not always be liable. For example, if a landscaping company or construction company caused the line to fall, it could be liable for damages.
To recover compensation, victims typically must prove that a party owed them a duty of care, breached that duty through negligence or misconduct, and directly caused the injury. For example, an employer who ignores OSHA safety standards, a landlord who neglects dangerous wiring, or a manufacturer that sells a defective device could all face liability.
Evidence in these cases often includes accident reports, workplace safety audits, product testing records, and medical evaluations. Because electrical burns frequently require long-term treatment, expert testimony from doctors and rehabilitation specialists is critical to demonstrate future costs and ongoing disability.
