A less common, though potentially devastating type of injury arising in the workplace, as well as other contexts, is electrocution. Construction sites, factories, job sites, and other unsafe premises may expose people to dangerous conditions leading to electrocution of those working or visiting the premises. Those electrocuted on a construction site, or other location, as a result of negligence of another may have a viable personal injury lawsuit and should contact a respected Chicago electrocution injury lawyer.
Just yesterday, August 6, the Chicago news reported a breaking story of a man working as a tree trimmer, who was fatally electrocuted after falling onto a live power line. The man was found on the ground with serious head trauma and third-degree burns to his upper extremities.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there are four types of electric injuries:
- Fatal Electrocution
- Electric Shock
- Burns
- Falls due to contact with electrical energy
The NIOSH reports that an average of 411 fatalities occur every year at job sites, most often construction sites, due to electric hazards. Electrical accidents can be prevented. If proper precautions and safety measures were no taken as outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or were ignored, causing severe electrical injuries or electrocution, negligence may apply to more than one party. This is one reason to contact a personal injury lawyer relating to electrocution accidents.
An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact with an electrical source. Fatal electrocution is the most serious, and occurs when a person is killed after being exposed to a lethal amount of energy. To cause serious damage, the human body must be exposed to an “active electrical circuit having a current capable of over stimulating the nervous system or causes damage to internal organs.”
Electrocution deaths at a construction sites can result from such things as:
- Poorly marked construction zones or sites
- Inadequate tools and equipment
- Heavy machinery with live wires
- Faulty machinery and wiring
Burns are the most common injury from an electric shock, and are the most severe at the point of contact with the electric current. The severity of the burn depends on the voltage. It is important to note, too, that burns maybe external as well as internal. A high voltage burn may result in a superficial external injury, but it may destroy tissue, cause blot vessels to clot and cause severe muscle contractions.
Severe muscle contractions as a result of electric shock while a person is standing on a ladder or working on a ledge may cause the person to fall, resulting in further injuries such as broken bones or severe head injuries.
Electrical injuries can be serious, and even fatal. Survivors may suffer debilitating injuries that require long-term medical care. If you or a loved one has suffered debilitating injury or death as a result of an electrical accident, either on a construction site or other location, contact a top injury and accident lawyer about your case.