Many electrocution accidents could be prevented

Wrongful death by electrocution can occur in the workplace or in the home. Such accidents can stem from defective products or from negligence by an employer. If you have lost a loved one via an electrocution accident, contact an electrocution lawyer to file a wrongful death lawsuit and seek compensation for an extremely traumatic tragedy.

Electrocution occurs when electricity passes into the body from any source. This can result in burns and organ damage, including stopping the heart. The amount of damage depends on the length of exposure and the strength of the electrical current.

On work sites, defective wiring is the leading cause of wrongful death by electrocution, and it also can be the cause of fatal fires. In the home, electrocution can come from exposure to faulty wiring in products such as hair dryers, curling irons, microwave ovens or power tools. Defective cords in appliances such as vacuum cleaners also can do damage.

Hundreds are electrocuted annually

As many as 1,000 persons die from electrocution in the United States annually, and most die as the result of a preventable accident. An estimated 7 per cent of all work-related fatalities are by electrocution, making it the fourth leading cause of death in occupational fatalities. Overall, electrocution is the fifth-leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.

On the job, many such deaths might be avoidable with proper education and training of employees, or with proper safety and maintenance procedures. But while employers are obligated to provide workers with a safe environment, some do not heed that duty. As a result, employees can be vulnerable to employee negligence.

Electrocution means fatal

By definition, electrocution is fatal, being the death caused by an electric shock. A wrongful death from electrocution often can occur when a person comes in contact with an electrical circuit, such as a high-voltage power line. This often involves an employee who is unaware of the danger at hand.

Electrocution also can come from improper insulation, errors in assessing if a power line is “live,” collapsing utility poles around power lines, cutting through an underground cable,  or improper wiring which inadvertently electrifies a water source.

Construction sites can be especially dangerous.  Workers sometimes are electrocuted when the front-end loader, metal ladder, crane, scaffold or conveyer they are using touches overhead power lines.

Improperly installed wiring can cause electrocution in the home, and anyone can fall victim to a downed power line if an electrical company fails to repair it quickly. Intact power lines also can be dangerous when they are hidden by objects such as trees and are placed without proper warning signs.

Children can be electrocuted by pushing metal objects into electrical outlets or biting on electrical cords. Another cause of electrocution is lightning.

Claims beyond workers compensation

If a loved one has been electrocuted on the job, workers’ compensation alone may not adequately cover your loss. But you may be able to obtain claims beyond workers’ compensation. Contact an experienced electrocution lawyer who can hold employers or contractors accountable for the unsafe conditions which led to your loved one’s death.