Electric shock, which occurs when a person’s body contacts an electrical source, can occur anywhere. These types of injuries occur frequently in the workplace and in the home. While people who suffer a minor shock might only feel a faint tingling, a serious electric shock can result in brain injury, cardiac arrest, electric burns, spinal injury, paralysis, and death.
Victims of electric shock or their family members in fatal cases might be eligible to obtain compensation for their injuries. To determine if your case qualifies, call the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine in Fort Lauderdale today and request a free consultation.
Can I sue for my electric shock injuries?
To have a valid liability claim, your electric shock injuries must have resulted from another party’s negligence or from a defective product. Below are all examples of common ways electrical shock accidents occur for which the victim would likely qualify to file a claim:
- Industrial electrocution or shock: Roughly nine percent of all fatalities in the construction field in 2015 resulted from electrocution, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Despite federal safety standards, electrically unsafe work environments persist. Poorly maintained or outdated power tools, overloaded circuits, and failure to follow safety protocols all pose unnecessary risks for workers and others on the premises.
- Power lines: Power and other utility companies, building owners, and construction crews all have a responsibility to take precautions to prevent people from injury. If you were shocked because you came into contact with a downed line, an electrically charged elevator, or other component, you might be able to file a claim against the party responsible.
- Defective products: Manufacturers have a legal duty to ensure they only put reasonably safe products on the market. If the product is electrical, there are safety guidelines the manufacturer must follow, including proper insulation and ground fault protection. If you were injured by a defective tool, home appliance, or other consumer product, you can file a claim against the manufacturer for compensation.
How do electric shock injury cases work?
The steps outlined below are a simplification and generalization of the claims process for electric shock injury cases. Understand that every case is different and because shock injury cases can be exceptionally challenging, you will need to speak to a local injury or wrongful death attorney for case-specific advice and help moving forward with your claim.
Step 1: The first step to pursuing an electric shock case is to determine liability. The electric shock injury lawyers at the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine can review the facts of the case, determine a cause for the accident, and then pinpoint which party you can hold liable for your injuries, such as a product manufacturer, power company, or city entity.
Note: If the accident occurred at work, then you can file a workers’ compensation claim, and perhaps an additional third-party claim if an outside party (i.e., not your employer, under Florida workers’ comp laws, you cannot file against your employer) was at fault for the accident, e.g., the manufacturer of a defective power tool. Your attorney can share your legal options with you.
Step 2: After identifying the liable party(s), we will then help you gather ample evidence to support your case. This includes evidence to prove fault, as well as evidence to show the insurer or court the extent of your injuries. We may consult field experts about your case to bolster the evidence and to calculate damages.
Step 3: Next, we will draft and file the proper claim documents and send a demand letter to the insurance company demanding appropriate compensation for your current and future losses related to the electric shock accident.
Step 4: We will await the defendant’s/insurer’s response and evaluate any settlement offers with you. If the settlement offer is unfair, we will attempt to negotiate for more. It may take several rounds of negotiations before we reach an agreement. Of course, if we cannot reach a fair settlement, our team will be on the ready to take the case to court.
What kinds of losses can I pursue compensation for?
Most electric shock cases involve filing insurance claims against either building or other property owners for injuries that occurred on their premises (premises liability claim), or against product manufacturers for defective products (product liability claims). In either case, the goal is to compensate you for your financial, physical, and emotional losses that resulted from the accident and your injuries.
You can collect compensation for losses such as:
- Current and future medical bills
- Loss of wages, loss of benefits, and short- or long-term disability
- Miscellaneous expenses, e.g., transportation to medical appointments, medical devices, physical therapy, counseling, etc.
- Burns, scarring, and loss of use of body parts or functions
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- The effect of your injuries on your marriage, career, and quality of life
Given the serious and extensive nature of electric shock injuries (and the devastation that occurs when family members lose a loved one in an electrocution accident), these types of claims tend to have a very high dollar amount.
If the insurance company attempts to offer you a quick settlement, do not accept it without running it by a lawyer. You are likely entitled to far more funds than the initial offer, but once you sign, you cannot go back and ask for more later. Our lawyers at the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine can advise you of the fairness of any offers and ensure you obtain the highest amount possible.
Can Anidjar & Levine help with my electric shock case in Fort Lauderdale?
The electric shock attorneys in Fort Lauderdale at Anidjar & Levine provide the quality legal representation you need to diligently pursue your claim. Our attorneys’ powerful combination of experience and work ethic means that our clients can relax, focus on recuperation, and know that they have a professional legal team handling their claims.
If you or a loved one recently experienced an electric shock or electrocution, call the Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine for a free initial consultation. Our attorneys are ready to help.
We Can Help.
