Texas Electrocution Attorney

According to the Department of Labor, electrocutions are a very common cause of injury and death amongst construction workers.  Almost every labor job involves some sort of electrical work – including commercial construction, residential construction, maritime work, longshore work, refinery work, and general maintenance work.  Anytime a person or piece of equipment comes into contact with a power source, there is the potential for an electrocution fatality and/or bodily injury in the form of electrical burns.

Commons sources of electricity include: overhead power lines, underground utility lines, high voltage machinery, frayed/exposed/or untagged wires, and defective consumer products.

Employers and workers can avoid accidents by developing safety guidelines and making sure that all workers are trained in workplace safety.  Most importantly, the employers and works must follow these safety guidelines.  It is also important to train workers about electricity so that they understand how to assess the risk of electrocution accidents.

The most common shock-related injury is a burn.  Burns suffered in electrical accidents may be of three types:  electrical burns, arc burns, and thermal contact burns.  Electrical burns have deeper surface penetration than thermal and chemical burns.

Electrical burns result from an electric current flowing through the boy, tissues, organs, or bone.  The amount of voltage of the electricity, the pathway of the current through the body, and the duration and the resistance of the body will determine the severity of damage.  When a person is electrocuted, there is an entry point and an exit point.  These are the locations where the electricity enters and leaves the body.  As such, a person with an electrical burn in his or her arm may have another wound in a leg, arm, or other part of the body.  Because the electricity runs through the body, it is important to find out what the effects the electrocution had on the muscles, veins, arteries, and nerves between the entry point and the exit point of the electricity.

Entry points are most commonly in the hand.  If the exit point is the opposite hand, it may be likely that the electricity ran through the heart.  At levels of current flow exceeding 1/10 of an amp or 100 milliamps, the heart stops and experiences fibrillation.  A person may survive an electrocution if his or her heart can be started again.

Another type of electrocution related injury is an Arc or flash burn.  These burns result from high temperatures near the body and are produced by an electric arc or explosion.

Thermal contact burns are normally experienced when the skin comes in contact with hot surfaces of overheated electric conductors, conduits, or other electrical equipment.  Sometimes, clothing may be ignited in an electrocution accident and a thermal burn will result. 

Electric shock can also cause injuries of an indirect or secondary nature, such as a collision or fall, resulting from involuntary muscle spasms and reaction from the electrocution.  In some instances, injuries caused by electrocution can be a contributory cause of delayed fatalities due to long term effects of the electrocution.

If you, a family member, or a loved one has sustained an injury or died as a result of an electrocution and you want to determine whether you or they have a claim for Worker's Compensation benefits and/or a possible legal claim against others for compensation, please contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 713-864-1941.