Electric Shock Injury Lawyers

An electric shock injury is typically caused by lightning or an electric current from a mechanical source that passes through the body. The body is quite a good conductor of electricity and direct contact with electrical current can often be fatal. While some electrical burns may look minor, there still may be significant internal damage, especially to the heart, muscles, or brain.

If your family member suffered an electrical shock at home or on the job, contact the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes today for a free consultation.

Electric shocks are responsible for approximately 1,000 deaths per year in the United States, or about 1% of all accidental deaths.

Often times electric shock injuries are caused by such things as accidental contact with the exposed parts of electrical appliances, young children biting electrical cords or sticking metal objects into an electrical outlet, being struck by lightning, or getting accidental exposure to high-voltage power lines.

The severity of the injury depends on the current's voltage, the amount of current (amperage), and the type of current. Additional factors are the body's resistance to the current, the current's specific path into and through the body, and how long the body remained in contact with the current. Although the severity of injury is determined mainly by the voltage of the electricity, low voltage may be just as dangerous as high voltage under the right circumstances. People have been killed by shocks of merely 50 volts.

Electric current can cause injury in any of the following ways:

• Cardiac arrest (heart attack) due to the overwhelming electrical effect on the heart
• Muscle, nerve, and tissue destruction resulting from a current that passes through the body
• Thermal burns that result from direct contact with the electrical source

Injury cases involving electrocution / electrical shock may include:

• Drilling into power lines on construction sites
• Exposure to power lines or other things that carry high-voltage
• Faulty or defective equipment, appliances, or machines
• Unsafe or defective electrical outlets (power outlets)
• Exposed wires / dangerous wiring
• Light fittings overheating
• Unattended electric heaters and hot plates

For further information about electric/electrical shock injuries or deaths, please contact us today for a free consultation. We represent clients in California and across the United States. For immediate assistance call us toll-free at 1-800-622-7637 or 213-487-5200. We look forward to helping you.