According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there are about 125 deaths on the job each year in the United States and roughly 400 overall as a result of electrocutions. Other tragedies occur around residential properties and can be caused by inadequate inspections or faulty installation or maintenance by energy companies. These errors result in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year.

Electrical current exposure can result in a wide range of injuries, including but not limited to:

  • Skin burns as well as internal burns that can cause swelling and compression of the arteries, cutting off blood supply to the limbs
  • Abnormal heart rhythms
  • Kidney damage
  • Cataracts
  • Electrical jolt can cause a bad fall, resulting in dislocations or broken bones.
  • Nerve damage to the spinal cord can result in paralysis, numbness, chronic pain or erectile dysfunction.
  • Electrical damage to the nerves and brain can manifest in seizures, brain hemorrhages, short-term memory loss, personality changes and difficulty sleeping.

The leading causes of workplace electrocutions include contact with overhead power lines and contact with wiring, transformers or other electrical components. The utilization of machines, tools, appliances and light fixtures also are typically involved as well.

In the workplace, the responsible party has an obligation to provide a safe working environment, free from reasonably foreseeable hazards. Regrettably, there are instances in which individuals take short cuts to cut expenses. Other times there is a failure to provide adequate training of safety policies and measures.

Should you need further information or assistance in regards to an electrocution case please contact us at the Todd Law Firm at 512-472-7799.

David Todd
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Austin Texas Eminent Domain Condemnation Attorney