Electrical accidents are one of the most common risks on construction sites. Contact with overhead power lines, improperly installed equipment, exposed wiring, lack of ground fault circuit interrupters, inadequate training, and failure to follow lockout/tagout procedures can all lead to life-threatening injuries or fatality. Many of these accidents can be prevented by having adequate safety measures in place and following proper safety protocol. If you were injured in an electrical accident on a construction site, you may be entitled to pursue a personal injury action against a negligent third-party to recover the damages you suffered.
What Types of Electrical Injuries Can Occur on Construction Sites?
There are a wide range of electrical injuries that can be sustained on a construction site. However, it’s not only electricians who are at risk of electrical injuries on construction sites — equipment operators, roofers, carpenters, laborers, foremen, and other workers all can face electrical hazards. When workers come into contact with electrical currents or live wires, they may suffer burns, nerve damage, respiratory issues, heart failure, and other serious injuries.
Common types of construction site electrical injuries can include the following:
- Electric shock — Electric shocks caused by exposure to an electrical current can cause burns, cardiac arrest, and permanent nerve damage.
- Electrocution — Electrocution injuries can be severe, and result in fatality depending on the voltage.
- Arc flash injuries — An arc flash can cause severe burns, loss of hearing, eye injuries, damage to the lungs, and blast injuries. Injuries can also arise due to flying debris and the pressure wave in connection with the arc flash.
- Burn injuries — Electrical accidents can cause burn injuries on the skin that can range from mild to severe. They can also result in internal organ and tissue damage.
- Musculoskeletal injuries — In some cases, a worker may fall after an electrical shock. This can cause broken bones, fractures, and organ damage.
- Respiratory injuries — Electric shocks can cause contractions of the respiratory muscles, making it difficult to breathe. In addition, when electricity passes through the chest and part of the brain that controls breathing, it can lead to respiratory arrest or fatality.
- Heart problems — Electrical shocks can cause a variety of heart problems, including arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, myocardial rupture, and other cardiac complications.
Often, construction-related electrical injuries require extensive medical treatment and time out of work. An injured worker may also incur out-of-pocket expenses and experience a significant amount of pain and suffering. Although a worker cannot hold their employer liable for their injuries, there is usually a third-party on the construction site who is to blame for the accident.
What Legal Recourse Do Construction Workers Have for Electrical Injuries?
While Workers’ Compensation is typically the first avenue for legal recourse after a construction site electrical injury, these benefits do not cover the full extent of a worker’s losses. They also do not take pain and suffering into account. A construction worker who suffered electrical injuries on a job site may be entitled to recover a broad scope of damages by filing a personal injury action.
By pursuing a lawsuit, a construction worker may be entitled to recover both their economic and non-economic losses. While economic losses cover things like medical expenses, lost wages, future lost earnings, and out-of-pocket costs, non-economic losses compensate for the non-pecuniary losses that are much more difficult to quantify — such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
In limited cases, where a defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious, a construction worker who suffered electrical injuries on a job site may be able to recover punitive damages. This category of damages is meant to punish the defendant for their wrongdoing and deter others from engaging in similar behavior.
Contact an Experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney
If you suffered electrical injuries on a construction site, a skillful personal injury lawyer can assist you with securing the compensation you deserve. Due to our acumen, knowledge, and experience, The Edelsteins, Faegenburg & Brown, LLP regularly secures substantial settlements and jury verdicts for injured construction workers. Located in Manhattan, our firm has been handling personal injury matters throughout New York City since 1937. Call to schedule a free consultation at (212) 425-1999 today.