If you are hurting because of an electrical injury from work, you may be entitled to fault-free benefits through the workers’ compensation system. The financial award you may receive could include full payment of your medical expenses — including doctor’s visits and prescription costs — and money to make up for your lost earnings. You can start the process of requesting this settlement by notifying your employer about your injuries and filing a formal claim with the Workers’ Compensation Commission or with the help of an electrocution accident lawyer.
Instead of trying to move through the claims process on your own, consider working with an electrocution accident lawyer in South Carolina. Our distinguished law firm tirelessly advocates for those who have severe burns, nerve damage, and other injuries because of being electrocuted on the job. We understand what you and your loved ones are going through, and we would like to help in whatever way we can by handling the legal matters.
How Do Electrocution Accidents Occur on the Job?
People can be electrocuted at work in several contexts. For example, a stray power line may fall on them while they are doing utility work. Or they may accidentally touch a frayed electrical wire while they are fixing someone’s house. Additionally, workers who are up on airlifts may be struck by lightning while removing branches and trees from a property.
People who are working on or near power grids or cranes may also be in danger of getting electrocuted. For example, they may walk near a live current and get hit by the electrical arc from a power grid. Or, they may step onto an area that has live electricity flowing through it, causing the current to run through them.
What Are the Electrocution Injuries a Worker Can Suffer?
Working with high- and low-voltage electrical components carries with it a serious risk of getting electrocuted. As the National Library of Medicine discusses, tissue that does not conduct electricity very well — like joints, fat, or skin — is most likely to experience the most damage. If someone is electrocuted at work, they may experience a range of injuries, such as a significant burn, seizure, respiratory problems, or brain damage.
Does Workers’ Comp Cover Electrician Injuries?
South Carolina’s workers’ compensation system covers many job-related accidents and injuries, including those involving electricity. This system requires most employers to carry a specific insurance policy that will support employees who get hurt during the course of their employment. Qualifying for these benefits involves proving you are a covered employee and that your injury occurred while you were at work or doing work for your company.
Someone may be a covered employee if they have an employment relationship with their business. This may include people who are underage or who are not lawful citizens of the United States. Casual employees — e.g., someone who does occasional work that falls outside the scope of what the business does — may not be included in this definition.
That said, the law looks at the specific circumstances of the employer-employee relationship to decide if someone qualifies for benefits. So, someone may be eligible for workers’ comp even if their boss says they are an independent contractor. Contact an electrocution accident lawyer for help navigating your claim.
How Does OSHA Recommend Guarding Against Electrical Hazards?
The Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration has a host of rules in place to safeguard workers against the known dangers of electricity. For example, the Code of Federal Regulations has strict requirements for how companies make electrical protective equipment. Under these rules, protective gear — like rubber insulating gloves, covers, or blankets — should be made out of a specific type of rubber and should not have any seams.
Additionally, OSHA recommends that employers use a grounding grid to equalize the voltage throughout a portion of a worksite. These and other measures can protect workers from inadvertently coming into contact with an area — which can be the ground or the air around a live current — where they might be electrocuted.
Can I Sue My Employer for an Electrocution Accident?
If you are electrocuted while at work, you may be able to file a claim with your employer’s insurance company. Most often, suing your employer directly — say, in a personal injury lawsuit — would not be possible if your injury occurred on the job. The reason for this is that, usually, the workers’ compensation system is the only way employees can seek a financial award after a job-related injury.
South Carolina’s workers’ compensation program may allow you to receive benefits regardless of whether your employer or someone else — say, a coworker — did something wrong and caused you harm. In other words, you may qualify for relief without having to show fault. If you are able to secure a settlement, South Carolina law may allow you to request payment for your healthcare costs as well as supplemental wages.
How Can Williams & Roche, LLC, Help?
With over 50 years of combined experience in the workers’ compensation space, we bring a wealth of impressive knowledge and practical skills to the table. Both of our founding attorneys served robust terms on the Workers’ Compensation Commission, the body that oversees claims throughout South Carolina. Serving in this role allowed them to gain an intimate understanding of how the process works and how judges make these decisions.
Additionally, both of our founding attorneys worked on behalf of insurance companies and employers before transitioning to their current practice, which focuses exclusively on injured workers. Serving on all sides of the claim—as a judge, worker’s advocate, and insurance lawyer—equips them with agile perspectives they can use to create responsive case strategies for injured employees.
Contact an Electrocution Accident Lawyer to Talk About Your Legal Options After a Work Related Electrical Injury
Being electrocuted can leave you with life-long limitations and trauma, putting you out of work while you try to recover. Through the workers’ compensation system, you may be able to access much-needed funds you can use to support yourself and continue quality medical treatments.
Reach out to an electrocution accident lawyer at Williams & Roche, LLC, today by calling 803.784.0503 to set up an initial consultation. We can help you identify and protect your right to due compensation for your losses.
