Electricians need specific skills and training to complete their work safely and effectively. Electricians provided with in-depth training are still highly vulnerable to injury as they are subjected to several job hazards. Some such hazards prove fatal. If you are injured when performing electrical work or if you lose a loved one who perished while working, it is possible to obtain financial compensation to prevent a financial disaster. However, most electricians have little-to-no understanding of their legal rights. If you do not lean on a savvy workers’ compensation attorney, you run the risk of receiving minimal compensation/benefits or none at all.
The Electrical Industry’s Risks
Electricians are particularly vulnerable to electrical shock. The worst-case scenario is electrical shock that leads to death. Exposure to excessive current or exposure to prolonged current can cause the heart to beat that much faster and possibly even induce death. Death will occur in mere minutes unless a defibrillator is applied. Though 75 mA is not an excessively high current, it really does have the potential to cause a lasting injury. Electric shocks to the hands tend to prove non-fatal at a higher frequency than electrical shocks to other parts of the body nut such injuries can occur when direct contact is made with the electrical equipment or electrical wire. Immediate medical attention is necessary to treat the individual subjected to the electric shock and prevent lasting damage.
Electricians are also highly vulnerable to fall injuries. Electrical workers can fall from ladders as well as other heights when wiring at high elevations. Falls are not always the sole cause of the injury as it’s possible for electrical shock to knock the electrical worker off a ladder or other elevated surface onto the ground below.
Repetitive Injuries and Overexertion
Though not as common as the injuries detailed above, it is also possible for electrical workers to endure injuries resulting from overexertion and repetitive stress. Electricians’ hands, fingers, knees, and backs are particularly vulnerable. Stress injuries or overexertion can result from the use of force to perform a specific task, handling tools that vibrate, remaining in the same position for an extended period, standing on hard surfaces, positioning the body in an awkward manner, and frequently bending at the waist/knees. Though some overuse and repetitive stress injuries are as painful as the common electrical worker injuries explained above, it is possible for such an injury to reduce the electrician’s quality of life and even end his or her career.
How to Proceed After an Electrical Injury
Injured electricians will have to take time off from work or possibly even transition to a completely new line of work. This transition can lead to significant financial stress as it becomes that much more challenging to cover medical expenses stemming from the injury. Your budget should be the last thing on your mind as you attempt to rebuild your health. Thankfully, compensation is available through New Jersey’s workers’ compensation system.
Meet with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to explain exactly what happened. Your attorney will guide you through the workers’ compensation claim filing process. If everything goes as it should, you will be provided with compensation for medical bills and disability benefits for injuries that are causally related to your workplace activities. Injured workers should know negligence does not play a role in workers’ compensation claims. Injured electricians are covered regardless of where the injury happened, or why it happened, if it is the direct result of required workplace duties.
As noted above, workers’ compensation laws are applicable in situations where employers are negligent yet there are some limitations. As an example, injured electricians are not provided with compensation for pain or suffering. Furthermore, if the electrician perishes as a result of the workplace incident, loved ones are not empowered to claim benefits for loss of companionship through the workers’ compensation system.
It is possible to file a personal injury lawsuit after suffering a workplace injury. Electricians are barred from suing their employer when receiving workers’ compensation benefits, yet they can sue third-parties who bear responsibility for the injury. If you are considering such a lawsuit, it is imperative you meet with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will help determine if a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against a third-party has any chance of success. If there is legal footing for such a lawsuit, your attorney will help you identify all liable parties and attempt to prove their negligence caused your injury or the death of a love done.
Schibell Law is Here for Injured Electricians
Schibell Law LLC has successfully obtained workers’ compensation benefits and other forms of compensation on behalf of injured electricians. If you are hurt while performing electrical work or if you lose a loved one due to a workplace injury, reach out to our legal team as soon as possible to schedule a no-cost consultation. You can reach Schibell Law by calling 732-774-1000. We will fiercely advocate on your behalf until justice is served.
