Electrocutions have long been recognized as a serious construction site hazard. As such, the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created electrical standards for the construction industry that are designed to protect construction workers exposed to dangers, such as electric shock, electrocution, explosions, and fires.[1]
When a company, contractor, subcontractor, developer, or landowner fails to uphold OSHA standards and a worker is electrocuted, all negligent parties who contributed to the accident may be liable for damages resulting from any injuries.
At Karr Tuttle Campbell, we have been helping injured workers and their families pursue justice, accountability, and maximum compensation for electrical accidents for years. If you were injured (or a loved one died) after being electrocuted, we invite you to call our office to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your rights and legal options. We also encourage you to read through the following article to learn more about our experienced construction electrocution lawyers and representation.
At Karr Tuttle Campbell, we represent injured construction workers on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we are only entitled to a fee if we secure compensation on a client’s behalf. Further, we advance litigation expenses while a case is ongoing (these costs are typically repaid from a settlement or jury award).
Getting the full and fair compensation deserved often involves identifying all liable parties, which (depending on the circumstances) may include:
Contractors
Power and utility companies
Subcontractors
Property owners
Other negligent third parties
The Difference in Possible Recovery Between Workers’ Compensation Benefits and Personal Injury Claims.
In general, construction workers in in a job site electrocution or shock are only entitled to workers’ compensation benefits from their employer (except in very rare cases involving deliberate recklessness).
Workers’ compensation in Washington state does not provide for compensation for pain and suffering, loss of lifestyle, and many other matters. Workers’ compensation for lost wages (both past and future) is also severely limited.
As a result, when significant injury (or a fatality) has occurred, it is critical to undertake a comprehensive investigation so that any non-employee parties that may be responsible can be identified and held accountable.
One of our first tasks as construction electrocution lawyers is thus to undertake such investigation. This typically involves job site investigation, witness interviews, and retaining experts to determine exactly how and why the injury or death occurred. It is often important that an injured worker (or their family member) contact us as soon as possible so that an investigation can be undertaken promptly before an accident site has changed.
If you or a family member has been injured (or if a family member has been killed) at a construction job site, please contact us ASAP for a free consultation so that we can begin working for you to preserve important evidence.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries after being electrocuted on a construction site, you and your family might be entitled to compensation through a variety of sources. If an employer has workers’ compensation insurance, this is generally the exclusive remedy against the company.
Additional compensation may also be available through a third-party personal injury or premises liability lawsuit against a contractor, subcontractor, developer, landowner, or another negligent party. If successful, an injured construction worker may be entitled to significant compensation not available through workers’ compensation, such as damages for pain and suffering. If we accept your personal injury case, we can also file a workers’ compensation claim on your behalf.
If a construction worker dies after being electrocuted or shocked at a worksite, specific beneficiaries may be entitled to pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim, including spouses, domestic partners, and children.[2] As experienced Seattle electrocution accident attorneys, we can help identify all liable parties, explain your legal options, and tenaciously seek maximum compensation for all losses.
Electrical accidents are often caused by negligence or Labor Law violations at worksites. Common causes of preventable electrocutions include:
Lack of notification regarding dangerous voltage, and
Lack of safety training to avoid electrocution.
Regardless of the cause of electrocution, if another party’s negligence contributes to an electrical accident, the injured construction worker deserves full and fair compensation.
The Tragic Results of Construction Site Electrocutions and Burn Injuries from Electric Shocks
Electrocutions occur when high-voltage lines come into contact directly with a person, or with an object touching a person. As an example, an electrocution can occur when a person in a forklift comes into contact with an overhead power line.
In tragic cases, construction site electrocutions and burn injuries from shocks can result in death. In other cases, the results can involve severe burns, internal body damages, amputations, blindness, disfigurement, and the loss of the use of limbs or other body parts.
All of these injuries are horrendous. Death in particular is horribly tragic.
For those who survive a construction electrocution or shock, the recovery can be long and painful. Burns in particular are incredibly painful, and can involve months or even years of painful surgeries, skin grafts, and other medical treatment and rehabilitation.
How We Help Injured Construction Workers
If you’ve been injured at a construction site, or if a family member has been killed in a workplace construction fatality, it is important to understand that in a construction personal injury cases or construction fatality case, you will only have one opportunity to recover full and fair compensation for both past and future damages.
This means that in either a settlement or jury trial, there is no possibility to “re-open” a settlement or to bring another case if ultimately damages are greater than initially anticipated (such as if an injured worker ultimately cannot return to work, or if damages are much greater than initially anticipated).
Our representation is focused on:
Carefully investigating all of facts and circumstances surrounding the construction site injury or death,
Interviewing witnesses,
Determining all those who may have accountability, so that a claim can be made against all such people or parties,
Interviewing physicians and other medical professionals to determine the extent of an injury and possible future medical treatment and associated costs, pain and suffering, and limitations upon future work and lifestyle ramifications,
Consulting with financial experts to determine likely future lost wages, if an injury will have a long-term impact on job opportunities, and
Taking such other actions as may be necessary to build the case for liability and full compensation.
Working Tirelessly For Clients and Families
At Karr Tuttle Campbell, we work tirelessly to identify all individuals and companies liable for electrocution injury accidents, which can often be multiple parties at a construction site. Then, we tenaciously fight to get the maximum compensation possible for injury victims and their families.
Find out how we can help. Give us a call for a free consultation and case evaluation so that you can learn about your rights to receive full compensation from all those responsible.
Contact Karr Tuttle Campbell at 206-223-1313 to Schedule a Free Consultation With An Experienced Seattle Construction Electrocution Attorney.
[1] Electrical, OSHA, Electrical – Construction | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)
[2] If the decedent does not have a spouse, domestic partner, or child, then a wrongful death suit may be brought for the benefit of surviving parents or siblings.
