Construction Workers Face Serious Injuries from Electrocution

June 2014

Each day, construction workers and other laborers encounter multiple dangers on the job. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, electrocution is the second most common cause of death among construction workers, making it one of the “fatal four” types of construction fatalities. Workers also frequently face related injuries from burns and explosions.

When employers fail to maintain their equipment, neglect to store chemicals in a safe manner, or fail to follow proper safety procedures and precautions, workers can suffer life-changing injuries. In the most devastating cases, families lose loved ones to workplace electrocution accidents. In Iowa, it is not necessary to prove that an employer was negligent, just that the injury arose out of and in the course of employment.

Electrocution Often Results in Severe Injury

At Keane Law Firm, Attorney Ed Keane helps individuals and families recover the damages they need to fully compensation them for their injuries. Electrocution injuries are among the most severe and physically overwhelming injuries a person can suffer. Depending on the amount of voltage and the duration of the exposure, an individual may experience:

  • Heart damage or heart attack
  • Vision loss
  • Amputation
  • Nerve damage
  • Brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Burns
  • Paralysis

Workers can also sustain secondary injuries, such as broken bones and internal damage, as a result of being forcibly propelled away from the source of the electrical surge. An electrocution victim’s recovery is often slow and painful, as many individuals require skin grafts and lengthy rehabilitation following severe electrical burns.

Holding Employers Accountable

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that most work-related electrocutions are preventable. When employers fail to provide a safe work environment for employees, they are held accountable for resulting injuries. Employers who fail to provide necessary safety equipment, such as rubber matting and protective gear like insulated gloves, hoods, and face shields, are strictly liable for damages associated with these injuries. Employers who neglect to provide employees with necessary training are also liable for workers’ injuries. By holding employers accountable, injury victims and their families can recover compensation as well as deter employers from engaging in future conduct that could harm someone else.

Contact Keane Law Firm

If you have been injured in a work-related electrocution accident, or you have lost a family member in a work place accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. Contact Attorney Ed Keane today at (712) 234-3088 to discuss your case.

This website has been prepared by Keane Law Firm for informational purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.