What is the Most Common Type of Injury from Electric Shock?
Electricity can be extremely dangerous. A study cited by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that electric shocks lead to approximately 30,000 injuries and 1,000 fatalities in the U.S. each year. Burns are the most commonly reported type of electric shock injury. Here, our Richmond workers’ compensation attorney provides a more comprehensive overview of electric shock risks, the most common types of injuries, and the rights of injured workers under Virginia law.
What is an Electric Shock?
An electric shock happens when a person comes into contact with an open source of electrical energy. The current flows through their body—and it can cause serious injuries. Notably, the severity of the shock injury can vary depending on the voltage and duration of exposure.
Burns are the Most Common Electric Shock Injury
Burns are the most common injury resulting from electric shocks, as the electrical current generates intense heat along its path through the body. These burns can affect the skin, tissues, and even deeper organs. Electrical burns are unique in that they may cause more subdermal damage than is apparent on the skin’s surface. As a consequence, electrical shock burns can be extremely painful and especially dangerous. The proper treatment for an electrical burn may require specialized medical intervention to manage both the immediate and long-term complications.
Electric Shocks Can Also Cause Cardiac Arrest
Electric shocks can disrupt the normal electrical activity of the heart, potentially leading to cardiac arrest. This disruption can cause an immediate and severe malfunction in the heart’s rhythm. This is known as an arrhythmia. The risk of cardiac arrest increases with the strength and duration of the electrical exposure. Unfortunately, cardiac arrest is the primary reason why people are killed by electrical shocks. Other serious injuries—such as neurological damage and/or nerve damage—can be an issue as well. Severe electrical shock injury requires immediate emergency care.
Injured Workers in Virginia Have a Right to File for Benefits
In Virginia, virtually all employers are required by law to provide no-fault workers’ comp insurance coverage to virtually all of their employees. If you or your loved one suffered an electric shock injury on the job—while working as an electrician or in any other type of position—you need to bring a workers’ comp claim. Benefits may be available for medical care, wage loss, and a disability. A Virginia workers’ comp attorney can help you bring a workers’ comp claim.
Workers’ Comp Claims Tip: Ensure any electrical shock injury is reported to your employer in a timely manner.
Contact Our Virginia Workers’ Comp Lawyer for Electric Shock Injuries Today
At Injured Workers’ Law Firm, our Virginia workers’ comp lawyer has the legal knowledge you can depend on. It is our job to get to work when you cannot. Suffer an electric shock injury? Our team is here to help. Give us a phone call at (804) 755-7755 or contact us directly online for immediate help. We handle work-related electric shock injuries throughout Virginia.