Hurt by Electricity in Richmond West? You Do Not Have to Face the Aftermath Alone

Electrocution Injuries in Richmond West

If someone has been shocked or electrocuted, get emergency help first. Then learn what happened and what options exist. Florida sets time limits on injury claims. That is why contacting a lawyer early matters.

How Electrical Injuries Happen at Home, at Work, and on Property

An electric shock can happen in seconds. Common causes include:

• A frayed cord on a space heater
• A pool light with a damaged seal
• A tool used near a wet floor
• A power line brought down by a storm

Wet hands and wet floors make the danger worse.

Worn or poorly maintained wiring can be hard to spot. The cause often becomes clear only after a careful look at the equipment, the repair history, and what happened on the day of the injury.

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm with its office in Miami. It serves people throughout Florida. The firm handles electrocution injury cases. Igor Hernandez, one of the firm’s lawyers, is the responsible lawyer for this page.

What an Electric Shock Does to the Body

Burns are a common result of electric shock. The mark on the skin often understates the damage underneath. Merck Manuals describes electrical injury as damage from current passing through the body. Symptoms can range from skin burns to damage to internal organs.

Current can travel along paths you cannot see. A small entry mark may hide deeper harm.

The heart is a major concern. Cleveland Clinic explains that a shock happens when current touches or passes through part of the body. The effects can range from mild to severe.

Current that crosses the chest can disrupt the heart’s rhythm. Cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating, is one of the serious risks doctors watch for.

Internal injuries may not be obvious right away. Some people feel fine at first. Follow the care plan your treating doctors set. This section describes common injury patterns. It is not medical advice.

If You Were Shocked: The First Steps

Call 911 right away. Do not touch the person while they are still in contact with the power source. Do not touch the source yourself.

• Turn off the power only if you can do it safely, such as at the main breaker. If a line is down, stay well back and keep others away.
• Get a medical evaluation, even if the person seems fine. Heart rhythm changes and internal injuries can develop after a shock.
• Write down the date, time, place, and cause of the shock while the details are fresh.
• Photograph the outlet, cord, appliance, wiring, or line before anyone repairs, replaces, or removes it. Evidence can disappear once a repair is made.

Electric Shock vs. Electrocution: What the Terms Mean

An electric shock is any contact with current that passes through the body. A shock can range from a brief tingle to a severe injury that changes someone’s life.

“Electrocution” is the word used when a shock causes death.

When an Electrical Accident Is Fatal: Support for the Family Left Behind

When an electrical accident takes a life, the family’s grief comes first.

Families may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim under Florida law. This is a lawsuit brought by the family after a death caused by someone else’s wrongdoing. A lawyer can explain which losses and options may apply to them.

Our team keeps the family’s needs at the center of every conversation. Questions, from practical to financial, can be taken one step at a time.

More Than One Party May Be Responsible

Electrical injuries often involve more than one party. A property owner, a contractor who did the wiring, the maker of a faulty appliance or fixture, or an employer may each have played a role. Florida law has rules for these situations:

• Nonparty fault. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, a defendant who wants fault assigned to a nonparty (someone not in the lawsuit) must prove that nonparty’s fault in causing the injuries at trial. The defendant must do this by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely true than not.
• Products. The same statute defines a products liability action to include claims for damages caused by the design, manufacture, installation, or assembly of a product. In a products liability action where injuries were enhanced by a defective product, the trier of fact (the judge or jury deciding the facts) must consider the fault of all persons who contributed to the accident.
• Contribution. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.31, when two or more persons become jointly or severally liable (legally responsible together) in tort for the same injury or wrongful death, there is a right of contribution among them. This applies even if judgment has not been recovered against all of them.
• Under Fla. Stat. § 768.31(2)(c), there is no right of contribution in favor of any tortfeasor who has intentionally (willfully or wantonly) caused or contributed to the injury or wrongful death.

If the shock happened at work, Florida’s workers’ compensation system may apply. Workers’ compensation is the system that covers job injuries. Federal workplace safety rules enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also address electrical hazards on job sites.

A job-site shock can follow a different path than a claim against a property owner or other third party. Tell your lawyer about your employer from the start.

Florida Deadlines and the Fault Rules

Florida sets deadlines for filing injury lawsuits. These are set out in Fla. Stat. § 95.11.

These clocks can be technical. Contact a lawyer promptly rather than waiting.

Florida also applies comparative fault. This means each person’s share of blame is weighed. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, contributory fault (fault chargeable to the injured person) reduces the amount awarded in proportion. It does not bar recovery.

A party found greater than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover any damages. This subsection does not apply to an action for damages for personal injury or wrongful death arising out of medical negligence.

Older appliances and fixtures are a reason to keep them and seek review promptly.

Medical Bills: What Happens to Treatment Costs

Families often ask what happens to hospital and treatment bills. Florida law addresses several parts of this question:

• Amounts actually paid. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.0427, evidence of the damages for past medical treatment or services that have been satisfied is limited to the amount actually paid. This applies regardless of the source of payment.
• Letters of protection. A letter of protection is an arrangement. A provider treats an injured person in exchange for a promise of payment from any judgment or settlement.
• Collateral sources. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.76, the court reduces an award by the amounts paid or otherwise available to the claimant from collateral sources (other payers, such as insurance). This applies except where a subrogation or reimbursement right exists. Subrogation means a payer has a right to be repaid from the recovery.

These rules are technical. How they apply depends on the facts of each case. Follow your doctors’ care plan. Let a lawyer explain how these rules apply to your bills.

Talk with CHG Personal Injury Lawyers

If you were shocked or electrocuted and want to know your options, CHG Personal Injury Lawyers can review the facts with you.

If a shock at a Richmond West home, pool, rental, or job site left you or someone you love hurt, you do not have to sort out the next steps alone. Our attorneys offer a free, confidential, no-obligation initial consultation.

Schedule yours through our contact page. Bring your photos, medical records, and any repair or incident reports.

CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery. Some matters may be referred to or handled with another law firm.

Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page. CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm with its office in Miami. The firm’s lawyers are licensed attorneys admitted to practice in Florida. The Florida Bar has not approved this page.