Electrocuted or Shocked in Jacksonville? Here Is What to Do Next

An electrocution injury happens when electric current passes through the body. In Jacksonville, these injuries can lead to a legal claim when someone else’s carelessness caused the shock.

Jacksonville runs on electricity. Power lights up everything from Jaguars games to cranes on downtown job sites. That is why these injuries can happen in many places across the city.

What an Electrical Shock Can Do to the Body

Electricity can harm the body in several ways at once:

• It can burn the skin where the current enters and where it leaves.
• It can damage the nerves and muscles beneath the surface.
• It can upset the heart’s rhythm.

A shock can also knock a person off a ladder, roof, or dock. That fall can cause head or spinal injuries.

Some effects do not appear right away. Symptoms can show up hours or days after a shock. Anyone who was shocked should see a doctor, even if they feel fine.

Follow the care plan your doctors give you. Attend every follow-up visit.

In the most serious cases, electrical injuries can lead to amputation or long-term disability. Families who receive that news often need time, clear information, and steady support.

Your medical care belongs with your doctors. Our role is to explain the legal side of what happened.

Where Electrocution Injuries Happen in Jacksonville

Electrocution injuries in Jacksonville often happen where people work near power, water, or storm damage. Several settings come up again and again.

Riverfront docks and marinas. Docks, boat lifts, and shore power connections along the St. Johns River put people close to water and live wiring. Wet surfaces can make a shock more dangerous.

Construction sites. Crews downtown and along busy corridors often work near overhead and buried power lines. A crane, ladder, or metal pole that touches a line can carry current to a worker.

Storm-damaged areas. After severe weather, lines can fall or hang low. Walking or driving near a downed line can be deadly. Touching a fence or puddle near one can be deadly too. Stay back and report the line to the utility or call 911.

Homes and rentals. Pools, rental houses, apartments, and older wiring can all cause shocks. This often happens when they fail or are poorly maintained.

Workplaces. Warehouses, shipyards, and maintenance jobs rely on electrical equipment every day.

Who May Share Responsibility

A claim can involve more than one party. The right parties depend on how the shock happened. Possible parties include:

• The electric utility
• A contractor
• A property owner or landlord
• An equipment maker
• An employer

These are questions to investigate. They are not findings of fault.

Investigators often ask several questions:

• Were lines cleared or marked near the work area?
• Were warnings and barriers in place?
• Was the wiring and equipment maintained?
• Were required safety steps followed?

The answers depend on the facts of each shock.

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, a court enters judgment against each liable party. Each party’s amount is based on its percentage of fault.

Florida Deadlines and How Fault Is Decided

For most Florida negligence and personal injury claims that arise after March 24, 2023, you have two years to file a lawsuit (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a)).

Wrongful death claims by families also face deadlines. A wrongful death claim is a case brought by family members after a loved one dies. Act promptly.

Deadlines apply. Contact a lawyer early rather than waiting.

Florida uses modified comparative fault for negligence suits filed after March 24, 2023. Comparative fault means blame is split among the people involved. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, the injured person’s share of fault reduces the award. If that share is greater than 50 percent, the person generally may not recover any damages, but this does not apply to personal injury or wrongful death actions arising out of medical negligence under chapter 766.

If someone died, the Florida Wrongful Death Act lets certain family members seek damages. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.21, a surviving spouse may recover for loss of companionship and protection, and for mental pain and suffering from the date of injury. Each parent of a deceased minor may recover for mental pain and suffering.

Steps to Protect Your Claim in the First Days

• Get medical care first. Keep every record, bill, and discharge instruction.
• Report the incident. Tell the utility, the property owner, or the employer. Ask for a written incident report, and keep a copy.
• Take photos. Capture the scene, the damaged equipment, any warning signs, and your injuries. Note the weather and the time of day.
• Save evidence. Keep the clothing, tools, or devices involved in the shock. Do not repair or throw them away.
• Write down names. Record phone numbers for witnesses and anyone who responded, including fire and police personnel.

Memories fade. Write down details while they are fresh.

Be careful with recorded statements to insurance adjusters. Talk with a lawyer before you give one.

Talk With CHG Personal Injury Lawyers About Your Jacksonville Case

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based firm. It handles personal injury cases of every severity, including electrocution injuries.

Igor Hernandez is the responsible lawyer for this page. The firm’s licensed attorneys are admitted to The Florida Bar. The firm serves clients throughout Florida, including Jacksonville.

The first consultation is free and confidential. It carries no obligation to continue. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery.

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