An Electrical Injury Can Change Everything. You Don't Have to Face It Alone.

When an Electric Shock Changes Everything for a Plantation Family

An electrocution injury happens when electric current passes through a person’s body. It can happen in a split second. The harm can last for years.

Picture a Plantation homeowner who grabs a metal gate after a storm. Or picture a worker who touches a live wire on a job site. The shock may leave them hurt and shaking. They may not know how serious it really is.

Electrical harm can range from a brief shock to severe burns. It can also cause heart rhythm problems, nerve damage, falls, amputation, or death.

Facing an insurance company alone can feel like a Florida Panthers power play with no goalie in net.

This guide is written for injured people and for families who lost a loved one to electricity. It explains how these cases work in Florida. It also explains steps that can help protect a claim.

How Electrocution Accidents Happen in Plantation Homes, Yards, and Job Sites

Most electrocution accidents happen where people use wiring, appliances, and power lines every day. In Plantation, that often means a home, a yard, a pool area, or a construction site.

Common settings include:

• Outlets, cords, and wiring that are old, damaged, or poorly maintained
• Pool and screen-enclosure areas, where metal frames and water can meet electrical equipment
• Trimming trees or handling ladders and poles near overhead lines
• Construction zones, where cranes, scaffolding, and tools can reach live wires

Florida storms and high winds can bring down power lines and damage wiring. Contact with a fallen or damaged line can be deadly. Stay well back. Treat every line as live.

Many shock injuries come from equipment, wiring, or work practices that were not kept up or made safe. Claims in these cases allege negligence. Every injury case turns on its own facts, so the details of what happened matter. The facts of each accident decide who may be responsible.

Workplace rules matter too. OSHA employer responsibilities describes federal duties.

Injuries That May Not Be Obvious Right Away

Electrical current can injure the body in ways that don’t show on the skin. Some harm appears hours or days later. That is why prompt medical checks matter.

Possible injuries include:

• Burns where the current entered and exited the body. These can look small on the surface but run deeper.
• Heart rhythm problems
• Damage to muscles and nerves, which may cause pain, weakness, or numbness
• Falls caused by the shock, which can lead to head injuries or broken bones
• Traumatic brain injury (an injury to the brain, often from a hard blow or fall)
• Limb loss in severe cases

See a doctor as soon as possible, even if you feel fine at first. Follow your doctors’ care closely.

Keep every medical record, bill, and work note from day one. A simple journal of symptoms and missed work can also help your family later.

Who May Be Responsible and What a Claim Can Cover

A claim may point to whoever’s conduct is alleged to have caused the shock. Depending on the facts, that can include a property owner, a contractor, an equipment maker, or a utility.

Injured workers often have workers’ compensation benefits (a system that pays for work injuries through the employer) . Florida law generally limits lawsuits against an employer. There are listed exceptions. One example is when an employer fails to secure payment of compensation.

A separate claim against an outside party may still be possible in some cases.

If someone died, Florida’s Wrongful Death Act may allow a family claim. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.19, a party liable for damages had death not ensued is liable for damages.

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.20, the claim is brought by the personal representative of the person who died, who recovers damages for the benefit of the survivors and the estate.

Survivors may recover different kinds of damages (money a court can award). Under Fla. Stat. § 768.21, a surviving spouse may recover for loss of companionship and mental pain and suffering. Minor children, and all children if there is no surviving spouse, may recover for lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance and for mental pain and suffering from the date of injury, but adult children cannot recover these damages in claims for medical negligence as defined by s. 766.106(1).

Florida also applies a fault rule. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, a party found more than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover any damages in a negligence action. Fla. Stat. § 768.81 reads: “This subsection does not apply to an action for damages for personal injury or wrongful death arising out of medical negligence pursuant to chapter 766.”

An injured person’s claim may also seek medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. No amount can be promised ahead of time.

Steps Plantation Families Can Take to Protect a Claim

Start by documenting the scene and keeping damaged items. Each step helps preserve the facts while they are fresh.

• Photograph the scene, the wiring or equipment, and any burns or injuries. Do this as soon as it is safe.
• Report the incident to the property owner or employer. Keep a copy of any written report.
• If police or fire crews responded, ask for the report number.
• Keep the damaged appliance, cord, or tool. Don’t repair, throw away, or test it before talking with a lawyer.
• Be careful with recorded statements to insurance companies. Speak with a lawyer first.
• Watch the clock. Florida sets a two-year filing period for negligence and wrongful death actions.
• These deadlines apply. Contacting a lawyer promptly helps protect your claim.

Talk With Igor Hernandez About Your Electrocution Injury

If electricity hurt you or someone you love in Plantation, Igor Hernandez can talk through your options with you. He is the responsible lawyer for this page at CHG Personal Injury Lawyers.

The firm is based in Florida. It handles electrocution injury and other personal injury claims.

Your situation might be a shock or burn that still affects your work, your sleep, or your family. It might also be a family facing a death and trying to decide what comes next. Either way, a first conversation can bring clarity.

Contact CHG Personal Injury Lawyers to ask about a free, confidential initial consultation. There is no obligation to continue. The firm charges no attorney’s fees or case costs unless there is a recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions