New Orleans Electric Shock/Electrocution Lawyer
Most workers are exposed to electric shock and electrocution hazards at work, whether they work in an office, in a factory, or outside with heavy machinery. If you suffered an electric shock, you need to seek medical attention at once. Some electric shock injuries can take weeks or months to fully manifest, particularly if they are neurological injuries. A New Orleans electric shock/electrocution lawyer at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC will help you with the next steps.
How Electrocution and Electric Shock Happen
When our bodies come into contact with an electric current, the electricity that passes through us can cause an electric shock injury or electrocution (which is fatal). There are a number of injuries that a worker can sustain from an electric shock. These include the following:
- Cardiac Arrest—A strong electrical current can interrupt the normal electrical signals between the brain and the rest of the body. This can cause the heart to stop. Cardiac arrest is fatal if the victim does not receive immediate medical attention.
- Thermal Burns—An electric shock can cause second and third degree burns to the skin, as well as deeper into the body. While an electric shock victim may only have minimal (or no) visible burns to the surface of their skin, as the electricity passes through the body it has the potential to burn and critically damage internal organs, muscle, tendon, and even bone.
- Nerve Damage—While we do not usually associate nerves with soft tissue, nerves are another physical part of the body that can be damaged in an electric shock, just like muscle and organs. Nerve damage can manifest in numbness, tingling, weakness, intense pain, and paralyzation. Additionally, electricity passing through nerves can cause the victim to stop breathing.
- Arc Blast Injuries—The pressure wave released from an arc flash can cause an explosion-like force, causing injury to the face, eyes, ears, and internal organs. If strong enough, an arc blast can collapse an electric shock victim’s lungs.
- Falling Injury—Upon being shocked, the victim may lose consciousness, the victim’s muscles may involuntarily contract, or the victim may simply be startled. In any of those scenarios, they are prone to falling. A fall from the same level to the ground can cause broken bones or a concussion. A fall from a ladder or to another level can be fatal.
Electric Shock Causing Neurological Damage
Nerve damage is quite possibly the most severe long-term effect of suffering an electric shock. There are three types of nerves that can be damaged in a shock: autonomic nerves (which control the heart, blood pressure, temperature regulation, etc.), motor nerves (which control movement such as walking or talking), and sensory nerves (which act as information roadways from the brain to the rest of the body). Damage to any of these nerves can have serious implications, including intense burning pain, weakness, paralysis, numbness, inability to control the bladder, confusion, amnesia, depression, anxiety and other mood disorders, hypertension, insomnia, brain damage, and more.
Contact a New Orleans Electric Shock/Electrocution Lawyer
As an electric shock victim, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits from your employer. Our New Orleans electric shock and electrocution lawyer at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC can help you get started with a claim. Call us today at 601-488-3975 to schedule a free consultation.
