Omaha Electrical Injury Attorneys

Recovering Compensation After an Electric Shock in Omaha

Whether you work on a farm or in an office building, electricity is all around you, flowing through everything from power lines to construction equipment. When you come in contact with an exposed or torn wire, this energy then gets redirected through your body, resulting in burns, nerve damage, difficulty breathing, and even death. Electrical injuries are a very serious matter and can be linked to faulty equipment, manufacturing errors, and negligent property owners.

Moving on after an Omaha electrical shock can be extremely difficult, especially if the damage affects your heart, lungs, or nerves. This can lead to a large amount of medical bills, a change in your career, and consistent, long-term care. These costs should not be yours to bear if the injury was caused by a negligent individual or company.

If you suffered an electric shock due to someone else’s negligence in Nebraska, contact Bottlinger Law L.L.C. to secure the legal representation of an Omaha electrical injury attorney. Our legal team can prepare a detailed personal injury case that includes all the costs associated with your injury and advocate for full compensation. Call us at (402) 505-8234 to learn what your rights are in a personal injury claim.

How an Electric Shock Damages the Body

When electricity flows through the body, either from a poorly installed wall socket or a damaged wire on a power saw, it can lead to both short-term, initial injuries and long-term injuries that may affect you for years to come. Among these injuries, victims often suffer from:

• Electrical burns, ranging from scarring along the skin to muscle and nerve damage
• Numbness or tingling in the affected area
• Damage to the heart, resulting in high, low, or irregular blood pressure
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Fall injuries, if you collapse after the initial shock
• Discomfort and pain
• Death, if the voltage is high enough

Almost every system of your body can suffer damage after an electric shock and be forever changed. You may need medication to deal with heart issues or headaches, physical therapy if you have mobility or balancing issues afterward, or surgeries to repair the burns or damage to your muscles. The earlier a doctor can access your wounds, the better long-term care you can receive for any developing issues.

Seeking Medical Treatment

The first thing you should do if you or someone you know has suffered an electrical shock is to make sure it is safe before moving. If you have collapsed, you do not want to risk touching or rolling onto the electrical wires again. In addition, if you see someone who has collapsed from electrical shock, you do not want to touch them until you are sure it is safe to get close. It is possible for electric currents to pass through one person’s body into another’s, so touching them while they are being electrocuted can end with you becoming hurt as well.

Once you have identified where the electrical current is coming from, you should safely disconnect the power or contact someone who can. Only then should it be safe to check on someone who has been shocked, but you should only move them to get them away from the electrical current. In cases involving power lines, stay at least 20 feet away if they are still on.

After you are sure you are safe to do so, call 911 or have someone else do so if you cannot. As you wait for the ambulance, try to keep calm and move as little as possible. If someone is with you, have them take photos of the area where the shock occurred and collect the contact information of any witnesses.

Holding Negligent Parties Accountable

Electrical injuries can be the fault of several individuals or groups, such as a landlord who did not repair a broken outlet or a construction contractor who failed to warn other workers about torn wires. In some cases, the individual who manufactured or leased a construction tool can be held liable for shocking the workers who used it. The workers, or their surviving family members, could file a product liability claim based on a manufacturing error. Even farm equipment has the risk of causing severe electrical injuries.

Ultimately, liability comes down to who owned the electrical equipment that caused the accident or was in charge of it. Property owners are required to make their business, apartment complex, or job site is as safe as possible for guests or workers. When they allow a known electrical hazard to remain on a property, such as a farmer leaving an electrical cord near a sprinkler system, they become liable for premises liability claims.

In turn, if the electrical injury occurred due to a public utility like a power line, then the claim could be with your local government or the electrical company hired to install or repair that utility. Determining who caused your injury and who can be held liable for any damages you have suffered will come down to an in-depth investigation by your attorney.

Protecting Your Rights After an Omaha Electrical Accident

Electrical injuries can be terrifying experiences that change your entire way of life, damaging your internal organs and even impacting your ability to walk. These accidents often lead to high medical bills and lost wages, in addition to the pain and suffering you experienced. If a negligent party caused your injuries, then you deserve full and proper compensation.

At Bottlinger Law L.L.C., we understand the short-term and long-term effects of electrical injuries. We know that Nebraska workers can be out of work from weeks to months, which puts you, your family, and your livelihood at risk. If we take you on as a client, our Omaha personal injury attorneys will actively and relentlessly pursue compensation on your behalf so that you have a fair chance at recover. Call us at (402) 505-8234 to schedule a free consultation and learn what options are available to you under the law.

Additional Information

• Electrical Injuries - MedlinePlus
• Electrical Injuries - Merck Manual