Every year, around 400 electrical accidental deaths take place on workplaces; and it is estimated that over 200 people die while using defective home appliances. In both situations, serious cases of faulty and defective electrical wiring plus a lack of safety to protect consumers are present. In other words, the responsible companies neglect the minimum standards of required protection so that no injuries may happen.
When a person exposes his/her body to an electrical current in a circuit, an electric shock occurs. Since the body is mostly water, the electrical current looks for the easiest path to the ground, which, in this case, is the human tissue. Depending on the severity of the electrical current, the consequences of an electrocution can vary from a slight muscle contraction, to heart attacks or respiratory failures. In the most dangerous situations, an electrocution can cause burns, either superficial or completely internal. If the wound is internal, there will be only one entry and exit way from the body; that is, if electricity travels through the bones, it will only hurt deep muscle tissue.
There have been records of injuries caused by electrocutions with hairdryers, microwaves, extension cords, garden tools and others. In these cases, the consumers have the right to set a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the product and claim for damage recovery, which includes medical expenses, loss of current and future earnings, pain and suffering. Usually, most states are ruled by three kinds of product liability cases: a design defect, a manufacturing defect, and a failure to warn or instruct. In other terms, it is the duty of the manufacturer to "design out" all the possible dangers inherent within the product.
In the case of workers who suffer injuries in electrical accidents, they can claim for monetary losses through worker's compensation insurance. Anyhow, this compensation does not cover the totality of the damages as a result of a work-related accident. Therefore, workers affected must look for alternative ways to claim compensation.
Remember that any kind of liability case or compensation lawsuit is time-consuming and expensive. Nevertheless, the pain is worth it, and some attorneys manage great deals to agree on payments with their clients. Look for help if you identify with any of the cases mentioned above. Law was made to help you.