Electrocutions

Electrocution can kill a person instantly, while electric shock may result in devastating injuries. These may include burns, ventricular fibrillation, heart arrhythmia, lung damage, interference with your nervous system, and cardiac arrest. At Feldheim & Wilenkin, our Detroit work injury lawyers have handled many electrocution and shock cases, seeking to hold utility companies and manufacturers responsible for their negligence. We have never lost an electrocution lawsuit. Our firm hires knowledgeable experts to testify on various aspects of these cases, and we can help with probate court when electrocution results in a wrongful death. Whether injury or death arises from dangerously defective equipment or because of a downed power line, our Detroit attorneys can assist you.

The reason a person was near the wire may determine whether a recovery of damages for death or injuries is allowed. One theory that may be available, particularly in cases involving downed power lines, is ordinary negligence. Generally, utilities have a duty to protect against downed power lines as soon as they have notice of the condition.

Often, an electrocution occurs because a utility company failed to inspect, repair, or maintain its power line structure. Transformers ,wires and utility poles require upkeep, and over the years, they can become electrocution hazards if they are not appropriately maintained, repaired or replaced when necessary. Our firm settled a death case for over three million dollars where we were able to prove thru investigation that the power company had ignored complaints from the neighborhood about repeated breakage of a power line running over the backyards of the neighborhood. The power company kept repairing the broken line with connector sleeves but the truth was that the power line was too old and had become brittle resulting in repeated breakages. The power company finally replaced the power line only after a man was killed from yet another breakage in the line. Although the cause of a downed power line may be a storm, untrimmed trees or pole decay may also play a role in the occurrence for which the power company is liable.

Utilities and others engaged in transmitting electricity are supposed to anticipate the ordinary use of the area surrounding the electrical lines and appropriately protect against any foreseeable risks. For example, in a case in which an aluminum ladder came near an un-insulated overhead distribution wire, causing a man to be electrocuted, the jury found the utility negligent. The Michigan Supreme Court affirmed the jury verdict, reasoning that a reasonable person could anticipate the probability of electrocution to a painter if his ladder came near the wire. The law requires that power lines be maintained at proper heights and a sagging wire that causes injury may give rise to a valid claim.

It is also possible to bring claim against sub contractors of utility companies when their negligence is the cause of an injury or death. All of these cases require thorough investigation of the underlying facts.

Power companies and many other corporations have significant resources with which to defend electrocution cases, so it is crucial to retain a firm with the knowledge and resources to pursue your claim. Our Detroit work injury attorneys have decades of experience, and we have built a practice with a reputation for results. Our electrocution accident lawyers represent injured workers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, as well as throughout the state of Michigan. Call us at 248.737.0700 or contact us via our online form to set up a free consultation.