.png)
You may have seen an advertisement or perhaps you know someone who has run a “Tough Mudder” race. What you may not know is that this 10-12 mile obstacle course race has caused serious and permanent injuries to many of its participants. At one such event in PA 100 event participants received emergency treatment at the event and another 38 went to the emergency department. Although participants do sign a waiver emergency personal said that its “unlikely that participants comprehend” the actual risks involved.
The injuries in question are far more serious than sprains, ligament tears and heat exhaustion which is what doctors commonly see during marathon races or triathlons. A sizable proportion of the wounded suffered from electrical shock injuries.
RELATED CONTENT
- Understanding Joint and Several Liability in Virginia
- Legal Liability in Virginia Wrongful Death Case
- Are Release of All Personal Injury Liability Waivers Valid in Virginia?
According to the study, one man, 18, received a staggering 13 shocks during the Tough Mudder’s last obstacle. The shocks left numerous electrical burns on his back and arm and caused his heart muscle to become inflamed. A second man, 28, who sustained multiple electrical shocks to the head while running through water, experienced fainting and an altered mental state – a result of an acute electrical injury that inflamed the tissue surrounding his heart. Both patients were admitted to the hospital.
“The electrical injures that happened that day were either from a current that was discharged directly to participants’ skin, their heart muscle or their brain, combined with the fact the participants were hot and wet and tired, or they were the types of injuries where they were so startled by the current or jolt, they would fall and hurt other parts of their body,” a doctor said.
As Virginia electrical shock injury attorneys we know that if you survive an electric shock whether from a race such as above or any other accident, there are likely to be many terrible side effects that may affect the quality of your life. Doctors are now beginning to learn that long-term cognitive and emotional problems may occur after an electric shock injury.
CT
{Click here for more information about your legal rights after being injured by electrical shock}