Virginia Beach Man Electrocuted While Working on a Power Pole

The electrocution of a man from Virginia Beach, VA, while working on a power pole in Maryland (MD),  on July 20, 2011, highlights the dangers faced every day by contractors and subcontractors who work with electricity. Brian Gillis, 39, from Virginia Beach, VA, was electrocuted while working for a Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. subcontractor, The Capital reported.

Co-workers with Davis Elliot Electrical Contractors of Roanoke, VA, and firefighters attempted resuscitation after Gillis was hit by a live wire. Tragically, Gillis' injuries, which emergency officials said included entry and exit wounds, were so severe the worker could not be revived. The Maryland Department of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating this death.

As experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys who deal with electric shock we are sad to say there are numerous cases in the state of people who have been injured or even killed by electricity. Indeed, power line repairs are one of the most significant causes of electrocution. In some of these cases a power company or a contractor may be liable for electric shock injuries as federal and state laws regulate how close a worker or a crane may get to such power lines.

In 2009, a South Carolina, jury awarded a record $9 million to a family whose son was killed after a high-voltage power line landed in their driveway. The jury agreed with the argument put forward by attorneys acting for the dead man's family, that the power company was negligent in the upkeep of the pole in question.

Often, electric shock injuries can slip under the radar. They are not as high profile as car wrecks or accidents in coal mines. However, the numbers of workers who suffer a shock are staggering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrical injuries are responsible for an average of 320 deaths and 4,000 injuries a year in the United States.

See this video on tips to prevent electric shocks.



When construction activities, power line repairs or other renovation work is taking place, electrical shock, electrocution, fires, explosions and burn injuries can occur. In many instances they are caused by the negligence of a party or the breach of a regulation. Although workers/ compensation laws prohibit lawsuits against one's own employer, if a third party is responsible for a negligent action, a defective product, or some other violation, our personal injury lawyers know how to investigate and bring third-party claims on behalf of injured clients or family members who have been killed in industrial settings.

Our experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury lawyers have handled a number of cases including that of a pilot who received an electrical shock injury while showering in a hotel. We were able to obtain a sizable settlement of $1.5 million to help ensure his large medical expenses were covered and he was properly compensated for his lost wages. We are currently involved in a electric shock injury case with permanent injuries. 

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