According to Business Insider magazine, electrical power-line installers and repairers hold the sixth most dangerous occupation in the United States. Recently a safety video starring a Virginia (VA) electrical lineman has racked up over 300,000 hits on Youtube. McDade, a lineman for Dominion Virginia Power, blends his passion for music and safety in the video, which features his co-workers from Dominion’s Fairfax, Va., office. As Virginia (VA) electrical shock injury lawyers we enjoy this fresh new approach to safety.
Not all electrical accidents are preventable, sometimes faulty equipment or someone else’s mistake causes a serious injury. Our VA personal injury law firm is often asked, “If I do suffer an accident on the job that leaves me seriously injured am I limited to worker’s compensation, or is there a right to sue a different company for negligence?”
You would definitely be entitled to worker’s compensation for an on-the-job accident that leaves any serious injury like paralysis or burns from electric shock. But, the question often asked is whether there is the right to sue a different company under negligence law where you can obtain a jury trial and all sorts of damages for the injuries you suffer-not limited like under workers compensation. Worker’s Compensation provides medical benefits and a percentage of lost wages, but does not give a jury trial and has ceilings on the amount of damages that can be recovered. On the other hand, if your accident was caused by negligence of a third-party besides your own employer, or because of a faulty product on the job, a personal injury lawyer can investigate what is called a third-party negligence action, with a jury trial. You should obtain a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer to determine whether there is a third-party negligence claim available.
{Click here to read about our $1.5 million electric shock injury settlement for a pilot}
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