What Happened: A man suffered debilitating injuries after receiving an electric shock from power lines, ABC News reports. The incident, which occurred in Henrico County, Virginia (VA), further highlights the serious dangers that power lines and electric shocks present.
According to the news report, the Henrico resident was in a lift bucket and trimming a tree when he came in contact with some of Dominion Virginia Power’s electrical lines; he subsequently received a shock and was thrown from the bucket he was in before thankfully being caught by his safety harness. The wires reportedly carried a charge of 19,000 volts; the victim was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital, where he was reported as in critical condition.
The electrical accident occurred at the location listed below, in Henrico County, Virginia, at the intersection of East Washington Street and North Kalmia Avenue:
While the victim in this case thankfully survived the injury, he was also put into the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries; and electrical shocks as serious as this one can lead to permanent disabilities. The terrible accident calls attention to the fact that electrical shocks and electrocutions can be severely injurious and can change one’s life forever.
Our injury lawyers are well-aware of the dangers of electrocution, and we have worked for years with victims of electrical injuries to ensure they receive just compensation for the harm they have suffered due to being shocked. For instance, we argued a case for an airline pilot who was permanently disabled due to a shock; we secured a $1.5 million settlement for our client, who was forced to retire from his job as a pilot due to his injuries.
One of our attorneys has also written an in-depth article that explains the dangers of electrical shocks, and the legal action one can take in such an event; click here to read it.