Workers’ compensation covers electric shocks and electrocutions on the job. An injured worker or a deceased workers’ family may also have grounds for filing what is called a third-party lawsuit if the cause of the injury or death was a defective tool, faulty protective equipment and clothing, or dangers created by workers for a company other than one that employed the individual who suffered the shock or electrocution.
Hiring a Virginia or North Carolina personal injury lawyer who has experience handling both electric shock and dangerous and defective product cases will help the injured worker or the worker’s family conduct the investigation that is needed to discover if filing a third-party lawsuit is an option. Such a lawsuit can proceed if the investigation shows that the worker was using the tool or equipment as designed and instructed, and also if the worker had no reason to suspect that an earlier crew had made the mistake that produced the electric shock.
If your case meets a set of strict criteria and you suffered your electric shook injury on a job site in Virginia or North Carolina, you may be able to file an insurance claim or civil lawsuit against the the company that hired you or against a fellow worker who acted negligently or recklessly. You should speak with a personal injury lawyer before filing such a claim, though, because the grounds for doing so are very narrow,