Orlando Electrical Burn Injury Lawyer
Electrical burn injuries and electrocution are all-too-common occurrences. In many cases, an electrical burn is a workplace injury such as one suffered at a construction site. The consequences can be devastating, including tissue damage, heart damage or death. Serious burns are incredibly painful and require specialized treatment and a lengthy recovery.
If you or a family member has suffered a serious burn injury or electrocution as a result of another party’s careless actions, personal injury lawyer Frank M. Eidson can help you to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and other losses.
Contact us today to learn more about the assistance we can provide to you in Orlando, Winter Park or elsewhere in Florida. Our consultations are free.
Bodily Damage from Electrical Burns
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) classifies an electrical burn as one that is caused by one or more of the following:
- Heat generated by the flow of electric current through the body
- High temperatures near the body produced by an electric arc or explosion
- Contact with overheated electric equipment.
Electrical burns may be caused by contact with an electrical outlet in the home or a defective tool or machine. The burn requires immediate medical attention.
Excessive electricity flowing through the body can lead to hemorrhaging (internal bleeding), tissue destruction, nerve or muscle damage or internal organ damage.
An electrical burn or electrocution can also cause:
- Heart attack (cardiac arrest)
- Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia)
- Seizures
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness.
Additionally, the violent, involuntary muscle contractions caused by excessive electrical stimulation can damage muscles, tendons and ligaments. An electrical burn victim may also be injured when, in reaction to the jolt of electricity, the victim falls from a ladder, scaffold or roof.
Treatment of Electrical Burn Injuries
Internal injuries caused by contact with an electrical current may not be apparent right away. Left untreated, they may lead to death. This is why immediate treatment is needed. Serious electrical burns will likely require hospitalization, surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Serious burns can cause the victim to go into shock, which leads to bodily systems shutting down. Damaged tissue may swell. A person who has been burned in the face or neck may need a breathing tube or ventilator. The victim may also need decompression, which is cutting of the burn scab in order to relieve pressure.
A burn victim with expensive tissue damage (a third- or fourth-degree burn) may require:
- Surgical removal of damaged or contaminated tissue (debridement)
- Skin grafts
- Cosmetic surgery
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Psychological therapy
- Use of assistive and adaptive mobility devices.
Most serious burn injury patients are transferred to a specialized burn treatment center as soon as they are stabilized. Florida is fortunate to have three American Burn Association-certified burn centers at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center, Tampa Bay Regional Burn Center and University of Florida Health Burn Center at Shands Hospital in Gainsville.
At a burn center, a clinical team that includes burn/trauma surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses, skilled technicians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, dietitians and psychologists provide care for a patient.
A person who has become disabled because of a serious electrical burn injury may need to have a life care plan developed to project future requirements and costs.
Legal Help for Electrical Burn Injury Victims
A person who has suffered a severe electrical burn because of someone else’s negligence may pursue a personal injury lawsuit and seek compensation for all losses caused by the injury. In cases of occupational burn injuries, third-party personal injury lawsuits may result in damages awarded in addition to workers’ compensation benefits.
If you or a loved one has suffered a significant electrical burn injury, you may be able to recover damages for:
- Ambulance, hospital, surgical and medication costs and other medical expenses, including projected future costs
- Physical therapy and other rehabilitation costs, including psychological care
- Lost income and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, particularly for scarring, disfigurement or amputation
Most cases will require a detailed, independent investigation. This may include work by medical consultants, actuaries and other experts who calculate future medical and living expenses.
Attorney Frank M. Eidson has the experience and the resources to investigate the circumstances of your or your loved one’s electrical burn injury and its full cost. He can help you to pursue the justice you deserve.
Contact an Orlando Electrical Burn Injury Attorney
If another party’s negligence has caused you or a loved one to be electrocuted or to suffer a severe electrical burn injury, you should not have to bear the overwhelming costs.
Get legal help today by contacting Frank M. Eidson, P.A. We help electrical burn injury victims in Orlando, Winter Park and throughout Florida. To receive a free consultation, simply call or reach us online today.
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