Our world practically revolves around electricity. It lights our homes, powers our tablets and computers, and even runs the stoplights that help us travel safely from one place to the next. Unfortunately, this powerful tool is also extremely dangerous. Even minimal contact can lead to burn injuries. In severe cases, those injuries can cause death. There are some important things you should about electrical burns caused by defective products, including how to determine if you may be owed compensation.

Causes of Electrical Burns

Electrical burns can be caused in many ways, but those that are related to defective products typically occur at home or at work. A homemaker can turn on their dryer and experience an electrical burn. A worker in the manufacturing industry can go to use the same equipment they have used for years, only to have it malfunction and cause injury. In reality, the possibilities are endless, and they exist in your home, at your job, and in your everyday life.

Types of Electrical Burns

Electricals burns take one of two forms: direct contact burns and arc burns. Direct contact burns can include touching a surface that has been heated by electricity or something that has been ignited by electricity, or by coming into direct contact with electricity itself. Arc burns are caused when electricity travels, or arcs, through the air or in a gap between conductors. Both can result in serious and potentially fatal injuries.

Knowing When to Seek Treatment

While some electrical burns may seem relatively minor, all such burns should be examined by a healthcare professional. This is because, unlike regular burns, electrical burns can cause injury to the inside of the body as well as the outside. They can cause heart damage and damage to the internal organs. In short, the injury could be far more severe than it looks. Treatment also establishes documentation of the injury. In situations where compensation is in question, documentation can be crucial to the outcome of your case. So, even if the injury seems minor, seek emergency medical care and keep a copy of the records.

Are You Entitled to Compensation?

Though not every electrical burn may open an opportunity for compensation, every case should be evaluated by an experienced personal injury lawyer. There may be factors at play that the victim did not see or could not have known. With help from an attorney, victims can gain access to the less obvious details of their injury and see how they align with the compensation laws.

If you or someone you love has suffered an electrical burn caused by a defective or dangerous consumer product, contact an experienced Wheaton product liability attorney. Call 630-462-1980 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at Walsh, Knippen & Cetina, Chartered today. We will review your case and help decide the best course of action for moving forward.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-electrical-burns/basics/art-20056687

http://www.lni.wa.gov/safety/research/files/arcflashhazardreport.pdf