Every year, dozens of construction workers suffer serious or fatal electrocution injuries when they come in contact with overhead or underground power lines in the workplace. While power line-related crane accidents are some of the most common ways people can be electrocuted through contact with these high voltage lines, other workers including long-haul truckers may also be electrocuted when they come with contact with sagging power lines.
The bad news is that many of these accidents are fatal. The tragedy is that they could all have been prevented. These accidents typically result from the negligence of construction site supervisors, employers, operators and utility companies. Even when workers are injured in such accidents by their own mistakes, they could still have been saved if they have been given proper training to prevent power line electrocutions.
A power line accident typically involves fatal electrocution. High voltage power lines running overhead or underground may contain massive jolts of electricity. Victims who survive may suffer serious internal damage, organ damage, and nerve damage. They may lose the use of their hands, which are typically the main point of contact with the electrical current. Electrocution accidents may also lead to a lack of muscular control, causing convulsions and leading to fractures, joint dislocations, and fall-related injuries.
In Texas, electrical accident liability may be placed on the entity responsible for the accident. This can include utility companies, construction site supervisors, construction companies, tree trimming, and landscaping companies. There may be other parties that may be held accountable. For instance, a trucking company that pressurizes truckers to haul large loads may be named in a claim, if the load comes into contact with a sagging power line and causes electrocution. It’s always best to consult with a Minnesota power line accident lawyer before filing a claim.
Not surprisingly, about 50 percent of these accidents involve work in the construction industry. Workers on some kind of equipment or machinery may be at a higher risk of contact with high voltage power lines. These include:
- Cranes, especially tower cranes;
- Pump trucks;
- Tree trimmers;
- Metal ladders and other construction equipment;
- Scaffolding;
- Concrete pumping equipment; and
- Backhoes
Free Consultation: Contact Our Team of Construction Accident Lawyers Now
Have you or a loved one been injured because of a power line accident? Contact an Austin Construction Accident Lawyer at Briggle & Polan, PLLC at (512) 400-3278. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our metro offices. We don’t charge a fee unless we obtain a settlement on your behalf.
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