Electrical burns usually involve more damage than the obvious surface burn. An electric arc can have temperatures of 7000 °F to 8000°F, which may result in internal and external damage to the body and skin.
If you sustain electrical burn injury due to another’s negligent or intentional actions or inactions, you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Lawyers understand the challenges that arise when someone suffers from serious electrical burns. You suddenly find yourself in a situation where you are facing immense pain, expensive medical costs, and an uncertain future. A good burn injury lawyer will help you recover a settlement for the injuries sustained so you can get your life back to order. They also take care of all the legwork for you, so you can focus on recovering.
When to lawyer up
While it is not a legal requirement that you work with an electrical burn attorney after sustaining injuries, it is in your best interest to have one in your corner. This is especially true if you have suffered permanently disabling or long-term injuries in the accident.
Long-term injuries are injuries that affect you for one or more years, while permanent injuries are those that leave you partly or fully disabled for the rest of your life. For the latter, you may not be able to continue working which means lost wages. You also may need extensive medical care for the injuries sustained. You may not be able to live on your own anymore and may need at-home care from a caregiver. That’s why it is crucial to work with a lawyer who can help you recover a settlement for these expenses.
In addition to the medical costs and other expenses, you’ll also need a lawyer on your side if liability hasn’t been determined in the electrical burn injury case. If the building owner’s, your employer’s or any other responsible party’s insurance company implies that they don’t believe that their client is at fault, it means they don’t plan to compensate you for the loss. In which case, you have to contact a lawyer who can help you prove liability. Lawyers have the ability and resources to collect evidence required to establish accountability and will talk to witnesses, inspect the scene of the accident, review technical reports among other things to help build a strong case.
If you have reasons to believe that the insurance firm doesn’t want to fulfill its obligations, you’ll need a lawyer. Insurers can act in bad faith when refuse to pay you without a valid reason; refuse to explain why they denied your claim or fail to settle on time. In this case, an electrical burn injury lawyer will step in and ensure that the insurance firm doesn’t get away with this illegal act.
Call a lawyer as soon as possible
The first and perhaps the most important thing to do after electrocution is to ensure you are safe, which explains why you have to get medical attention immediately. Once you have received the necessary care, your next priority should be bringing in a legal counsel. A lawyer will ensure you do not say anything that will implicate you. They will also see to it that you get full compensation for your current and future expenses that you incur as a result of the burn.