Springfield Electrical Hazards Lawyers
Representing the Rights of Workers after Serious Electrical Injuries
People in many different industries face a variety of injury risks every single workday. One particularly serious risk is that of electrical accidents and injuries. An electrical accident can result in life-threatening and often fatal injuries, and workers require emergency medical treatment and often, an extensive recovery period. The medical bills, lost income, and long-term expenses can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Missouri law requires employers to carry workers' compensation insurance that provides benefits to workers injured on the job. However, getting the compensation you need after a severe electrical injury is not always simple. While you worry about getting the treatment you need, allow our Missouri workers' compensation attorneys to fight for the benefits you deserve.
Common Electrical Hazards at Work
There are many professions that involve possible contact with electricity, some more obvious than others. Some people who regularly run the risk of this type of accident include:
- Electricians
- Construction workers
- Plumbers
- Engineers
- Overhead line workers
- Utility crews
- Contractors
- Handymen
- Roofers
- Tree trimmers
These workers and others encounter possible electrical hazards, such as:
- Overhead power lines
- Underground power lines
- Damaged power tools
- Damages machinery or equipment
- Overloaded circuits
- Damaged or inadequate wiring
- Ungrounded electrical systems or wires
- Exposed electrical components
- Damaged insulation
- Wet conditions near electrical components
- Exposure to lightning
Any of the above can result in contact with electricity, which causes many different medical issues.
Electrical Injuries
Electrical injuries will vary depending on the extent of your contact with the electricity and the strength of the current. Some people come into brief contact with a current and suffer a burn on the outside of their skin. In other situations, the current might enter your body, and a current may even then exit your body in another location. Electrical accident victims can sustain the following and more:
- Superficial burns
- 3rd or 4th-degree burns that damage all layers of the skin, including tissue under the skin
- Damage to organs when electricity passes through
- Heart stoppage or cardiac arrest
- Brain damage
After any contact with electricity, it is imperative to get medical attention. Even if you do not have any symptoms that are readily apparent, electrical currents can cause internal damage that may need to be diagnosed by medical testing.
Protecting Your Rights
If you sustain an electrical injury at work, you should always go to the emergency room right away. Report your accident and injuries to your employer, and then, contact a workers' compensation lawyer who understands Missouri workers' comp laws. These claims can be complicated, so you should never delay in getting the legal assistance you need.
Contact an Experienced Missouri Workers' Compensation Attorney Today
The Law Firm of Webster & Carlton represents workers who sustain many types of job-related injuries, including from electrical hazards.
To set up a free consultation with a Missouri workers' compensation lawyer, call us at (417) 545-3775. You can also contact us online, and someone will get back to you shortly.
Stay In The Know
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Why Do I Need a Missouri Workers’ Compensation Attorney?A workers’ compensation claim can take several months, even years, to resolve, especially if you continue to suffer from the effects of your work-related injury. Your employer and its insurance company will be represented by highly skilled attorneys who know how to exploit an injured employee. You need to level the playing field by hiring a Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer who will fight on your behalf.
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What Happens If My Employer Denies Me Workers’ Compensation Benefits?In many cases, your employer or their insurance company will promptly pay any workers’ compensation benefits. But if they deny benefits–or stop paying them before you receive what you believe you are entitled to under the law–then you have the right to file a claim with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation. An administrative law judge appointed by the Division will review your claim and either conduct mediation between you and your employer, or alternatively hold a formal hearing to determine your right to compensation.
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What Kinds of Injuries Are Covered?
Under Missouri law, workers’ compensation only covers injuries that arise “out of and in the course of employment.” This includes accidents that occur during your work shift. It also includes “occupational diseases” contracted at work, provided workplace exposure was the “prevailing” cause.
Workers’ compensation is not necessarily limited to injuries suffered at your normal workplace. If your job requires you to travel–i.e., make deliveries or conduct on-site work with clients–you may be compensated for injuries sustained in the course of such travel. However, Missouri workers’ compensation law specifically excludes injuries sustained while commuting from home to work and back, even if you use a company-owned car.
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