What to Know if You Are Electrocuted at Work in South Carolina

Many workers are exposed to electrical hazards in their workplaces. Whether working with damaged extension cord plugs in an office in Greenville, temporary lighting systems or faulty power connections on a construction site in Columbia, or fixing fallen power lines or operating electrical equipment outside in a storm in Myrtle Beach, the threat of electrocution is real.

Electrical shocks and burns are frightening, painful, and sometimes permanent injuries. The recovery period may be long, sometimes even requiring physical therapy. Electrical current exposure may cause serious neurological damage, including brain damage, organ damage, paralysis, or even death, which may be a precursor to a wrongful death claim.

If you have been electrocuted at work, workers’ compensation may cover your injury-related expenses.

What Industries Experience the Most Electrocution Injuries and Deaths?

Electrocution injuries and deaths happen most frequently in the construction, maintenance, and manufacturing industries but can happen to nearly any type of worker. Those industries may have more risks, but as South Carolina grows, many non-construction workers may find themselves in construction zones.

Electrocution at work occurs when workers receive electrical shocks. The most common electrocution injury is a burn.

Contact with electricity can cause many other types of injuries. An electrocuted worker may fall from a ladder, for example. Proximity to water brings with it the chance that an electrocuted worker could fall in and drown. Once disabled by electrocution, falling, crushing, and other types of injuries become a threat. If you’re using a forklift and it touches a live wire, you could lose consciousness or control of the vehicle.

If you or a loved one sustained an electrocution injury on the job in South Carolina, don’t hesitate to contact the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. We have the experience and resources to help you pursue the compensation and benefits you need.

What Jobs Are Most at Risk for Electrocution in South Carolina?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) highlights the following as common electrical hazards that may result in electrical shocks and burns:

• Dangerous power connections
• Damaged extension cord plugs
• Temporary lighting systems
• Accidental energizing of equipment
• Contact with overhead electrical wires and fallen power lines
• Working in damp or wet locations while operating electrical equipment

While some of these events occur in many, if not most, occupations, jobs dealing with installation, maintenance, repair, and service account for the highest number of electrocution accidents at work.

Source: ESFI Workplace Injury & Fatality Statistics, 2011-2020

Electrocution in the Construction Industry

Construction workers have been found to be four times more likely to be electrocuted than workers in all other industries combined. OSHA has even included electrocution as one of the Focus Four Hazards for the construction industry. OSHA has also created electrical standards, training, and regulations to protect construction workers from injuries and deaths caused by electrocution.

What Kind of Injuries Could I Sustain if I Was Electrocuted at Work?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), electrical injuries at work fall into four categories:

1. Fatal electrocution
   Example: a crane worker is electrocuted when his crane gets tangled in a live power line
2. Electric shock
   Example: an office worker gets shocked trying to fix a broken copier
3. Electric burns
   Example: a welder gets a thermal burn from a faulty welding iron
4. Falls due to contact with electricity
   Example: a power line worker falls from the aerial bucket after being shocked working on a transformer

These injuries are caused by many different situations, but the most common workplace electrical hazards include:

• Inadequate wiring
  Example: using an extension cord with insufficient wiring for a power tool
• Overloads
  Example: plugging too many devices into a power strip
• Ungrounded electrical circuits
  Example: holding a drill that is connected to an ungrounded circuit
• Temporary wiring
  Example: damaging the electrical cord of the lights whilestapling a string of lights into place
• Overhead power lines
  Example: touching a live downed power line
• Unlabeled live parts of electrical equipment
  Examples: coming into contact with an electrical current from live equipment

Who Is Liable if I Am Electrocuted at Work in South Carolina?

Workers’ compensation is a “no fault” system, which means that you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits even if it was your fault that you were electrocuted at work. Workers’ compensation insurance helps employers provide qualifying injured workers with medical care and compensation for the wages they lost while unable to return to work.

If an electrocution injury or death is caused by a person or company other than your employer, called a third party, you could potentially file a workers’ compensation claim with your employer, as well as a third-party claim against that other person or organization. Examples of third parties who could potentially be held liable for your electrocution injury or the electrocution death of a loved one would include power companies, contractors, and property owners.

What Do I Do if I Am Electrocuted at Work?

If you were electrocuted on the job, you should follow these steps:

1. Seek medical care, even if you are not showing symptoms. Some injuries may be internal and you may not have immediate symptoms.
2. Notify your employer of the incident, preferably in writing, as soon as possible after the accident.
3. Record all the details about the accident. Keep records of your medical treatment and all communications about the accident.
4. File necessary paperwork. In South Carolina, it is the employer’s responsibility, but you should follow up to make sure it is done.
5. Talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer for guidance about your options.

What Kind of Compensation Can I Expect if I Was Electrocuted at Work?

You may be eligible for the following types of South Carolina workers’ compensation benefits if you were electrocuted at work:

• Medical bills, such as doctors’ bills, hospital bills, physical therapy, and medications
• Lost wages if you are unable to work on a temporary or permanent basis
• Vocational rehabilitation if you are unable to continue in your current occupation

Electrocution injures can be devastating. In addition to healing, you need to continue paying your bills and may be providing for your family. We encourage you to seek legal advice as soon as possible after being injured to discuss filing a workers’ compensation claim. It’s important to understand what compensation you may be able to expect to help you through this difficult time.

Skilled South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorneys With Experience

If you or a loved one has been electrocuted at work, you should contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. The workers’ comp team at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin offers you considerable breadth and depth of experience in workers’ compensation law. Our team includes former insurance company defense lawyers and paralegals with an inside view of how the “other guys” work and think.

And that’s not all. Several of our workers’ compensation attorneys have been recognized by their peers with prestigious awards.

Since 1997, our firm has recovered more than $1.8 billion total for more than 65,000 people. And counting.¹

Our firm was named to the 2024 Best Lawyers ‘Best Law Firms’ list, earning a Tier 1 ranking (the highest) for Workers’ Compensation law.⁴ And to help you protect your interests, we provide a risk-free guarantee.

So, if you are reading this and thinking, “I got electrocuted at work – now what?” we may be able to help. Call 1-866-900-7078 or fill out this free case evaluation form today. Tell them you mean business.

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