Suffering a severe electrical shock can be traumatic on a number of levels. For one, the shock will cause a person’s muscles to contract sharply and these contractions can result in broken bones or other injuries. Additionally, severe shocks can cause seizures, low blood pressure and, in the worst case scenario, a malfunction or even complete breakdown of one’s heart.
Burn injuries are also another common symptom of electric shock. These injuries will frequently appear in the part of the body where the electric current entered or left a person. Like other burns, they can range from first-degree to third-degree.
A first-degree burn is a relatively minor occurrence that many people may suffer several times in their lives. By contrast, a third-degree burn can permanently destroy a piece of tissue and require skin grafting or other painful treatments. In some cases, a third-degree burn may end with amputation.
Electrical burn injuries can happen in a number of different environments. Sometimes, a product is defective or, even if it works properly, is marketed with insufficient warnings to consumers, or parents, about the possibility of getting burned.
Other electrical burn injuries are work related. Many people in Louisiana have to work in environments where they are frequently working around or with electric currents. Faulty equipment, inadequate training and sometimes just flat out carelessness can cause work-related injuries due to electrical burns.
Those who suffer a burn injury due to electrical shock may well have a long road of recovery ahead of them. In addition to the medical bills, someone who suffers a bad burn may be laid up for weeks or even months while they recover. Moreover, the emotional toll on a burn injury victim is profound. Someone in the Houma area who suffers a burn injury may therefore want to evaluate their legal options for pursuing compensation.