According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 1000 people in the United States die each year due to electrical injuries.  Electrical injuries represent the 4th leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States.

Electrical injuries are also responsible for approximately 3-5% of all pediatric burn unit admissions and emergency department burn visits.  The type and severity of electrical injuries depends on the following factors:

• the power source
• voltage and length of contact with the power source
• type of current

Power sources

Electrical injuries occur in two primary settings:  (1) in occupational settings, usually involving adults, and (2) in household settings, usually involving children.  Examples are:

• overhead and downed power lines
• construction sites
• electrical wiring boxes
• utility poles
• hair dryers and curling irons
• frayed or cut power cords
• altered and defective products
• faulty wiring
• faulty power tools
• improper grounding
• placement of electrical appliances near water

Voltage

Electrical injuries are typically divided into high voltage and low voltage injuries.  High voltage injuries are those sustained by voltage of greater than 500 volts (usually industrial settings), while low voltage injuries are those sustained by voltage of lower than 500 volts (usually household settings).

In the United States, most households provide 110 volts for general applications and 240 volts for high powered appliances.  High power lines and industrial electrical systems typically have more than 100,000 volts.

Type of Current

Electrical current can flow in two different types of circuits:  direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC).   AC is the type of current used in homes, offices, industrial settings, and overhead power lines, while DC is used on energized rails of train systems.

The type of current can greatly affect the amount of time a person is in contact with the power source.  For example, high voltage DC often causes a large, single muscle response that “throws” the victim away from the power source – thus, only brief contact exists.

On the other hand, AC is considered to be as much as three times more dangerous than DC because AC causes a victim’s hands to contract and thus “grip” the electrified object, thus prolonging the victim’s exposure to the source.

Electrical Burns

There are several different types of burns that can occur when a victim comes into contact with a power source.  In general, burns are often severe at the source and ground contact points.  The source is usually the hands or head and the ground is often the feet.  The amount of voltage and the duration of contact are the two most important factors in the amount of tissue damage sustained.

1.     High voltage electrothermal burns

Typically, these show a contact point (where the person touched the circuit) and a ground point (where he/she was grounded).  These burns can produce significant damage to underlying tissue while largely sparing the surface of the skin.  These burns may appear as painless, depressed areas with central necrosis and minimal bleeding.

2.    Arc burns

When an arc of current passes through the body, it creates a high temperature pathway that causes skin lesions at the site of contact with the source and at the ground contact point.  These areas typically have a dry center and a rim of congestion around them.  Arcs can also cause electrothermal, flash, and flame burns, so multiple burns of varying appearance may be observed.

3.    Flash burns

Flash burns are caused by heat from a nearby electrical arc that can reach upwards of 5000 degrees Celsius.  These can pass over the surface or through the body, depending on the path of the arc.  They can also “splash” over the skin’s surface, resulting in a diffuse but relatively superficial partial-thickness burn.  There is no internal component to flash burns.

4.    Flame burns

Flame burns are caused by the ignition of clothing or nearby objects.  These can cause thermal burns similar to other flame burns, and can range in seriousness from first to third degree.

5.    Low-voltage burns

These burns range from minor skin damage to full-thickness burns.  These burns are caused by at least several seconds of contact with a low voltage source.

6.    Contact burns

Contact burns usually have a pattern from the contacted item (branding) and may appear similar to flash burns.  To differentiate them, full thickness burns have unburned surface hair, whereas flash burns singe the hairs.

7.    Pediatric oral burns

These are most commonly encountered in children under the age of 6 who bite or suck on a household electrical cord.  A local arc of current crosses from one side of the mouth to the other.

Other types of electrical injuries

Burns are just one of the types of injuries causes by contact with a power source – the others are outlined below:

1.   Neurological injuries

Most acute CNS or spinal deficits resulting from electrical injuries are due to secondary blunt trauma or burns.  Often, the patient has transient confusion, amnesia, and impaired recall of events if not frank loss of consciousness.  Direct effects of electrical current are most severe if the respiratory control center of the brainstem is affected resulting in respiratory arrest.  Current can also cause seizure or direct spinal cord injury if there is hand-to hand flow.  Spinal cord injury can result from direct current effects or blunt trauma.

2.    Musculoskeletal injuries

Acute injuries include fracture from blunt trauma and compartment syndrome from burns.   Massive muscle damage can cause severe rhabdomyolysis and subsequent renal failure.

3.    ENT / Head injuries

The head is a common point of entry for high voltage injuries.  Victims may experience perforated typanic membranes, facial burns, and cervical spine injuries.  Approximately 6% of victims develop cataracts, usually months after the initial injury, with increasing frequency as the contact is closer to the head.

4.    Cardiovascular injuries

Victims may experience asystole or ventricular fibrillation (VF) in addition to other arrythmias.  Sudden death due to VF is more common with low voltage AC, whereas asystole is more often associated with high voltage AC or DC.  Electricity can also cause conduction abnormalities and direct trauma to cardiac muscle fibers.  Victims of electrical shock can experience subsequent arrhythmia, usually sinus tachycardia and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).

5.    Respiratory injuries

Chest wall muscle paralysis from tetranic contraction can cause respiratory arrest if the current pathway is over the thorax.  Injury to the respiratory control center of the brain may also cause respiratory arrest.

First Aid after an Electrical Burn

While helping someone with an electrical burn and waiting for medical help, follow these simple steps:

1.    Look first – don’t touch – the person may still be in contact with the electrical source.  touching the person may pass the current through you.
2.    Turn off the source of electricity if possible. If not, move the source away from both of you and the injured person using a dry, nonconducting object made of cardboard, plastic or wood.
3.    Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing, or movement). If absent, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately.
4.    Prevent shock.  Lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk (if possible) and the legs elevated.
5.    Cover the affected areas.  If the person is breathing, cover any burned areas with a sterile gauze bandage, if available, or a clean cloth.  Don’t use a blanket or towel because loose fibers can stick to the burns.

What to do if you or a loved one receive an electrical injury

After administering first aid, there are several steps you should take if you or a loved one receive an electrical injury:

1.   First and foremost – seek immediate medical attention.
2.   Take photographs of the injuries, evidence, and scene.
3.   Preserve all evidence – i.e. the product, source, and scene.
4.   Contact the proper authorities.
5.   Record the names and phone numbers of all witnesses.
6.   Keep detailed records of all lost wages and other expenses.
7.   Contact a qualified electrical injury lawyer.

Experienced Electrical Injury Attorneys – Simon & Luke

The electrical injury lawyers at Simon & Luke have handled numerous electrical injury cases, recovering millions of dollars for our clients.   We have represented:

• electricians
• tree trimmers
• roofers
• independent contractors
• construction workers
• licensed contractors
• product consumers
• homeowners
• children

We have a team of experienced electrical experts, engineers, investigators, and photographers standing by to immediately investigate the cause of your injuries, photograph and preserve the evidence, question witnesses, and protect all of your legal rights.

Call the lawyers at Simon & Luke toll free at 1-888-335-4901 for a free consultation on your legal rights.