I Suffered an Electric Shock at Work, Can I Claim Compensation From My Employer?

Accident At Work Claims Advice
Accident At Work Claims Advice

One of the most common causes of an electric shock can be put down to faulty electrical wiring or equipment whether in the home or in the workplace. An injury sustained through an electric shock can be life-threatening if the voltage is high but even a low intensity electric shock can cause you to suffer serious burns which can result in scarring. An electric shock can also cause breathing difficulties which can be extremely stressful.

If you suffered any sort of electric shock in the workplace and you can show that your injuries were caused through the negligence of another person whether it is your employer or a fellow employee, you should contact a solicitor because you could be entitled to seek compensation by filing an accident at work claim.

What Are the Most Common Electric Shock Injuries in the Workplace?

You could suffer an electric shock at work in various ways, and the damage you suffer could be minor or much more serious. If the shock you receive is 50 Volts, the burn injuries you suffer could include the following:

  • Minor to extremely severe burns
  • Breathing issues
  • Muscle spasms
  • Scarring
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Injury to the spine
  • Tissue necrosis
  • Injury to the brain
  • Fractured bones
  • Dislocated joints
  • Death

There are several factors that would be factored into how severe the damage you suffer as a result of an electrical shock which are as follows:

  • The voltage involved
  • Whether dampness was involved
  • The circumstances surrounding the incident
  • The length of time the current flowed through your body
  • Your age

Whether you sustained a minor burn, muscle spasms or you were hospitalised as a result of having suffered an electrical shock at work, you should contact a solicitor at www.accidentclaims.co.uk who would assess whether you could claim compensation for the distress and pain you suffered through the negligence of a third party.

Would My Electric Shock at Work Claim Be Valid?

There are laws the Government introduced to protect employees and other people in the workplace and employers must abide by these regulations to reduce the risk of harm and injury coming to their employees. With this said, construction workers and electrical contractors are obliged to take out specific indemnity insurance so that anyone who works with electricity is protected. If you suffer an electrical shock injury in the workplace and your employer did not hold the necessary insurance, it would mean that your employer could be deemed responsible for the injuries you suffered and as such, they could be compelled to pay you the compensation you deserve.

Providing you can show sufficient evidence that your employer was negligent in their duty to ensure you were kept safe from harm and injury at work, a solicitor would be happy to take on your case on a No Win No Fee basis. Should your employer deny liability, the solicitor would advise you on whether you should pursue your claim through the courts by filing a lawsuit against them. However, most employers admit responsibility for injuries employees suffer in the workplace once they receive an official letter of intent from a solicitor with 95% of personal injury claims being settled prior to going before a judge.

What Industries Put Employees Most at Risk of Sustaining an Electric Shock Injury?

As mentioned previously, you can suffer an electrical shock injury at work no matter what job entails. However, there are specific industries and work environments that put you more at risk of suffering this type of injury. These are detailed below:

  • Electricians
  • Electrical maintenance engineers
  • Lighting specialists
  • Hairdressers
  • Office staff
  • Construction workers
  • Interior decorators
  • Cleaning staff
  • Care workers
  • Hospital staff

Should your employer have not maintained machinery, equipment and tools that you routinely use in the workplace and you suffer an electrical shock injury as a consequence of their negligence, you should contact a solicitor at www.accidentclaims.co.uk so they can determine whether your case against your employer is valid. They would establish this by offering an initial, no obligation consultation for which you would not be charged.

Can I Include Damages and Losses in an Electric Shock at Work Claim?

Personal injury claim compensation is divided into two specific parts which are general damages and special damages. If you sustain an electrical shock injury at work and your claim is valid, you would be entitled to seek both damages and losses. These are explained below:

  • Damages – these come under “general damages” which are awarded to compensate you for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity
  • Losses – these come under “special damages” which are awarded as a way of compensating you for all your out of pocket expenses which must be directly linked to the electrical shock injury you suffered in the workplace

You would be able to claim the following in “special damages”:

  • Loss of earnings as well as loss of future earnings
  • Travel costs to and from the place where you are treated whether you get there by car, taxi, bus or train
  • Medical expenses which would include the cost of prescriptions, medical aids and any other medical expenses that are not covered by the NHS
  • Care costs if you need help around the home to carry out daily chores
  • All other expenses that can be linked to the electrical shock injury you suffered

Because “special damages” are calculated on the actual expenses you incur, you would need to provide all the relevant receipts in support of the costs you paid out. When contacting a personal injury solicitor, you would be asked to provide these receipts together with all other relevant evidence to support your electrical shock injury at work claim.

Is It Worth Making an Electric Shock at Work Claim Against My Employer?

Having suffered an electrical shock injury in the workplace, you may not be able to work for a period of time. Should your injuries be extremely severe, you may not be able to carry out your normal job for several weeks or even months. Some electrical shock injuries may be so catastrophic that you are unable to work again. In all instances, you and your loved ones could have to face financial hardship because you are unable to bring home your normal wage.

Accident At Work Claims Advice
Accident At Work Claims Advice

Seeking compensation for injuries sustained through no fault of your own is one of your rights in the workplace and employers are legally required to carry the correct liability insurance to cover such eventualities. As such, when you file an electrical shock injury at work claim against your employer, it is their insurance provider who would handle the case and this includes negotiating a final settlement. In short, it would not be your employer who pays the electrical shock at work compensation you are awarded but their liability insurance providers.

Could I Lose My Job For Making an Electric Shock at Work Claim Against an Employer?

UK law prohibits an employer from firing employees after they are injured in the workplace. An employer may not treat you unfairly or detrimentally because you file an electrical shock injury at work claim against them and if they do, you should contact a solicitor at www.accidentclaims.co.uk because you may be entitled to take out further legal action against your employer. In short, you may be able to file an electrical shock at work claim and an unfair dismissal claim.

Do I Have Rights if I Suffer an Electric Shock at Work?

All employees and other workers have rights and employers have a duty of care to ensure that a work environment is safe. Should you have been injured in the workplace, you have the right to do the following providing you were not at fault for the incident occurring:

  • To seek compensation from a negligent employer without the risk of losing your job

Should your employer have ignored Health and Safety Regulations or taken short cuts to get a job done faster and you suffered an electrical shock injury as a result, you may be entitled to file for compensation by making an accident at work claim.

Is It Worth Contacting a Solicitor If I File an Electric Shock Injury Claim

If you suffered an electrical shock injury in the workplace, you have the right to seek compensation from an employer should they be responsible for the accident occurring. Not being able to work for any length of time means you could find it hard to pay bills and other household expenses. Having legal representation means you can focus on recovering from your injuries without the worry of costly legal fees associated with any sort of court case.

A solicitor also has vast knowledge of the law relating to accident at work claims, they understand the statutory time limit must be respected and that pre-action protocols must be followed which in itself can help speed up a claim whether the case goes to court, or your employer’s liability insurance providers chooses to offer you an out of court settlement.

The solicitor would also offer assistance when it comes to gathering all the evidence required to support an electrical shock claim which would include the following:

  • Evidence that the incident was reported to your employer or the person in charge
  • The record of the incident as noted in the Accident Book. If there is no book evidence that you sent either a personal email or registered letter to your employer or the person in charge
  • The medical report detailing your electrical shock injuries
  • CCTV footage of the incident if this is available
  • Photos of the electrical shock injury you sustained
  • Photos of where you were injured
  • Contact details of witnesses
  • Witness statements

With all of the above to hand, the solicitor would then begin their investigations by communicating directly with your employer and their insurers on your behalf.

How Long Do I Have to Make an Electric Shock at Work Claim?

There is a 3 year statutory time limit to filing an accident at work claim. However, this can start at different times depending on several things which are explained below:

  • You have 3 years from the date you suffered an electrical shock injury at work through the negligence of a third party, whether this is your employer or a fellow employee
  • You have 3 years from the date that you are diagnosed as suffering from some sort of medical condition that a doctor can directly link to the electrical shock injury you suffered in the workplace
  • You have 3 years from the date of your 18th birthday should you have sustained an electrical shock injury when you were under 18 years old. Should this be the case, you would have up until your 21st birthday to seek compensation

You have the right to seek legal advice from a solicitor if you suffer an electric shock injury at work and it is your right to receive compensation for the distress, pain and out of pocket expenses you had to cope with if it can be proved that your employer did not keep you safe in the workplace. Because of the deadline of 3 years has to be respected, you should consult a solicitor as soon as you can because gathering the relevant documents and evidence to support your claim takes time and if you miss the deadline, your claim may no longer to valid.

Would a Solicitor Offer Me No Win No Fee Terms if I Make Electric Shock Injury Claim?

A No Win No Fee solicitor would be happy to take on your case providing there is sufficient evidence to support an electrical shock injury claim against your employer. As mentioned above, the solicitor would offer you an initial consultation to ascertain whether your case is valid and once they have determined that it is, they would then begin their investigations without you having to pay them a retainer (upfront fee) to do so.

Signing a Conditional Fee Agreement with a solicitor means the following:

  • There would be no upfront fee or ongoing fees to pay the solicitor as your claim progresses
  • The CFA is a legally binding contract that sets out the work that a solicitor would undertake to do on your behalf
  • The agreement also sets out the “success fee” that would be payable to the solicitor when you win your claim against your employer and this is taken directly from the money you receive
  • The agreement sets out the terms of the contract which explains that should you lose your claim, you would not have to pay the solicitor any money for the legal advice and the legal representation they provided

Working with a lawyer on a No Win No Fee basis means there is no financial risk to yourself when you file an electrical shock at work claim against a negligent employer. This allows you to place your full focus on your recovery which in turn means you can get back to work sooner than later. A No Win No Fee lawyer would also ensure that you are awarded an acceptable level of compensation which would reimburse you for the pain, distress as well as the expenses you had to pay out as a result of having suffered an electrical shock injury at work because your employer did not protect you from harm while you were at work.

Accident At Work Claims Advice
Accident At Work Claims Advice

Informative Links

For more information regarding liability and indemnity insurance, please click on the link below which takes you to the Government website:

More information regarding indemnity insurance

If you would like more information about the Health and Safety Executive regulations, please follow the link provided below:

Health and Safety Executive regulations in the workplace

For more information on your employer’s duty to make sure that all tools, machinery and equipment is kept in good working order, please follow the link below:

More information on your employer’s duty to ensure your safety in the workplace