Electrician Injury Lawyer in Montgomery

Electricians in Montgomery face risks every time they step onto a job site. Live wiring, arc flashes, elevated work areas, heavy equipment, and other hazards can cause serious injuries in seconds.

But some electrical injuries happen because another person or company failed to do its part. An electrician injury lawyer in Montgomery can help you figure out whether a negligent contractor, defective tool, or unsafe job site caused your injuries and provide guidance with a personal injury claim in addition to workers’ compensation.

Wettermark Keith represents injured electricians throughout Montgomery and the River Region. Our firm has recovered more than $1.5 billion for clients.

If you were injured while working, we can help you understand your rights and the legal options that may be available. Reach out to our firm for a free consultation with a Montgomery workers’ compensation lawyer.

How Electricians Get Hurt on the Job in Montgomery

Electricians work around hazards that can change from one job site to the next. Mistakes can happen even before an electrician gets to fixing the issue; here are some common causes of electrical injuries:

• Electric shock and electrocution: Contact with live wiring can cause serious burns, nerve damage, heart problems, or fatal injuries.
• Arc flash and arc blast burns: An electrical arc can release intense heat, light, and pressure, causing severe burns and other injuries.
• Falls from ladders, lifts, or rooftops: Electricians may fall while installing or repairing equipment from ladders, aerial lifts, roofs, and other elevated areas.
• Confined space incidents: Working in a tight or enclosed area can expose electricians to dangerous gases, poor ventilation, electrical hazards, and other risks.
• Faulty tools or equipment: Defective tools, personal protective equipment, breakers, panels, or other electrical equipment can malfunction and cause serious injuries.
• Struck–by accidents: Electricians may be hit by falling materials, equipment, vehicles, or other objects at busy construction and industrial sites.
• Gas line contact: Accidentally damaging a gas line can cause a fire or explosion, putting electricians and other workers at risk.

The cause of the accident matters when determining whether someone other than your employer may be responsible. A Montgomery personal injury lawyer from Wettermark Keith can look at what happened and whether another party’s actions, equipment, or failure to maintain a safe work area contributed to your injury.

Workers’ Comp vs. a Third-Party Injury Claim in Montgomery

Workers’ compensation is generally the first source of benefits for an employee who suffers a job-related injury. It can provide coverage for medical treatment and a portion of lost wages without requiring you to prove that your employer was negligent. Workers’ compensation, however, does not provide damages for pain and suffering.

A separate personal injury claim may be possible when someone other than your employer caused or contributed to the accident. For an electrician, that could include a general contractor, another subcontractor, a property owner, or a manufacturer. Alabama law allows certain employees to pursue a claim against a third party while also receiving workers’ compensation.

This can be especially important on large Montgomery construction sites where several companies may be working at the same time. Figuring out liability can require a closer investigation.

A Montgomery electrician injury attorney can look beyond the workers’ comp claim to determine whether another party may also be liable.

What Your Electrical Injury Claim Could Be Worth

The financial impact of an electrical injury can continue long after you leave the job site. Severe burns, nerve injuries, amputations, and other serious injuries can affect your ability to work and earn a living in a skilled trade.

Depending on the circumstances, a third-party personal injury claim may seek compensation for:

• Medical costs: You may have expenses for emergency treatment, hospitalization, burn care, surgeries, medication, physical therapy, and future medical care.
• Lost income and earning capacity: Time away from work can result in lost wages, while a permanent injury may reduce your ability to continue working as an electrician or earn the same income.
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress: A serious electrical injury can cause significant physical pain, as well as fear, stress, and other emotional effects.
• Permanent injury or disfigurement: Amputations, severe scarring, nerve damage, and other lasting injuries can change how you work and go about your daily life.
• Punitive damages: In limited cases, Alabama law permits punitive damages when the evidence meets the required standard for conduct such as wantonness, fraud, malice, or oppression. These damages are not available simply because an injury was serious.
• Wrongful death damages: When an electrician dies from an accident caused by another party, eligible family members may have a wrongful death claim for punitive damages under Alabama law.

Every case is different. The severity of the injury, the cost of medical care, the effect on your ability to work, and the conduct of the responsible party can all affect what compensation may be available.

Talking to a Montgomery electrician work injury lawyer can help you understand what compensation may be available. 

Why Fault Matters So Much Under Alabama Law

Alabama follows a strict contributory negligence rule. In a negligence claim, if an injured person is found to have contributed to the accident, even in part, that can prevent the person from recovering damages. This is different from comparative fault systems used in most states, where a person’s recovery is generally reduced based on their percentage of fault.

Alabama’s contributory negligence rule can make fault a major issue after an electrical accident. An insurance company or defense attorney may argue that you failed to follow a safety procedure, used equipment improperly, or should have done something differently. Those arguments can affect whether you are able to recover anything from a third party.

Evidence can help establish what actually happened. This may include OSHA records or citations, incident reports, photographs, eyewitness accounts, training records, work orders, and equipment inspection and maintenance records. Wettermark Keith can investigate these details and work to identify evidence that supports your account of the accident.

Alabama’s Deadline to File

If you qualify for a third-party claim, Alabama generally gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under Ala. Code § 6-2-38. Waiting beyond the applicable deadline can prevent you from pursuing a claim, even if you have otherwise strong evidence.

Wrongful death claims also generally have a two-year deadline, although the specific rules can depend on the circumstances. Workers’ compensation has separate deadlines for reporting and pursuing a claim, so you should not assume that the personal injury deadline applies to every part of your case.

It is also smart to act quickly because physical evidence can disappear. Damaged wiring may be replaced, equipment may be repaired or discarded, and a job site can change significantly once work resumes. An early investigation may make it easier to preserve photographs, records, equipment, and witness information.

Talk to a Montgomery Electrician Injury Lawyer

An electrical injury can affect your health, your ability to work, and your financial future. If another person or company contributed to the accident, you may have a legal claim beyond workers’ compensation.

Wettermark Keith has more than 50 years of combined experience. Our team can investigate the accident, look for all potentially responsible parties, and help you understand what claims may be available.

If you were injured as an electrician in Montgomery or the surrounding area, request a free, no–obligation consultation with a Montgomery electrician work injury lawyer today. You’ll pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Because Alabama’s deadlines are strict, it is best to discuss your case as soon as possible. Contact Wettermark Keith today.