Electrical injuries are the leading cause of death in workplaces in America today. Men are more often affected than women.
Not too many people realize that electrocution happens quite often and as a result, over 3,000 people are admitted to hospitals across the nation every year. More than 1,000 die, and that figure includes children. In fact, just about 20 percent of the electrical injuries sustained every year happen to children.
An electrocution burn happens when electrical energy coverts to thermal energy. The converted thermal energy causes the burns, severe tissue injury and in some cases, death. The nature and extent of the burns is usually determined by how long the person was connected to the source, how much electricity was involved (the voltage), the type of current, what course or path the current took and whether or not it had any resistance.
More simply, the severity of tissue damage and the extent of the damage (electrical burns) is directly related to how much current the victim was exposed to when he or she came into contact with the source. For example, high volt injuries occur at greater than 1,000 volts and low volt injuries are less than 1,000 volts. The higher the voltage, the worse the tissue damage. This is the kind of evidence used in court when the injured party files a lawsuit with the assistance of an experienced New Mexico injury lawyer.
The one thing you need to watch for is underestimating the extent of electrocution burns, as they appear to be minimal and often superficial when first noticed. Never judge a burn victim by their external burns. Things are often far more deadly under the skin.
This happens because thermal energy follows the path of least resistance and muscle tissues and nerves offer less resistance than skin. Watch for source burns, usually the hands and head and a ground burn/point, often the feet. You can bet there will be internal damage along that route the energy traced through the body.
Burns as a result of electrocution are classified as first-degree, second-degree and third-degree and they are based on the burn depth. First-degree burns present as red skin with swelling. It’s painful to the touch and will turn white when touched, but there are no blisters or scarring. In the case of second-degree burns, the skin is pink or red, with swelling and pain, and the area may be covered in blisters. These blisters may leave scars.
In third-degree burns, there usually isn’t too much pain, although these are incredibly severe burns. There is little pain because the nerves have been destroyed. The skin may be white or charcoal in color and there will definitely be scars later. There may also be kidney damage and limb loss. Devastating injuries of this nature need the expertise of a New Mexico injury lawyer, as the person will be facing years of surgeries, possible grafting, therapy and recovery. The person may never have the same life they had before the burns and their treatments are extremely expensive and painful.
Scott Atkinson was admitted to practice in New Mexico in 1989 and is a New Mexico personal injury lawyer and New Mexico wrongful death lawyer with the Atkinson Law Firm, LTD. Learn more at Attorneynewmexico.com or call 1.505.944.1050.
