? What is an Electrical Burn

When electricity passes through a resistant material such as the human body, energy is given off in the form of heat. This is the cause of electrical burns. The extent of the burn depends on the size of the current, the pathway (i.e. head to toe, hand to hand, etc.), and the length of exposure.
Strength of Electrical Current
The strength of a shock it takes to severely injure or kill someone varies greatly on the situation and on previous heart conditions. A shock as low as 50 volts has killed people by causing heart arryhythmias or heart attacks. However, people have survived shocks greater than 100,000 volts (lightning).
The Pathway of the Electrical Current
Much of the severity of the burn depends on the path of the current through the body. If the current passes through the brain, heart, or other vital organs, severe injury or death may occur. The most current passes through these vital areas when it travels parallel to the body (head to toe); much less passes through these areas when it goes perpendicular (hand to hand).
Types of Electrical Burns
There are three main types of electrical injury:
- True electrical burns result from direct contact with an electric source where the current flows from the source, through the body, and to the ground. This type of burn exhibits a characteristic entry and exit point burn, with the exit wound typically being larger than the entry.
- Arc burns result when current jump from its source to the ground, but a body between the potential difference of the two points, and thus electricity passes through. An example of this type of burn is a burn caused by high-tension power lines. Instead of just one entry and exit wound, there may be many points of injury.
- Thermal burns result when the arc or sparks ignite clothing, and thus cause typical thermal burns. This type of burn usually occurs with a true electrical burn.
Effects of an Electrical Burn
Besides directly burning tissue and physically damaging organs, there are other effects of burn injuries. High voltage can cause intense muscle contractions that frequently fracture or dislocate bones. Particularly common effects of electrical injuries are heart dysfunctions, which occur in around 1/3 of patients with electrical injuries. Electrical current through the heart disrupts the normal electric-driven beat of the heart, causing right-bundle branch block, tachycardia (speeding up of the heart beat), or arrhythmias. Electrical injuries are also known to cause cataract formation, neurological damage and kidney failure.
Compensation for Victims of Electrical Burns
To get compensation in an electrical burn lawsuit, the burn victim must prove that the following elements:
- Someone had a duty of care
- That person breached that duty of care
- The breach of that duty caused the burns
If the above elements of the case can be proved, then the only remaining issue is the amount of money the victim should recover. Generally, the amount recoverable includes past and future medical expenses, past and future loss of earnings, past and future pain and suffering (which includes disfigurement and emotional distress) and other damages.
In severe electrical burn cases, pain and suffering is unquestionably horrendous, so the compensation for pain and suffering is often high. Read about the phases of burn pain.