Workplace Accident: A guide for dealing with an electrical incident in Albany

Each year, around 1,000 deaths in the US are caused by electrical injuries. Thirty thousand additional persons sustain non-fatal electric injuries. Too many of these occurrences take place at work. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, electrocution incidents are the fourth-leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States (NCBI).

People who suffer injuries from electrocution may be eligible for workers’ compensation in Georgia. Workers’ compensation payments will cover medical costs and a portion of missed wages while the employee is recovering.

If a third party was irresponsible and caused the occurrence, employees might also be entitled to make a personal injury claim against them. If you suffered an electrical injury at work, Albany Personal Injury lawyers could help you identify your legal options.

Georgia’s Limitations Statute for Personal Injuries

The statute of limitations refers to the time a person has to submit a compensation claim after an accident.

Two statutes of limitations can apply in the case of a workplace accident.

Workers’ compensation statute of limitations: In Georgia, you only have one year from the date that your last permitted medical treatment ended to make a claim or two years from the date that you last received income benefits. If you don’t submit a claim by the due date, you risk losing your eligibility for benefits. No matter who was at blame for the accident, workers’ compensation benefits are accessible and swiftly disbursed.

Additionally, it is the sole means to obtain payment from an employer following a working injury. Georgia law prohibits injured employees from suing companies that provide workers’ compensation benefits to their staff.

Personal injury statute of limitations: If an employee’s carelessness contributed to a workplace accident, they might have a claim against a third party. Consider the situation where you were an electrical subcontractor on a construction site, and the main contractor neglected to clear the area of puddles. If you suffered an electrical injury, you might be able to hold them accountable. In the case of a personal injury lawsuit, additional damages, such as pain and suffering, may be awarded a workers’ compensation claim cannot cover that.

But a probable personal injury claim can be subject to a statute of limitations, and if an action is not brought within the required time frame, any recovery may be permanently barred.