Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

As an outdoorsman and sailor, I am very much aware of the dangers of lightening and how suddenly dangerous electrical storms can catastrophically injure and kill the unknowing victims in its pathway.

A day of racing on August 5th at Pocono Raceway ended tragically when multiple lightning strikes killed one man and injured nine others. Pocono Raceway officials commented that they warned the estimated 85,000 race fans to take cover several times as the weather noticeably took a turn for the worse. A severe thunderstorm warning was allegedly issued for the area at approximately 4:12 p.m. and NASCAR called the race almost three quarters of an hour later at 4:45 p.m.
Unlike baseball or football stadiums, most race tracks do not have concourses where fans can go during severe weather to be safe. The loud noise from race cars also makes it very difficult to make announcements.

Most electrocution injuries and lightning strikes happen instantaneously and without warning. As an experienced electrocution attorney in Pennsylvania, I raise the issue for question whether or not the operators and owners of the racetrack acted properly in view of such advanced notice of the storm. Business operators and property owners have an obligation to protect the visiting public from dangerous situations and hazards which include, but are not limited to, protection against electrical injury in the event of a lightning strike if they had reasonable prior notice of the situation. The owner or operator of a business has a non-delegable duty to maintain its premises in a reasonable safe condition so as to prevent injuries to business invitees and members of the public. If the owner of the business has reason to know or should have known of a potentially dangerous condition, then under the law they are obliged to take precautionary actions to prevent injury or death to others.

Continue reading "If You Can See It, Flee It; If You Can Hear It, Clear It: Electrocution Attorney Weighs In On Lightning Strike Fatalities At Sporting Events" »

On Wednesday, October 5, 2011, a highway worker was fatally electrocuted when he struck a power line while mowing a roadway at the seashore. Some of the most devastating and catastrophic injuries and deaths occur to workers as a result of coming into contact with an electrical source causing an electrocution. The second leading cause of death for construction workers, just behind slip and falls, is electrocution. Thousands of people will be catastrophically injured every year and over a thousand people will die by an electricity related accident caused by coming into contact with power lines or a source of electricity that can render a shock large enough to stop their hearts. While the majority of severe electrical shock accidents and electrocutions occur at a workplace, they also often take place in one’s home or the residential property of another while using a defective product, coming into contact with wires that are poorly insulated or exposed, and improperly grounded. Many consumer appliances such as hair dryers, power tools, blenders, and coffee makers have been recalled for posing serious electrical shock and electrocution hazards. Although one would think that an electrocution while working in the garden is a “freak" occurrence, many properties have electrical cables buried in the ground and special care must be taken when gardening or doing construction to avoid coming into contact with this source of electricity.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this electrocution victim and it is strongly suggested that his family seek the services of an experienced electrocution attorney to properly and independently investigate this situation.

Negligence or the use of a defective product on a work site around electrical components often results in serious consequences including but not limited to heart attacks, muscle and tissue destruction, burns, and unfortunately wrongful death.

Over the past weekend, two separate workers were killed in separate electrical-related accidents. One gentleman, 35-years old, died while installing cables at a camp for oil and gas workers and another individual was killed while working on a power transmission project. With the deluge of rain and water caused by Hurricane Irene and other abnormally huge weather moisture systems, power lines have been downed leading to injuries and deaths by workers and other innocent citizens who have come into contact with high voltage lines. In one case, a victim was killed by electrocution when he stepped out of his home and touched a railing that had been impacted with a high voltage line. If you are in the vicinity of a downed power line, do not take any chances as there is an extreme risk of electrocution injuries or death.

I live in a wooded area and numerous power lines seem to be tangled or down due to sustained gusty winds, fallen trees, and heavy rainfall. As I traveled into upstate Pennsylvania on a case last week, I saw more low hanging electrical wires than ever. It is important for parents to keep children and pets away from these wires and to always assume that they are live and energized.

If you or a loved one has suffered an electric shock injury or death, it is important to contact an experienced electrocution attorney who will immediately commence a proper investigation and assist you or your loved ones through the emotional, financial, and legal issues that may arise.

For over three and a half decades, the consumer product and safety and electrocution attorneys of Reiff & Bily have successfully represented generations of Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians who have sustained wrongful death or catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of others or use of defective products. As always, we offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On August 15, 2011, 18-year old Michael Knudsen was electrocuted while swimming at a marina. Attorneys representing the teenage youth in the swimming accident stated that improper electrical wiring in the floating dock area and shoddy workmanship presented danger of electrocution and that the death could have been prevented by exercising just a little care. The preliminary investigation indicated that there was a short in an electrical line which carried power to a section of the floating dock allowing electrical current to enter the water where the man was electrocuted.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the victim and their family.

As an experienced swimming accident and electrocution accident attorney, I believe that the owners and operators of the marina, as well as any other responsible parties or contractors who may have performed alleged shoddy work or taken short cuts which resulted in this accident should be held accountable for this unfortunate tragic wrongful death.