Electrocution

Electrocution Attorney in Encino

Trial-Tested Representation for Electrocution Victims Since 2001

Electrocution injuries are among the most legally complex personal injury matters in California. A single incident can involve utility companies, property owners, contractors, and product manufacturers, each with its own insurer and legal team. Cutting through that web of competing interests requires an attorney who is prepared to litigate, not just negotiate.

Law Offices of Colleen O'Hara has represented personal injury clients in Encino and across the Los Angeles area since 2001. Attorney Colleen O’Hara has handled over 200 trials throughout her career, and that courtroom depth shapes every case the firm accepts: how claims are investigated, how defendants are approached, and when to push past a low offer.

If you or a family member suffered an electrocution injury in the Encino area, call Law Offices of Colleen O'Hara at (213) 996-0529 for a free consultation. Spanish-speaking services are available.

Who Can Be Held Liable for an Electrocution Injury?

Liability in an electrocution case turns on who created the dangerous condition and what legal duty they owed the victim. California tort law holds any party who fails to act with reasonable care and causes injury responsible for damages. In practice, that can mean several parties in a single incident.

Under premises liability, property owners and landlords must maintain safe electrical systems. Deteriorated wiring, outdated panels, and ignored maintenance requests can all support a claim. Contractors working on construction sites carry independent safety obligations under California law, and construction sites are among the most common settings for electrocution injuries involving live wires, inadequate grounding, or faulty power tools. When a defective appliance, power tool, or consumer electronic causes the injury, the manufacturer or distributor may face product liability exposure. Utility companies may be responsible when failures in transmission infrastructure injure workers or members of the public.

Workers injured on the job may have both a workers’ compensation claim against their employer and a separate civil personal injury lawsuit against a third party such as a subcontractor or equipment manufacturer. Those claims run on separate tracks, and pursuing one doesn’t automatically foreclose the other.

Common Causes of Electrocution Injuries in the San Fernando Valley

Electrocution incidents in Encino and throughout the San Fernando Valley tend to share a handful of recurring causes. Identifying the source of an injury is the first step toward determining who can be held accountable.

Construction site hazards: Contact with live wires, failure to de-energize equipment, inadequate grounding, and defective power tools account for a significant share of serious electrocution injuries.
Defective consumer products: Appliances, personal electronics, extension cords, and power tools with manufacturing defects or design flaws can deliver dangerous current during ordinary use.
Premises electrical failures: Outdated wiring, overloaded circuits, and deferred maintenance in residential or commercial properties create conditions a property owner or landlord may have had a duty to correct.
Downed power lines: Storms, equipment failure, and maintenance lapses can bring energized lines into contact with vehicles, standing water, or people in public spaces.
Utility infrastructure failures: Failures in transmission and distribution equipment can expose workers and bystanders to high-voltage current, with utility company liability depending on the nature of the failure and the victim’s status.

Electricians, construction workers, power-line technicians, and maintenance workers face the highest occupational risk. Property visitors, tenants, and bystanders can also sustain serious injuries when electrical hazards go unaddressed.

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Electrocution Injuries & Recoverable Damages in California

The severity of an electrocution injury depends on voltage and amperage, the duration of contact, whether the current was alternating or direct, and the path it traveled through the body. Even incidents that appear minor at the scene can produce serious consequences hours or days later.

Immediate physical injuries can include electrical burns ranging from surface damage to deep tissue destruction requiring skin grafts, cardiac arrhythmia, seizures, nerve damage, spinal cord injury, bone fractures from being thrown by the current, and respiratory complications.

Long-term consequences documented in medical literature include neurological complications that may appear days, months, or years after the incident; memory deficits and behavioral changes; cataracts developing in some victims within the first year; and chronic pain. Victims should seek medical evaluation even when initial symptoms seem mild.

California doesn’t cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, so pain and suffering awards are determined by the facts of each case. Recoverable damages can include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In a fatal electrocution, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim covering funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.

California follows a pure comparative fault system. A victim’s recovery may be reduced by their own percentage of fault, but they can still pursue a claim even if they were partially responsible for the incident.

How an Electrocution Injury Case Moves Forward

Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, personal injury victims generally have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Claims against a government entity, including a government-owned utility, generally require an administrative claim filed within six months of the injury under the California Government Code. When a workers’ compensation claim is filed, it may toll the civil statute of limitations while that process is ongoing. These deadlines make early contact with an attorney important.

Investigation & Expert Support

Case evaluation begins with a review of medical records, incident reports, witness statements, and available physical evidence. Investigating an electrocution claim requires identifying all potentially liable parties, which can include property owners, contractors, manufacturers, and utility companies. Expert witnesses, including electrical engineers and accident reconstructionists, are often retained to establish both the cause of the incident and the responsible party.

Negotiation & Trial

Attorney Colleen O’Hara handles all negotiation and litigation communications with the defendant’s legal team on the client’s behalf. Most cases resolve through a negotiated settlement. When an insurer relies on delay, denial, or partial-payment tactics to reduce what a victim receives, the firm can take the case to trial. An insurer’s assessment may shift when the attorney on the other side has tried over 200 cases and has a record of seeing matters through to verdict.

Clients receive responsive communication and a strategy tailored to the specific facts of their case at every phase, from initial evaluation through resolution.

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Whether you’ve been injured due to negligence or are seeking a second chance through post-conviction relief, we are committed to protecting your rights and your future.
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A Trial Attorney for Encino Electrocution Injury Claims

Many personal injury firms settle every case because they aren’t built to try them. Law Offices of Colleen O'Hara takes a trial-focused approach. Attorney Colleen O’Hara handled more than 50 trials before becoming licensed and has tried over 200 cases throughout her career across all practice areas. That background informs how the firm values cases, how it builds them, and how it responds when an insurer refuses a fair offer.

The firm’s reputation in the Los Angeles area is built largely on word-of-mouth referrals, which reflects how clients experience the process: hands-on attention, honest communication, and a strategy tailored to their situation rather than a template applied to every file. Law Offices of Colleen O'Hara has a strong track record of substantial personal injury settlements and serves clients in Encino and throughout the Los Angeles area.

Contact Law Offices of Colleen O'Hara at (213) 996-0529 to schedule a free consultation. The firm offers Spanish-speaking services and can evaluate your electrocution injury claim.

Electrocution Injury Questions

Can I Sue If I Was Hurt at Work & Filed for Workers’ Compensation?

In California, filing a workers’ compensation claim doesn’t necessarily prevent a separate civil personal injury lawsuit. If a third party, such as a subcontractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner, caused or contributed to the electrocution, a civil claim against that party may be available alongside the workers’ compensation process. The two claims run independently, and a workers’ compensation filing may toll the civil statute of limitations while that process is ongoing.

What If a Utility Company Caused the Electrocution?

Claims involving a government-owned utility or another government entity follow accelerated timelines. An administrative claim may need to be filed within six months of the injury under the California Government Code, which is significantly shorter than the standard two-year personal injury deadline. An attorney should be consulted as soon as possible to protect these deadlines.

How Long Does an Electrocution Case Take?

The timeline depends on the complexity of the case, the number of liable parties, and whether the matter settles or proceeds to trial. Cases with clear liability and well-documented damages may resolve more quickly; cases involving multiple defendants or requiring extensive expert testimony typically take longer. There is no universal timeline.

What If My Injuries Didn’t Appear Until Days After the Incident?

California recognizes a delayed discovery rule that may start the statute of limitations clock on the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, rather than the date of the incident. How the rule applies depends on the specific facts of each situation. An attorney can evaluate whether it affects the filing deadline in a particular case.

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