If you or someone you love was hurt by a sudden electric shock, our Michigan electrocution accident lawyers at Christensen Law are here to listen, protect your rights, and pursue full compensation for what you have been through.
We have helped injured people across Detroit, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Troy, and Grand Rapids hold negligent property owners, contractors, and utility companies accountable for serious electrical injuries.
You did not ask for this to happen, and you should not have to face the medical bills, lost income, and long recovery alone.
Call our Southfield office today at 248-600-4591 for a free, no-pressure consultation. We will explain your options in plain language, with no costs up front and no fees unless we win your case.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Do Electrocution Accidents Happen in Michigan?
Most electrocution accidents in Michigan happen when someone is exposed to live electricity because of another party’s carelessness. That could mean unsafe wiring at a rental property, a downed power line after a storm, an unguarded electrical panel at a job site, or defective equipment that should have been pulled from the market.
These cases often involve third parties who had a duty to keep people safe. Examples include property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, utility companies, equipment manufacturers, and landlords. When any of them cut corners on safety, the people nearby can suffer life-altering harm.
Severe Michigan weather adds another layer of risk. Strong storms and heavy snow can knock down power lines and damage utility equipment, leaving live wires in places where pedestrians and drivers do not expect them.
Older buildings in cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids sometimes still have outdated wiring or breaker panels that have not kept up with modern safety codes, and an aging electrical system can spark a serious shock without warning.
Construction sites carry their own well-known dangers. OSHA rules generally require workers and equipment to stay at least 10 feet away from energized overhead power lines, but that rule is broken on Michigan projects more often than you might think. A boom that swings too close, a ladder propped against the wrong wall, or a forgotten lockout/tagout step can each end with a person being seriously hurt.
Michigan’s electrical safety rules are enforced under MIOSHA standards through the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. When those rules are ignored, our team can use that evidence to help build a strong case for compensation.
Types of Electrocution Injuries We Handle
Electric current does damage you can see and damage you cannot. Burns at the entry and exit points are often the most visible signs of an electrical injury. The energy traveling through the body, though, can cause deep, hidden harm to muscles, nerves, and internal organs.
We represent people who have suffered severe burn injuries, including third- and fourth-degree burns, as well as cardiac arrest and dangerous heart rhythm changes. Many of our clients live with traumatic brain injury (TBI) from the shock itself or from a fall caused by the shock. Others face spinal cord injuries that can lead to paralysis.
Other common harms include nerve damage, chronic pain, loss of sensation, amputations, and permanent scarring. In the most tragic situations, we represent families who have lost a loved one in a fatal electrocution accident, helping them pursue a wrongful death claim.
Our Michigan electrocution accident lawyers know that two injuries from the same kind of incident can have very different long-term effects.
Some electrical injuries do not show their full impact until weeks or months later. Cardiac problems can develop after the initial shock has passed, and many survivors report ongoing headaches, memory issues, anxiety, and trouble sleeping that linger long after the visible burns have started to heal.
These delayed symptoms are why we encourage clients to keep careful records of their care and to follow up with their doctors even when they feel mostly fine.
Who Can Be Held Liable for an Electrocution Injury?
Liability in an electrocution case depends on who created the danger and who failed to fix it. In many cases, more than one party shares responsibility, so our job is to identify each one to give you the best chance of full recovery.
Potentially responsible parties can include property owners and landlords who failed to repair faulty wiring, outlets, or breaker panels. They also include general contractors and subcontractors who did not follow electrical safety standards on the job site. Utility companies that left damaged poles, transformers, or downed lines unaddressed can also be on the hook.
We also pursue claims against manufacturers of defective tools, appliances, or industrial equipment, along with businesses that did not warn customers about an exposed wire or electrical hazard. The right legal theory can make a major difference in how much your case is worth, and we carefully review every angle to identify each party that owed you a duty of care.
Michigan Laws That Apply to Electrocution Accident Cases
Several Michigan laws may come into play in an electrocution claim, so it helps to have a legal team that knows them well. The statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in Michigan is three years from the date of the injury, set by MCL 600.5805. If you wait too long to file, you can lose the right to recover anything at all.
Other rules can also affect your case. Michigan follows a comparative fault system, which means your compensation can be reduced if you are found partly responsible. If your share of fault is greater than 50 percent, certain non-economic damages may not be available, so a careful investigation matters from day one.
Product liability is another important angle in many electrocution cases. When a defective tool, appliance, or piece of industrial equipment causes a shock, the manufacturer and sometimes the distributor or retailer can be held responsible.
Michigan product liability law allows recovery for defects in design, manufacturing, or warnings, and these claims can run alongside any negligence claim against a property owner or contractor.
For workplace-related electrical injuries that involve a negligent third party (not your direct employer), you may have a separate claim outside the workers’ compensation system. This is an area where many injured workers miss out on compensation. It is also one where our Michigan electrocution accident lawyers can help you understand your full set of options.
How We Build Your Michigan Electrocution Accident Case
We start an electrocution investigation as soon as you call us, because evidence in these cases can disappear quickly. Damaged wiring gets replaced, equipment gets repaired or thrown out, and surveillance footage gets overwritten. The faster we get to work, the more we can preserve.
Our team typically secures the scene, requests inspection and maintenance records, and pulls any reports filed with MIOSHA, the local fire marshal, or the property owner’s insurance carrier. We also work with electrical engineers and other qualified professionals who can examine the equipment, map out how the current traveled, and explain in plain language what went wrong.
From there, we coordinate with your medical team to document every injury and project every future cost. We also look at the responsible party’s safety history, training records, and any prior complaints that might point to a pattern of negligence. The goal is to walk into negotiations or trial with a case that is hard to argue against.
What Compensation Can You Recover After an Electrocution Accident?
You can recover compensation for both the visible and the long-term costs of an electrocution injury. That includes the medical bills you already have, the care you will need going forward, and the toll the injury has taken on your life and your family.
In a Michigan electrocution case, we pursue damages such as:
- Past and future medical expenses, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and assistive devices
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your old job
- Pain and suffering, scarring, and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life and emotional distress
- Home modifications and long-term attendant care
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members
Every electrocution case is different, and the right number depends on the severity of the injury, the strength of the evidence, and the available insurance coverage. We will sit down with you, look at every loss, and build a claim that reflects the full picture of what this accident has cost you.
Why Choose an Electrocution Accident Lawyer from Christensen Law?
We have been advocating for injured people in Michigan since 1991, and we approach every electrocution case with the same three commitments: listen, protect, win.
Firm founder David Christensen is a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame inductee and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and our team has secured record-setting settlements and verdicts across the state.
Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized “Leader in the Law” and also an ABOTA member.
Here is what working with us looks like:
- Real conversations, not legal jargon. You will always know where your case stands, and you can call us with your questions any time.
- A full investigation up front. We bring in electrical engineers, safety professionals, and medical providers when they can strengthen your case. Electrocution cases are some of the most technically demanding we handle — the current travels through the body in ways that require both an electrical engineer and a neurologist to explain fully.
- Resources to go the distance. We take on the cost of the lawsuit, and we are ready to take your case all the way to trial if the insurance company will not be fair.
- A record of results. We have recovered multi-million-dollar outcomes in catastrophic injury cases, including a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident and a $9.5 million motorcycle accident.
You pay nothing unless we win, and your first consultation is always free. From our Southfield headquarters near the I-696 and Northwestern Highway corridor, we serve injured clients across southeast Michigan, the Grand Rapids area, and the rest of the state. Call 248-600-4591 to tell us what happened, and we will tell you how we can help.
FAQs Answered by a Michigan Electrocution Accident Lawyer
Below are answers to questions we often hear from people who have suffered an electrical injury or lost a loved one to one. If your question is not covered here, please reach out for a free consultation.
Do I have a case if I was injured by electricity at work?
You may have a case beyond workers’ compensation if a third party, meaning someone other than your direct employer, caused or contributed to the accident. Common third parties include equipment manufacturers, subcontractors on the job site, and property owners. We can review the facts and tell you whether a separate civil claim makes sense.
What if a utility company is responsible for my injury?
Utility companies in Michigan are regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission and have a duty to maintain their lines and equipment safely. When a downed line, faulty transformer, or unmarked hazard causes injury, we can pursue the utility for negligence. These cases can be complex, so early investigation is key to protecting your claim.
Can family members of someone who died from electrocution file a claim?
Yes. Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act, certain family members can bring a claim for the loss of their loved one. Recoverable damages may include funeral and burial expenses, the family’s loss of financial support, and the loss of love, companionship, and society. We treat wrongful death cases with the care and attention they deserve.
What if my electrocution accident happened on public property?
Claims against the State of Michigan or a local government often have shorter notice deadlines than other personal injury cases, sometimes as short as 60 to 120 days. Missing one of these notice deadlines can end a case before it begins. If your injury happened on public property or involved a government-owned utility pole, call us right away so we can protect your rights.
What does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee comes out of the settlement or verdict only after we win your case. If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe us no attorney’s fee.
What kind of evidence helps prove an electrocution accident case?
Helpful evidence can include photos of the scene, the equipment involved, maintenance and inspection records, witness statements, MIOSHA or OSHA electrical safety reports, and medical records that connect the injury to the shock. We move fast to preserve this evidence before it disappears or is repaired away.
How long will my electrocution case take to resolve?
Timelines vary from case to case. Some claims settle in several months, while complex cases involving severe injuries or multiple defendants can take a year or more. We move your case forward as quickly as possible without sacrificing the value of your recovery.
Talk to Our Michigan Electrocution Accident Lawyers Today
You do not have to figure this out by yourself. Our Michigan electrocution accident lawyers at Christensen Law are ready to listen to what happened, answer your questions, and stand up for your future.
Whether you were hurt on a construction site in Detroit, a property in Ann Arbor, or a roadway near Grand Rapids, we are prepared to fight for the compensation you and your family deserve.
Call our Southfield office at 248-600-4591 for a free consultation, or reach out online to get started. There is no cost to talk with us, and there are no fees until we win your case. Let us listen, protect, and win for you.
