As a child is growing up, we, as parents, teach them not to go near downed wires, touch electrical outlets, play on train tracks or go out in a lightning storm because of the potential for electrocution. One would never expect that a child could also get electrocuted while playing miniature golf, swimming or on a family vacation. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of others, it happens.
Recently, an 11-year-old New York girl was on vacation with her family at a resort in Florida. She was playing on a putt-putt miniature golf course when her ball rolled into a pond on the course. As she reached into the pond water to get her ball, she was fatally electrocuted. Investigators say that there was a faulty pump that was connected to the wrong circuit breaker, electrifying the water.
Last week, at Cherokee Lake in Tennessee, two boys were electrocuted, one catastrophically injured, after they jumped into a marina in between two house boats. It appears that there was an electrical field in the water that was possibly caused by faulty wiring on one of the boats. The incident occurred on the same day a 13-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother were electrocuted and died while swimming near a private dock at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. The cause of the electrical shock on the dock is unknown at this time but investigators are looking at electrical lights and a pump that supplies water to a slide on the dock. It is believed that the wiring may have not been properly covered or insulated.
When a person comes in contact with a live wire or exposed electricity, the electrical current passes through the body and then exits. Depending on the strength of the current or path the electricity took, it could lead to serious burns, abnormal heart beats, critical injuries or even death.
Unfortunately, the negligent oversight of electrical codes and standards by people or property owners lead to fatal and tragic electrocution injuries. If facilities, resorts, swimming pool owners, boat owners or others take proper care of their property and equipment, electrocutions can avoided. It is not uncommon to hear that a swimmer was electrocuted due to faulty swimming pool light wires. Owners of property have a duty to maintain its premises in a safe condition for all visitors, customers, swimmers or vacationers.
If you or a loved one was injured, electrocuted or burned as a result of an owner’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. Please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia, PA premises liability lawyers for a strictly confidential and free consultation. Since 1958, our experienced personal injury lawyers have had over $2 billion awarded on behalf of our injured clients. Please feel free to take a look at some of the cases we won. We were there for them when they needed us and we are here for you now.
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