Workers Critically Injured after Electrocution Accident
An accident has left five CenterPoint Energy workers critically injured. According to the Houston Fire Department, the workers suffered from being shocked on the job at a building in downtown Houston. The five were working at the Southwestern Bell building in the 1100 block of Capitol at San Jacinto around 10 a.m. Thursday morning. Employees in the building reported a power outage. A crew member was working on an electrical vault outside the building when somehow the fixture burst into flame and shocked the other workers. According to a Houston Fire Department spokesperson, the power vault is located l outside the building, and was not connected, and has a strong barrier around it, however the workers were inside when it flashed. In that flash, the five workers were hit with 480 volts of electricity. After rescue crews went down to reach the five injured workers. The five men were then transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital. All five are listed in critical condition with one suffering from second and third degree burns from the neck down. No one ever goes to work with the expectation of being hurt on the job. Most accidents involving electric shock or even burns tend to happen in workplace settings. Ideally, workman’s compensation will take care of the medical treatment for these types of injuries, but the expense of rehab, a reduced wage for a worker who cannot come back to work right away. Sometimes employers will do anything to avoid having to pay worker’s compensation claims or a claim can be denied. Sometimes when workers are injured on the job, the employer is not to blame. Injuries on the job can come from unsafe working conditions where a third party or defective product is involved. Because certain types of jobs involve a higher amount of risk for serious injuries or even death, having a good, experienced attorney on your side to help you navigate through the insurance claims is a must. If you have been injured on the job or a loved one has suffered from a workplace injury, give our offices a call. Our firm’s attorneys have many years of experience in the courts in workplace injury cases. An attorney will take the time to go over the details of your case and even act as a liaison between you and insurance companies and workman’s compensation to ensure that you receive fair treatment. Give us a call and speak with an attorney today. We can help.