Electrical injury lawyer in Los Angeles: Former Insurance Defense Attorneys
Electrical contact can cause harm that a skin photograph cannot show. Medical evaluation and safe preservation of the source both matter.
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At a Glance
- What it is: a claim involving electrical shock, internal injury or burns caused by an unsafe electrical source.
- Where we help: we investigate incidents in Los Angeles County homes, workplaces and other properties.
- Why us: David Lederer and John Nojima formerly defended insurance companies and understand causation disputes.
- Proof: our firm's Google rating is 4.5 stars from 41 reviews.
- Next step: after emergency care, call (310) 312-1860 to request a free consultation.
Quick Answer
An electrical injury case may involve a landlord, contractor, utility or product manufacturer, depending on the source of the shock and each party's conduct. Technical evidence identifies the defect or maintenance failure. Medical evidence connects the exposure with burns, cardiac problems or neurological symptoms. Workers' compensation may cover a workplace injury without eliminating a valid claim against a separate responsible party.
Electrical injury lawyer in Los Angeles from Lederer & Nojima is for people who suffered electrical shock and want the responsible parties identified, so you can pursue a claim that accounts for internal harm as well as visible burns.
Electrical injuries are medical emergencies. Call 911 after serious electrical contact and stay away from energized equipment or downed lines. Do not touch someone who remains connected to the source. Emergency responders can secure the area and provide care. A small surface wound does not establish that the injury is minor, and a person without visible burns may still need evaluation.
Doctors may assess cardiac arrhythmia, peripheral nerve damage or internal burns after electrical exposure. Muscle breakdown, including rhabdomyolysis, may affect the kidneys. Cognitive changes, memory difficulty and concentration problems can also need evaluation. Eye or hearing complaints deserve attention. These conditions have other possible causes, so the claim requires a medical explanation connecting the exposure, symptom timing and clinical findings.
Electrocution injury lawyers in California must examine more than the device at the point of contact. A subcontractor may have installed wiring, a building owner may have received complaints or a product may have failed. Utilities such as SCE or LADWP may require a different investigation involving lines or power surges. We examine the applicable duties rather than assuming every party near the source shares liability.
Former Insurance Defense
David Lederer and John Nojima used to defend insurers. Now they use that knowledge to pressure carriers that try to delay, discount, or deny injury claims.
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay no upfront attorney fee. Our attorney fee comes from the recovery. If we do not recover, there is no attorney fee, and the written agreement explains how case costs are handled.
Free Consultation 24/7
Call any time after an injury. We can protect evidence, deal with insurers, and explain your next move before deadlines pass.
Who controlled the electrical hazard and what harm did it cause?
The cause of internal symptoms
An insurer may attribute weakness or cardiac symptoms to another condition. We gather the emergency history and relevant specialist records to show the timing and mechanism doctors identify. Earlier health records may provide context rather than automatically defeating the claim.
Warnings and access
A defense may argue that you touched equipment despite a warning. Photographs of labels, barriers and the surrounding area can help explain what a person encountered. The warning's content and the way people used the equipment matter to a fault analysis.
Neurological complaints without a clear image
An insurer may question pain or cognitive changes when an imaging study does not explain them. Treating neurologists and other qualified providers can assess the symptoms and functional limitations. We avoid treating either a normal image or a symptom report as a complete answer.
Repairs before an inspection
A manager may need to remove an electrical hazard at once. Safety takes priority, but photographs, component retention and records of the work can preserve evidence. Counsel can request preservation without asking anyone to leave energized or unsafe equipment in service.
Several companies on one job
Installation contracts, permits and maintenance records may separate the building owner's role from a contractor's work. We identify who performed the task at issue and who controlled inspections or repairs. A company name on a vehicle is only a starting point.
What evidence and losses belong in an electrical injury claim?
- Safe scene photographs and the failed component can help an electrical engineering expert assess the mechanism without recreating a dangerous exposure.
- Inspection reports, permit records and earlier repair requests may establish installation conditions or notice of a hazard.
- Emergency care records and cardiac monitoring can document the initial medical response and the history provided to clinicians.
- Neurological, ophthalmological and other specialist records may address nerve damage, eye injury or cognitive complaints tied to the contact.
- Occupational therapy and internal burn treatment records explain continuing care, restrictions and supported future needs.
- Income records and work limitations support lost wage or earning capacity claims, while testimony may explain pain and loss of ordinary activities.
What does California law say about electrical injury liability?
Civil Code section 1941 addresses a landlord's duty to provide premises fit for human occupation and repair deterioration that makes them untenantable, subject to applicable exceptions. Liability for an injury still requires review of the defect, notice and causation. Labor Code sections 3600 and 3852 address workers' compensation and claims against responsible third parties. An employer relationship can limit a civil action against the employer without protecting an unrelated negligent contractor or manufacturer.
California strict product liability, including the principles associated with Greenman, may apply when defective electrical equipment causes injury without requiring proof of negligent manufacturing conduct. The claim still needs proof of a defect and causation. Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally allows two years for a personal injury lawsuit. Delayed discovery may affect some claims, but you should not depend on an extension; public entity involvement or other circumstances may require earlier action.
What should I do after an electrical shock injury?
- 1
Call for emergency help
Tell responders that electrical contact occurred and where the source is. Keep others away. Do not operate unfamiliar electrical controls or attempt a rescue that exposes you to current.
- 2
Give clinicians the exposure history
Explain what you touched, when it happened and any symptoms you noticed. Follow their instructions about cardiac, neurological or eye evaluation and report new symptoms after discharge.
- 3
Document from a safe distance
Ask someone to photograph the location only after responders or qualified personnel establish safety. Nobody should reconnect equipment or recreate contact to show how the incident occurred.
- 4
Retain information about the source
Keep appliance identification, owner details and report numbers. Ask counsel about preserving a failed outlet or device through a safe process that does not obstruct necessary hazard correction.
- 5
Make a written incident report
Notify your employer if the exposure occurred at work and retain a copy. Save communications with a landlord or property manager about the condition, including any earlier complaints.
- 6
Review the claim with counsel
Bring medical paperwork and the identities of involved companies to the free consultation. We discuss technical investigation, insurance communications and potential third-party claims alongside any workers' compensation matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could my landlord face a claim for a faulty outlet?
Does workers' compensation prevent all other claims?
Why do doctors need to assess a shock without a large burn?
Should I keep using the appliance for evidence?
Where is the Lederer & Nojima office?
Our office is at 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Call (310) 312-1860 to schedule a free consultation, or see our Google Business Profile for directions and reviews.
Legal references
General information, not legal advice. Primary sources for the rules described on this page:
- medlineplus.gov: 000053.htm
- Judicial Council of California: CACI civil jury instructions (PDF)
- California Business and Professions Code section 6147
- California Civil Code section 1941
- California Labor Code section 3852
- California Labor Code section 3602
- California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1
- California Government Code section 911.2
Related Practice Areas
Lederer & Nojima, LLP
12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 312-1860
Results may vary. Every case is unique. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Call Lederer & Nojima at (310) 312-1860 after obtaining medical care to discuss an electrical injury claim with no attorney fee unless we win.
Former insurance defense attorneys. No fee unless we win.