Electric Shock: When It Happens At Home

Many of us have taken to do-it-yourself home repair. With the cost of living and home maintenance high in so many parts of the country, we do what we can to cut costs here and there even if it means engaging in a tasks for which we have no training, or have never done before. We read a manual and think we can easily fix a major plumbing project. We buy a part and know that we can take care of that leaky roof. Or, we download a “home electrician” book and think we are experts at what lies ahead. But, we are not experts in all things, and some of those home repair tasks are better left to the professionals. Still, for the sake of time and investment, we tackle the task. Here are some things to keep in mind when taking on an electrical job in your home.

A few hundred people each year die from electric shock in the home, and some of those fatalities cause burns serious enough be fatal. Electric shock in the home occurs when we:

• Replace faulty wiring
• Tape or repair broken insulation
• Replace a circuit breaker
• Step in a puddle or pool of water that has pooled in an unexpected location
• Reach for appliances that have fallen into the sink or shower

Electrical accidents in the home can be deadly, and almost all forms of shock result in some type of injury. Electric shock ranges from a small shock much like what you feel when you touch something that is affected by static electricity in the home. Other electrical shock can cause burns to the fingers or parts of the body where the electricity touched. And, still, the most serious is shock that sends a full-blown current through the body with nothing in sight to stop the electricity from passing through. Those electric shocks are fatal.

While electricians take their lives into their own hands on a daily basis helping others with home repair, the at-home do-it-your-self also takes life into their own hands performing simple tasks around the home. Always be sure you have the right tools at hand, and have someone else with you to assist you regarding parts that you may not be able to access or reach as easily.

If you have been injured, or know someone who has been injured or died as a result of electric shock, you know how serious the devastation can be. A law firm in New York who is renowned for personal injury cases can assist in your case and settle quickly and effectively.