Law

Top Reasons For An Electrocution Accident

Electrical accidents have become quite common. While sometimes the reason might be people’s lack of awareness about handling electrical equipment, most of the time, it happens because there was a fault in the wiring or electrical tools they were holding. Electrical shocks have become so prevalent because electricity is a necessity in our daily lives. 

We use it for various purposes like cooking, entertainment, comfort, light, etc. However, with the increasing computation of electricity in our lives, there comes greater responsibility towards preventing hazards that can cost you or your family their lives. Additionally, if any of your family members or you get electrocuted, ensure to call a Cherry Hill, NJ personal injury attorney and claim the damages sustained in the accident.

Top reasons for an electrocution accident 

  • Broken or damaged outlet/switch 

A common cause of electric shock is a malfunctioning or broken outlet. The outlet and switches receive electrical current from the internal boxes behind them. However, the electricity can become unstable if there is broken wiring or a missing screw. Once this erratic electricity comes in contact with a human, it creates shock inside them. 

In most cases, when a person tries to plug appliances into a faulty outlet, it results in an electric shock and sometimes even a fuse. If it is not a loose connection, damages such as frayed wiring and cracked cases for outlets can also cause an electrical shock as the resistance towards the electricity decreases the situation. 

  • Outdated switch or outlet 

An outlet or switch must not be faulty or broken to cause an electrical shock. There are cases where the electrical shock occurred even when the outlet was old or had not been changed for a long time. The outdated outlet has a two-pronged wire instead of a three-pronged wire; this can result in an electrical shock because the two-pronged cables do not have ground wires. 

Ground wires are meant to provide an additional safety layer if any unstable electrical current flows through. The primary function of this wire is to give an extra passage to the suitable wind to pass into the ground instead of coming your way. Hence they have named ground wires. 

  • Faulty appliances 

A faulty appliance does not have the efficiency of managing electrical current as it did when it was new. This appliance often does not channel electricity in the right direction, resulting in a shock. In situations like damaged circuitry, frayed wiring, broken current and electrical current becomes highly unstable and will end up causing some gruesome injuries to you or your family member. 

So ensure you remove all outdated or broken appliances from your house to maintain safety measures.