You Were Shocked or Burned on the Job. Know what the law allows.

Electrocution and Electrical Injuries in California

Electrical hazards are one of construction's deadliest dangers. Contact with power lines, live wiring, or unguarded equipment can cause electrocution, shock, and arc-flash burns in an instant.

Electrical injuries include electrocution, electric shock, and arc-flash burns from contact with overhead power lines, exposed or energized wiring, ungrounded equipment, or damaged tools and cords. They can cause severe burns, cardiac arrest, neurological injury, and amputations.

Safety standards require de-energizing circuits, lockout/tagout procedures during maintenance, minimum clearances from overhead lines, grounding, and personal protective equipment. Accidents frequently follow a failure to lock out a circuit, verify it was de-energized, or maintain safe distance from energized lines.

These cases are legally distinct because electrical work involves multiple parties: the electrical subcontractor, the general contractor, the property owner controlling the energized system, the utility, and equipment makers. A notable California Supreme Court case, Sandoval v. Qualcomm (2021), arose from an arc-flash injury and shaped how the Privette doctrine applies to such claims.

What to do after an electrical injury on a job site in California

Steps to take after an electrocution, shock, or arc-flash burn on a job site, to protect a workers' compensation claim and any third-party case.

1. 01
   Get emergency medical care

   Electrical injuries can cause internal and cardiac damage that is not visible. Seek emergency treatment and report the injury to your employer in writing.

2. 02
   Identify the electrical source

   Note whether the source was an overhead line, live wiring, or a piece of equipment, and whether it should have been de-energized.

3. 03
   Document lockout/tagout status

   Record whether lockout/tagout was in place and who was responsible for de-energizing the circuit. This is often central to liability.

4. 04
   Photograph the scene if safe

   Only after the hazard is confirmed de-energized, document the equipment, wiring, or line involved.

5. 05
   Get witness names

   Co-workers can confirm whether the system was supposed to be off and what warnings or procedures were missing.

6. 06
   Request Cal/OSHA findings

   An inspection or citation about electrical safety or lockout/tagout is strong evidence.

7. 07
   Open workers' comp and consult counsel

   File for benefits and have an attorney identify responsible third parties within the two-year deadline.

Your Rights After an Electrical Injury

The right to workers' compensation regardless of fault

After a electrical accident, an injured worker is generally entitled to workers' compensation: medical treatment and a portion of lost wages through temporary or permanent disability, paid regardless of who was at fault. These benefits do not require proving negligence, but they do not include pain and suffering or full lost earnings.

The right to a third-party claim for full damages

Where someone other than the employer caused the electrical accident, the worker may bring a separate personal injury claim against that party for the full range of damages, including pain and suffering. Under California's pure comparative negligence rule, a worker who was partly at fault still recovers, with the award reduced by their share.

The right to representation, regardless of immigration status

California protects all workers, and undocumented workers may receive workers' compensation and pursue third-party claims. An injured worker has the right to consult an attorney, typically on a contingency fee, and can verify any attorney's license and standing through the State Bar of California.

How Fault Is Determined in Electrical Cases

Fault turns on who was responsible for controlling the electrical hazard and failed to do so: the electrical subcontractor, the party that should have de-energized or locked out the circuit, the property owner controlling the system, or a utility responsible for line clearance.

The Privette doctrine is especially relevant here, since Sandoval v. Qualcomm (2021) was itself an arc-flash case. A hiring party is presumed to have delegated safety, but can be liable if it retained and negligently exercised control or concealed a hazard. If defective equipment caused the injury, a product liability claim may also apply.

Under pure comparative negligence, a worker partly at fault still recovers from a responsible third party, with the award reduced by that share.

Insurance and Who Pays in Electrical Cases

A electrical accident usually involves two layers of coverage. The employer's workers' compensation insurer pays medical and disability benefits. Separately, the liability insurers of any responsible third party, such as a general contractor, subcontractor, or property owner, may be the source of recovery in a personal injury claim.

Third-party insurers defend these claims vigorously. Common responses include disputing who controlled the hazard, invoking the Privette doctrine to argue the hiring party is not liable, and emphasizing the worker's own conduct to reduce the award under comparative fault. Early contact from an insurer or risk manager is common, and a worker is not required to give a recorded statement.

If a third-party claim succeeds, the workers' compensation insurer typically has a lien to be reimbursed for benefits it paid. Resolving that lien is part of finalizing the case and affects the worker's net recovery.

Evidence That Matters in Electrical Accident Cases

The records and proof below carry the most weight in these cases:

• Lockout/tagout records. Documentation of whether the circuit was locked out and who was responsible is often decisive.
• Scene and equipment photographs. Images of the line, wiring, or equipment show the hazard, once confirmed safe to document.
• Cal/OSHA citations. A violation of electrical-safety or lockout/tagout standards is strong evidence of negligence.
• Utility and clearance records. For overhead-line contact, records of required clearances and warnings can establish responsibility.
• Witness statements. Co-workers can confirm whether the system should have been de-energized and what procedures were skipped.
• Equipment maintenance records. These show whether tools or systems were defective or poorly maintained, supporting a product claim.
• Medical records. Burn, cardiac, and neurological records document the injuries and prognosis used to value the claim.