By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Burned because of someone else?
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Burns that did not involve electricity are covered on our burn injury lawyer page.
What electricity does inside the body
Current passing through the body generates heat that burns and destroys tissue, but not every electrical injury leaves external damage, and high-voltage injuries may cause massive internal burns (Merck Manual). Severity depends on the strength and type of current, its path through the body, how long contact lasts and the body’s resistance. Alternating current, the kind in household outlets, causes a continuing muscle contraction that often keeps a person from letting go. Severe shocks can cause abnormal heart rhythms, from harmless to immediately fatal.
MedlinePlus warns that while some electrical burns look minor, there may be serious internal damage, especially to the heart, muscles or brain (MedlinePlus). The ABA recommends burn center follow-up even after low-voltage injuries to screen for delayed symptoms and vision problems, so a short first emergency room visit does not settle how badly someone was hurt.
When to go to a burn center
The American Burn Association calls for immediate burn center consultation, with consideration of transfer, for every electrical injury of 1,000 volts or more and every lightning injury; lower-voltage injuries should still get consultation and consideration of follow-up (ABA referral guidelines). The Merck Manual says more severe injuries are admitted to the hospital, ideally a burn center, and a person with an abnormal heartbeat or ECG, heart symptoms or other severe injuries is kept 6 to 12 hours. See our burn center directory.
First aid from MedlinePlus: call 911, turn off the current if you can do so safely, and do not touch the person with bare hands while the body still touches the source.
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What counts as “high voltage” depends on who is asking
| Source | “High voltage” means |
|---|---|
| Merck Manual | Over 500 volts |
| Texas Health & Safety Code § 752.001 | More than 600 volts |
| California Penal Code § 385 | More than 750 volts |
| ABA referral guidelines | 1,000 volts or more |
How often electricity injures and kills
The Merck Manual reports that accidental exposure to high voltage causes about 400 deaths a year in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 142 workplace deaths from exposure to electricity in 2023 and 130 in 2024 (BLS). Job-site injuries are covered on our workplace and refinery burns page.
Power line clearance rules
Washington L&I’s hazard alert says contact with overhead lines “can and has occurred” while using long-handled tools and ladders, and tells workers to treat every overhead line as energized (Washington L&I). Each jurisdiction sets a minimum distance.
| Rule | What it requires |
|---|---|
| Federal OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3) | 10 feet of clearance from energized overhead lines of 50 kV or less, more for higher voltages, for workers not trained in electrical hazards (OSHA interpretation) |
| California Penal Code § 385 | Misdemeanor to place or move tools, equipment or structures within six feet of a high-voltage overhead line; cranes and similar machines must carry a warning sign legible at 12 feet (Penal Code § 385) |
| Cal/OSHA, 8 CCR § 2946 | General clearances: unless lines are de-energized and visibly grounded, workers stay 6 feet from 600-50,000 volt lines and 10 feet from lines over 50,000 and up to 345,000 volts (8 CCR § 2946) |
| Texas Health & Safety Code ch. 752 | No person, tool, equipment or structure within six feet of a high-voltage line; temporary work closer than that requires notice to the line operator at least 48 hours ahead and an agreed safety arrangement first (§§ 752.003-752.005) |
| Washington, WAC 296-155-428 | 10 feet for lines of 50 kV or below, more above that, unless the lines are de-energized and visibly grounded or insulating barriers are in place (WAC 296-155-428) |
In a civil case, these distances help show what a careful contractor or site owner should have done.
Who can be responsible
Contractors and site owners who send workers near lines without de-energizing them or keeping the required distance.
Landlords who leave exposed or faulty wiring. California treats a rental as untenantable without wiring that met code when installed and is maintained in good working order (Civ. Code § 1941.1); Washington landlords must keep the electrical facilities they supply in reasonably good working order (RCW 59.18.060); and a Texas landlord who gets notice of a condition that materially affects an ordinary tenant’s health or safety must make a diligent effort to repair it (Prop. Code § 92.052). Wiring fires are covered on our apartment fires page.
Manufacturers of appliances, tools, cords and chargers that shock or burn the user. California holds makers strictly liable for defective products (Greenman v. Yuba Power Products); a Texas design claim needs proof of a safer alternative design (CPRC § 82.005); Washington asks whether the product was reasonably safe as designed and labeled (RCW 7.72.030). See defective products.
Utilities, when a line was too low, left down or not shut off after a report. Their outage and repair records should be requested early.
Third parties at work. A lineman or electrician hurt on the job generally gets workers’ comp from the employer. A general contractor, crane company or equipment maker that is not the employer can still be sued in California (Labor Code § 3852) and Washington (RCW 51.24.030). Texas treats comp as the only remedy against an employer that carries it; the one exception lets a surviving spouse or children seek punitive damages when the employer’s intentional act or gross negligence caused the worker’s death (Labor Code § 408.001). A Texas employer with no comp coverage can be sued for negligence and cannot blame the worker’s own fault (§ 406.033), and an outside company whose negligence caused the shock can be sued too (§ 417.001).
When the utility belongs to a city
LADWP describes itself as “the largest municipal water and power utility in the nation” (LADWP), and Seattle City Light calls itself “one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities” (Seattle City Light). Claims against public utilities follow government claim rules: a written claim within six months in California (Gov. Code § 911.2), and a filed claim plus a 60-day wait before suing a local government in Washington (RCW 4.96.020). In Texas, if a city-owned utility is involved, ask a lawyer right away whether the Tort Claims Act notice rule applies (CPRC § 101.101).
Fault and deadlines
A defendant may argue that the injured person got too close to the line or touched a panel without shutting it off. In California and Washington, that argument can lower the award by the injured person’s percentage of fault but cannot defeat the claim (Li v. Yellow Cab; RCW 4.22.005); in Texas, a person found more than 50% at fault recovers nothing (CPRC § 33.001). Outside the city-utility rules above, a shock or electrical burn suit is generally due within 2 years in California (CCP § 335.1), 2 years in Texas (CPRC § 16.003) and 3 years in Washington (RCW 4.16.080). See burn law by state for more, and our gas explosions page for gas line and appliance blasts.
Electrical burn FAQ
Why does an electrical burn look small when the injury is serious?
Current heats tissue along its whole path, so the skin wound can be small while muscles, nerves or the heart are damaged inside.
Should I go to a burn center after an electrical shock?
The ABA calls for immediate burn center consultation for injuries of 1,000 volts or more and for lightning, and for consultation and possible follow-up after lower-voltage injuries.
I was shocked at work. Is workers’ comp my only option?
Not always. A contractor, equipment maker or property owner who is not your employer can face a separate claim, and in Texas a nonsubscribing employer, one with no comp coverage, can be sued for negligence.
How close can you work to a power line?
California Penal Code 385 and Texas law use six feet for high-voltage lines, Cal/OSHA uses 6 or 10 feet depending on voltage, and federal OSHA and Washington use 10 feet for lines up to 50 kV.
Talk to an electrical burn lawyer
If you or a family member was hurt by a power line, exposed wiring or a defective electrical product, call Beverly Law at (310) 552-6959 for a free consultation in English or Spanish. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
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Burn injury lawyer — Beverly Law
If you or your child was burned because of someone else in California, Texas and Washington, talk to a burn injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Sources
- Merck Manual (Consumer Version), Electrical Injuries (merckmanuals.com)
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), Electrical injury (medlineplus.gov)
- American Burn Association, burn center referral guidelines (ameriburn.org)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Table 2 (2023-24) (bls.gov)
- OSHA standard interpretation, Dec. 7, 1999 (29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3) 10-foot clearance) (osha.gov)
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- california.public.law/codes/penal_code_section_385
- Cal/OSHA, 8 CCR § 2946 (proximity to overhead lines) (dir.ca.gov)
- statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.752.htm
- tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/HS/htm/HS.752.htm
- WAC 296-155-428 (Washington construction, electrical) (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington L&I, Hazard Alert: Overhead Power Lines (Dec. 2013) (lni.wa.gov)
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1941.1 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.052 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- RCW 59.18.060 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Greenman v. Yuba Power Products (Cal. 1963) (scocal.stanford.edu)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 82.005 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- RCW 7.72.030 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Cal. Labor Code § 3852 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LA/htm/LA.408.htm
- statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LA/htm/LA.406.htm
- statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LA/htm/LA.417.htm
- RCW 51.24.030 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- LADWP, Who We Are (webprod.ladwp.com)
- Seattle City Light, Media Information (seattle.gov)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- RCW 4.96.020 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- RCW 4.16.080 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (Cal. 1975) (scocal.stanford.edu)
- RCW 4.22.005 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.