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Faulty Wiring Accident Claims Guide – How Much Compensation Can I Claim? – Who is at fault?

By Cat Way. Last Updated 24th February 2023. If you have suffered an injury as a result of faulty wiring that can be attributed to somebody else’s negligence, then you may be eligible to claim personal injury compensation. This could include any injury resulting from electric shock, burns caused by an electrical fire or psychological trauma as a result of your experience. Depending on where the incident happened there are a number of people who may be liable to pay damages. It could be a landlord if you live in a rented property, an employer if you were injured at work or a business owner if you were harmed on commercial premises. Read through our guide to find out more about the injuries you can sustain from faulty wiring and who may be to blame.

Faulty wiring injury claims

Faulty wiring injury claims guide

It isn’t always easy to establish liability and whilst you are recovering from an injury it may feel a little daunting to bring a claim for damages. This is why we strongly suggest that you contact Legal Expert within the personal injury claims time limit of three years. We are here to help you achieve the maximum possible compensation and we will relieve you of any of the stress involved in claiming. Call us today for further information on 0800 073 8804. You can also check if you have a valid claim online, or use the live chat function in the corner.

Select a Section

  1. A Guide to Faulty Wiring Injury Claims
  2. What Can Faulty Wiring Cause?
  3. How Can I Tell If I’ve Suffered Electric Shock?
  4. Short and Long-Term Effects of Electric Shock
  5. Faulty Electrics and Fire – the Physical and Mental Effects
  6. Faulty Wiring – Key Steps To Making A Claim If Injured
  7. Who Can I Claim Against For a Faulty Wiring Injury Claim
  8. Can I Claim For an Electric Shock Faulty Wiring Accident at Work?
  9. Can I Claim For an Electric Shock Faulty Wiring Accident in a Public Place?
  10. Claiming Against Your Landlord For Faulty Wiring Injury
  11. Compensation For Accidents Caused By Faulty Wires
  12. No Win No Fee Faulty Wiring Accident Claims
  13. Legal Expert – Helping You Through Faulty Wiring Injury Claims
  14. Helpful Links

A Guide to Faulty Wiring Injury Claims

The injuries caused by faulty wiring can be serious and life-changing, even resulting in death in the most severe cases. Faulty wiring can lead to electric shocks or electrical fires, both of which can have devastating outcomes. Your home and belongings can be destroyed, and you may suffer long-term physical and psychological health problems following the incident.

Faulty wiring is usually caused by a lack of maintenance or inadequate repair. If an employer or landlord has failed to check and maintain electrical equipment, then they can be liable for your faulty wiring injury. Alternatively, if an electrician has been employed to check or repair the wiring and has not done so properly, or is not fully qualified to do the job then they may be the one who is liable for the injuries sustained.

If someone is to blame for your injuries then we can help you claim by navigating the legislation and helping you understand what you should do to strengthen your case. Legal Expert are dedicated to achieving the maximum possible damages for our clients on a No Win No Fee basis.

What is the most common electrical injury?

According to the Health and Safety Executive’s guide on electrical injuries in the workplace, these are a few examples of injuries you could sustain due to faulting wiring:

  • Electric shock – the heart may stop beating, the person may stop breathing and muscle spasms may occur.
  • Electrical burns – these burns may require surgery and could be permanently disabling.
  • Thermal burns – this could occur if someone is too close to an electrical explosion or fire.

If you’ve been physically or mentally injured by faulty wiring, and you could prove it was caused by negligence, you could potentially claim compensation. Get in touch with our advisors to find out more today.

What Can Faulty Wiring Cause?

If a building has faulty wiring. then this can be potentially very dangerous. If the wiring goes wrong it can lead to both electric shock and fire. Faulty wiring is most commonly caused by a failure to maintain the electrics in a property or a failure to install electrical systems properly in the first place.

What is an electrical accident?

If wiring is faulty, it could potentially lead to an electrical accident.

Electric shock injuries are frequently caused by faulty wiring and can you give a minor surprise or a severe injury that can lead to permanent disfigurement, disablement, or even death. Fire is equally as dangerous. Not only can it decimate your belongings in a property, but it can also seriously injure anybody in its path. Involvement in a fire can also lead to life-changing injuries.

How Can I Tell If I’ve Suffered Electric Shock?

It is important to recognise if you have received an electric shock because even a minor shock can lead to serious injury within your body. As soon as you become aware that you have suffered from an electric shock you should see a healthcare professional to be fully assessed. Initially, you should look out for the following symptoms:

  • Spasms in your muscles
  • An identifiable burn on your skin
  • Having difficulty breathing
  • An irregular heartbeat, any damage to the heart can lead to cardiac arrest
  • Pain or deformity in the bones which may indicate breakage or fracture
  • Tingling, numbness or difficulty hearing, speaking or seeing may indicate a problem with your nervous system
  • Unconsciousness, even for a short period of time

If you are pregnant, you should see a doctor no matter how minor the shock.

Your electric shock injury may result from a socket that has been overloaded, poorly maintained equipment, faulty wiring or water damage to the electrics. Your injury may be very minor or particularly severe resulting in serious damage.

If your injury occurred as a result of somebody else’s negligence then you may be able to make a faulty wiring compensation claim. A personal injury solicitor will be able to establish the fault of a negligent electrician, landlord or employer, for example, enabling you to receive an electric shock settlement.

You may wish to know “how much can I claim for an electric shock?” The answer to this depends on your individual circumstances and the severity of your injuries. You may be eligible to claim general damages for any pain and suffering you have experienced as well as any out of pocket expenses you have paid for medical costs, transport or care costs.

Your final award will also take into account the loss of current or future earnings as a result of your injury. Later in this guide, we will give you a rough idea of the compensation that previous claimants have been awarded. However, this is no substitute for a conversation with an experienced personal injury lawyer who can look at your case in detail.

Short and Long-Term Effects of Electric Shock

A small electric shock may result in visible burning of the skin which can be treated at home with a first aid kit. A bigger electric shock can have a serious impact both immediately and in the long term.

If you receive a serious wound following a burn then you may need hospital treatment and wound management, requiring dressings and medication. If the burn is serious enough to kill the tissue in a limb then amputation may even be required.

Serious electric shocks can also result in broken bones or fractures following a fall due to the impact or the force of the current. Broken bones will obviously need hospital treatment too.

The area of most concern is damage to internal organs. The nervous system and heart rely on electrical impulses to work. The shock from electricity can damage both the organs and their ability to work properly. This can result in a cardiac arrest if the heart is damaged or seizures and ongoing anxiety or personality changes if the brain is damaged.

Faulty Electrics and Fire – the Physical and Mental Effects

Fire can have a devastating effect not only on a property but on your physical and mental health. The main cause of death when it comes to fires is smoke inhalation. Smoke is made up of different gases, some of which may be highly toxic depending on what is being burnt. Inhaling too much smoke can cause asphyxiation which means that your body is not receiving enough oxygen.

Your body may also be damaged by the harmful substances contained within the smoke. Irritants can cause your airways to swell or collapse making it difficult to breathe. You may begin to cough, develop a headache and then experience confusion, seizures and fainting. Carbon monoxide is the main cause of death in individuals who are forced to inhale smoke.

People who are lucky enough to survive severe smoke inhalation are likely to be highly traumatised after the event. They may also find that they continue to suffer physical discomfort for some time afterwards and are often required to continue using inhalers and pain relief until the lungs have healed. If the lungs have been damaged they may experience these symptoms for the rest of their lives.

Burns caused by fire are also known as thermal burns. The severity of the burn depends on how long your skin has been exposed to the fire and how hot it was. The more layers of skin that are damaged, the more serious the burn. Burns are usually referred to as superficial, partial or full-thickness burns. The most serious of these is the full-thickness burn which affects both the epidermis and dermis. In full-thickness burns, the nerve endings, hair follicles, blood vessels and sweat glands are all damaged. More serious thermal burns will require hospital treatment.

After you have recovered from your physical symptoms following a fire, the psychological impact is likely to linger. You may have lost your home and a number of belongings and it may feel as though the fire has taken away your safe place. It can be severely traumatic to evacuate your house and find somewhere else to live. You may be experiencing shock and anxiety. Some people are even diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and require long periods of therapy to overcome their psychological trauma.

Appliance Fires Statistics

According to statistics from the Home Office, 3,665 primary fires in dwellings and other buildings were caused by faulty appliances and leads in 2020/21. Primary fires are defined as fires that occurred in a non-derelict building, involved fatalities, casualties or rescues, or were attended by 5 or more pumping appliances.

If you’ve been injured in a fire caused by bad wiring or faulty appliances that resulted from negligence, why not get in touch with us today to start a claim?

Faulty Wiring – Key Steps To Making A Claim If Injured

A key part of making a claim after wiring faults caused you to become injured is collecting evidence. This can help support your claim by proving who is liable, how your injuries occurred, and how severely they have affected your life. This evidence could include:

  • Witness contact details: If anyone witnessed your accident, taking their details means that their statements can be taken later.
  • Medical records: If you seek medical treatment following your accident, your medical records will detail the severity of your injuries and the treatment you received for them.
  • CCTV footage: A CCTV camera may have caught your accident. If this is the case, you could be able to request the footage to use as evidence.
  • Maintenance logs: If there are maintenance logs or other records that show the faulty wiring had been reported but not maintained or fixed, these could be used to prove negligence.

One of the key benefits of hiring a solicitor to help you through your claim is that they can help you collect evidence. To find out how one of our solicitors could help you prove your claim for injuries due to faulty wiring, get in touch with our team today.

Who Can I Claim Against For a Faulty Wiring Injury Claim

Landlord – if your landlord was to blame for your faulty wiring injury then you may be able to claim landlord compensation from them.

Electrician – an electrician may be held responsible for your faulty wiring injury if they failed to recognise the potential hazards posed by your electrical wiring, failed to adequately install wiring or failed to properly repair wiring that they were hired to fix.

Manufacturer of appliance – if a faulty appliance was to blame for your injury due to either electric shock or fire, then the manufacturer of that appliance could be held liable.

Employer – if you were injured following an accident at work, electrics must have been checked properly and deemed safe according to health and safety regulations, otherwise, your employer may be liable.

Commercial business – commercial businesses have a duty of care to keep visitors to their premises safe. If faulty wiring on commercial premises was caused due to inadequate maintenance then the commercial business may be liable to pay compensation for your injury.

Can I Claim For an Electric Shock Faulty Wiring Accident at Work?

Under the Health and Safety At Work ect. Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to protect the health and safety of their employees. If you suffered an electric shock due to faulty wiring at work then you are eligible to claim compensation. You will need to prove that your employer was negligent but there are a number of strict regulations that employers must follow to ensure the wellbeing of employees and so with the help of a personal injury solicitor, there are many ways to prove this liability:

Under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992, if an employer is unable to remove or control hazards, they must provide personal protective equipment to ensure the health and safety of employees.

The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations of 1999 safeguards employees against risks to their health and well-being. The Electricity at Work Regulations of 1998 requires that all employees receive appropriate training on how to respond appropriately to live wires and assess the safety of electrical equipment.

Establishing your employer’s negligence will be much easier if you follow the steps above by taking photographs, gathering witness statements and writing your own account when the incident is fresh in your mind.

Some jobs that are more prone to electric shock risk include:

  • Electricians
  • Workers in construction
  • Hospitality employees
  • Hairdressers
  • Working in theatre production

Tasks that carry a higher risk of electric shocks include:

  • Being asked to fix faulty wiring
  • Not being trained properly in the operation of certain machinery or being asked to operate machinery which has not been adequately maintained.
  • Undertaking electrical tasks which you are not fully trained to complete.

Can I Claim For an Electric Shock Faulty Wiring Accident in a Public Place?

The Consumer Protection Act of 1987 states that manufacturers and retailers of electrical appliances must ensure that the appliances are safe for the public to operate. If you are harmed by an appliance whilst on the premises of a retailer then that retailer may be held responsible for your injury. If you are injured by the appliance once you get it home then the manufacturer and retailer are still responsible.

Businesses are required to ensure that their premises are safe for visitors. If somebody sustains an injury whilst on the premises and the business owner is found to be negligent then the injured party can claim compensation against them.

If you are injured by faulty wiring in a public place then you are entitled to claim compensation for your faulty wiring injury. Some examples of public places where this could occur include:

  • Shops, large or small.
  • Council-run libraries.
  • Hotels, B&Bs and guest houses.
  • Any other council-run property accessible to the public.

Claiming Against Your Landlord For Faulty Wiring Injury

A Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate is a legal requirement since 2017. It places a duty of care to ensure up-to-date PAT testing. For landlords, 2017 was a turning point to ensure tenant’s rights for electrical safety in rental properties. The landlord has a responsibility for electrical wiring, for ensuring that there are no faulty electrics in the rented property and for meeting fuse box regulations in a rented property. Can a landlord do electrical work themselves? Only if they are a fully qualified electrician. If they are not, then you can claim that the electrical work was not adequately or professionally carried out.

If you are injured by faulty wiring in your rental property then it is highly likely that you can claim against your landlord as they have such a strong duty of care to protect you thanks to the Landlord and Tenants Act of 1985. It can, however, be tricky to navigate your way through the legislation, which is why we strongly suggest that you contact Legal Expert for professional advice.

Compensation For Accidents Caused By Faulty Wires

If the wiring of a building is faulty, coming in contact with the faulty wires could potentially lead to electric shock accidents. You could have grounds to claim compensation for accidents that are caused by someone else’s negligence. If you have been injured by an electrical accident caused by faulty wires, you could make a claim for electrical accident compensation.

Your claim could comprise both general damages and special damages. The pain and suffering that you endured is compensated for under general damages. Any financial losses you incurred due to your injury is compensated for under special damages.

Compensation for accidents caused by faulty wires is calculated on a case by case basis. Some of the factors considered when calculating the value of your claim could include:

  • The severity of your injury
  • The impact your injury will have on your life in the long-term
  • The compensation amounts found in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)

The table below contains compensation amounts from the recent edition of the JCG. These amounts may not match the payout you would receive in a successful claim as they are only a guide.

Edit
Type of Injury Compensation Description
Death – Full Awareness £12,540 to £23,810 Severe burns, including lung damage with brief full awareness, leading to death.
Death – Followed by Unconsciousness £10,510 to £10,670 Pain and unconsciousness followed by death within 2 weeks.
Facial Scarring – Very Severe £29,780 to £97,330 Typically young claimants with a severe psychological reaction.
Facial Scarring – Less Significant £3,950 to £13,740

Very few minor scars that can be easily camouflaged.
Facial Scarring – Trivial £1,710 to £3,530

Very minor.
Chest – (E) £5,320 to £12,590

Smoke inhalation that leaves residual damage but no serious permanent loss of function.
Chest – (F) £2,190 to £5,320 Injuries lead lungs that have collapsed. A uncomplicated recovery is made.
Lung Disease – (D) £29,380 to £51,460 Breathing difficulties that require frequent use of an inhaler and there is an inability to cope with smoky environments. There will also be a significant effect on social and working life.
Lung Disease – (H) £2,200 to £5,320

Temporary aggravation of bronchitis or other chest issues that will resolve within a few months.

You may experience additional financial strain caused by your injuries. For example, you may be unable to work during your recovery period, leading to a loss of earnings. This and other costs such as medical bills can be reclaimed via a sum known as special damages.

To find out more, get in touch today.

No Win No Fee Faulty Wiring Accident Claims

Legal Expert are a No Win No Fee personal injury claims specialists. We can connect you with a fantastic solicitor to help you to make a faulty wiring injury claim without any financial burden by offering a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means that their fee is conditional on you winning your case. If you do not win your claim then you do not pay out a penny.

If they take on your case, then they are confident that they have an excellent chance of winning it. Under a conditional fee agreement, once you have received your payout, the legal fee is then deducted from it. This means that you have no initial outlay or hidden costs to worry about. It’s just another way that we try to reduce your stress during this difficult time.

Legal Expert – Helping You Through Faulty Wiring Injury Claims

When you decide to make a personal injury claim, then a choice of solicitors can seem overwhelming. We make that choice simpler. Legal Expert have an excellent track record at providing solicitors that are expert at winning cases. We also provide a friendly and approachable service which makes it easy for our clients to talk to us.

We pride ourselves on offering compassion and understanding to our clients who are inevitably experiencing a very difficult time following their injury. Why not call us today and find out why we are a leader in our field? We’ll be happy to handle your case and help win you the compensation you deserve.

Call us today on 0800 073 8804

Helpful Links

Personal Injury Claims

Our general guide on this subject.

Landlord compensation claims

Want to know more about landlord claims? Our guide can help.

Electric Shock Guide

Our guide to claiming for electric shocks

Electrical Burns Guide NHS

The NHS page on electrical burns and how to treat them

HSE Guide to Electricity

The HSE Page on Electricity and how to stay safe at work.

Other Useful Compensation Guides

If you have any further queries about faulting wiring injury claims, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at any time.

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    • Patrick Mallon

      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.