A worker was seriously injured after being electrocuted while working on power lines from a cherry picker in Queens on Aug. 15. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the worker was severely electrocuted while in the elevated box of a cherry picker working on power lines at 117th Street and Ninth Avenue in College Point. FDNY officials said he sustained burns to his chest and neck. He was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens. His condition is not immediately known. Photographs taken at the scene show the scorched cherry picker box that was carrying the worker. Our thoughts and prayers are with the severely injured worker and his family members.
Electrocution Injuries: A Major Threat for Workers
In New York’s construction industry, electrocution is a major threat for workers. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists electrocution as one of the “Fatal Four,” or one of the most four common causes of fatal construction accidents. Workers often operate near exposed wiring, unfinished electrical systems, power lines and heavy machinery powered by electricity.
Common Causes of Electrocution at Construction Sites
Electrocution injuries can happen in many ways during construction work. Some of the most common causes include:
Contact with live power lines: Workers using cranes, ladders, or scaffolding near overhead lines are at high risk.
Faulty or exposed wiring: Unfinished electrical installations or poorly insulated wires often cause shocks.
Improperly maintained equipment: Power tools or machinery with electrical defects can create serious hazards.
Wet conditions: Water increases conductivity, making even minor electrical issues dangerous.
Lack of protective gear: Absence of rubber gloves, boots or insulating equipment increases vulnerability.
Construction companies, contractors and other responsible parties have a legal duty to minimize these risks by enforcing safety standards, training workers and maintaining equipment.
Types of Electrocution Injuries
The severity of electrocution injuries can vary, but many are life-altering. Common outcomes include:
• Severe burns on skin and tissue
• Nerve damage leading to chronic pain or paralysis
• Cardiac arrest or respiratory failure
• Muscle and bone injuries due to violent contractions
• Neurological conditions affecting memory, balance and cognition
In the most tragic cases, an electrocution results in death. Even if a victim survives, long-term medical treatment, rehabilitation, or permanent disabilities may follow.
Electrocution claims can be complex, especially if multiple parties are involved or if permanent disability results. An experienced attorney can help investigate the cause of the accident, identify liable third parties, negotiate with insurance companies and represent the worker in hearings or in court, and at trial.
Compensation Options for Injured Workers
Employees injured by electrocution at construction sites or other work sites are typically entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are designed to cover medical expenses, lost wages, disability, and death benefits. However, in some cases, additional compensation may be available through a third-party claim. For example, if the accident was caused by defective equipment, negligent (careless) subcontractors, or utility companies, the injured worker may sue those responsible for damages beyond workers’ compensation, such as pain and suffering.
To pursue compensation, an injured construction worker would be well advised to take these steps:
• Report the injury immediately to the employer or site supervisor.
• Seek medical attention right away and follow all prescribed treatments.
• Document the accident by noting unsafe conditions, gathering witness statements, and taking photos if possible.
• File a workers’ compensation claim within the required deadlines.
• Contact an experienced New York personal injury lawyer who can help injured workers and their families navigate this complex process and help them secure maximum compensation for their injuries, damage,s and losses.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a construction-related accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job — one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year. Our law firm also recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys‘ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/08/15/electrical-worker-electrocuted-badly-injured-working-queens-power-lines/