Family of Woman Who Was Fatally Burned by Falling Cable Receives $109 Million

Many of those who suffer electric shock injuries or are electrocuted are utility workers, but in some cases members of the public can come into contact with electricity with tragic consequences.

In June 2009 Carrie Goretzka was electrocuted while her family looked on. Trial magazine reported she was at home when the power went out in her Pennsylvania home and she saw burning trees in her back yard. She went to her car to fetch her cell phone but was struck by an energized power cable in her back yard.

By all accounts she was in agony and on fire. Doctors amputated her left arm but she had burns over 90 percent of her body and died three days later in a local hospital.

This was a tragic death and my thought as a Virginia electrical shock injuries lawyer are with the family of this woman. Understandably they were traumatized after the accident.

Attorneys acting for the family in a subsequent wrongful death lawsuit found basic omissions on behalf of the power company. “The attorneys learned that the incident would have been avoided if linesmen from West Penn Power Co. (WPP) had performed a simple 30-second procedure; cleaning the power line with a wire brush before splicing it,” reported Trial magazine.

The process would have removed oxides which can corrode wires. Had the procedure been followed the line would not have snapped.

The jury awarded $109 million to the family including $61 million in punitive damages. The plaintiff was represented by attorneys Shanin Specter, Kila Baldwin and Dominic Guerrini.

If you or a family member has suffered from a serious electrical shock, call our Virginia Beach injury lawyers for a free consultation.

The Norfolk, VA based personal injury law firm, Cooper Hurley with client meeting locations in Virginia Beach and Hampton, handles automobile, truck, and motorcycle injuries as well as wrongful death, railroad injury cases and medical malpractice. Attorneys John Cooper and Jim Hurley have more than 40 years of combined experience in specializing in auto injury as well as other accident claims. Cooper Hurley represents people hurt in accidents in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and throughout VA. Our motto is: “Your Injury. Our fight.” If you need help or advice about a serious injury, please call us at (757) 455 -0077 or contact us through this website.