Non-fatal electrocution compensation

jude_pmc · 7 February 2018 at 6:36PM

I want to advise a friend on how much compensation she should receive from UK Power Networks. Any info you can give me would be great.

Story so far..

Bought her bungalow June 2016 and had the electrics checked by her electrician.
Began to get shocks in summer 2017 but she doesn’t understand electricity so she thought it must be strangely strong static electricity.

December she had severe shock when in the shower so called out a plumber, who called in her electrician for her as she was so shaken.

Electrician arrives and tells her it is the mains.

UK power network arrives, plugs her house into the house next door over Christmas, digs up her hedge and fixes the disconnected lead. They told her that the small trees in her hedge probably caused the damage.

She asked for compensation and they immediately gave her the money she paid to the plumber and to her electrician.

I think they should give her much more.
A large amount of her hair has fallen out and the doctor has put her on anti-depressants. She is now very frightened of her home and yesterday got her electrician to check everything in her house (she says she is going to send this bill to UK Power Networks). I don’t know if this will reassure her, she is saying she intends to move although she has no savings to pay a move costs.

Please can you advise me how much compensation she should ask for or whether she has received all she has the right to?

molerat · 7 February 2018 at 6:52PM

So her hedge damaged the power cable and UKPN somehow are responsible ?

flashg67 · 7 February 2018 at 7:10PM

As above, frightening to get a shock whilst showering but not sure how the power network is responsible? They've paid for her 'out of pocket' costs which seems fair to me.

Typhoon2000 · 7 February 2018 at 7:27PM

Seems more than fair if it was her hedge that caused the problem.

Risteard · 7 February 2018 at 7:59PM

I can't see how she's entitled to any compensation.

Incidentally, there is no such thing as "non-fatal electrocution". Electrocution is a contraction of "electrical execution" which was coined for the electric chair. As such, electrocution is always fatal.

keithdc · 7 February 2018 at 8:06PM

molerat wrote: »

So her hedge damaged the power cable and UKPN somehow are responsible ?

And... she chose to do nothing for six months about a series of events that were causing her psychological distress

rach_k · 7 February 2018 at 8:17PM

I think they've been very generous already. If her hedge caused the problem and they fixed it for free and haven't left her without electricity, that sounds fair enough to me. If they've also paid the plumber and electrician, I'd consider that a very good deal and be grateful for it. Not understanding electricity isn't a reason to ignore getting shocked. If she's scared, perhaps you could arrange for an electrician or somebody with a good general knowledge to come round and explain to her what is dangerous and what isn't and what she should do if she ever suspects a problem again, as well as explaining how unlikely that is. I would expect her (not UKPN) to pay for their time if they charge, or perhaps you could pay it.

Regarding moving, having had everything checked over recently and the problem outside fixed, her house is probably as safe, if not safer, than any other house.

Warwick_Hunt · 7 February 2018 at 8:19PM

Risteard wrote: »

I can't see how she's entitled to any compensation.

Incidentally, there is no such thing as "non-fatal electrocution". Electrocution is a contraction of "electrical execution" which was coined for the electric chair. As such, electrocution is always fatal.

Depends on who is defining electrocution. Some define it as death or serious injury.

Jonesya · 7 February 2018 at 8:41PM

I don't think anyone here can give you an easy answer because while there's set compensation for things like a power cut due to a network fault, this isn't a normal or typical event.

You friend needs to establish what their electrician found and exactly what type of fault they believe had occurred, and was it just on the supply or were there problems on your friends home installation as well. I.e. was it entirely the networks fault, or were there faults on your friends installation as well.

But if the electric shock was due to the distribution network fault, then it may well have been a reportable health and safety incident under The Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity Regulations - ESQC Regs.

The hedge is added confusion which no one here can really answer, but of course, if they/you mean she'd had a hedge planted recently, or if the cable was damaged by the digging for the hedge planting etc then I'd expect that would change things, as it would be due to an another party, your friend or her contractors, damaging the network's equipment at some point.

If it was entirely the network's fault then I would imagine it might warrant some compensation, but you'd need to consult a lawyer on that issue.

Risteard · 7 February 2018 at 8:45PM

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

Depends on who is defining electrocution. Some define it as death or serious injury.

Well, not really, because that is the only correct definition. If it's non-fatal it is electric shock, not electrocution.

Warwick_Hunt · 7 February 2018 at 9:20PM

Risteard wrote: »

Well, not really, because that is the only correct definition. If it's non-fatal it is electric shock, not electrocution.

The Oxford English Dictionary says you’re wrong.

Non-fatal electrocution compensation

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