A woman walking Tuesday morning was rushed to the hospital for electrocution injuries after leaning on a lamp post in Rowell’s Waterfront Park in Key Largo.
The woman was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital and was in stable condition as of Wednesday despite suffering through muscle spasms all Tuesday night, according to reporting from local news outlets. Her husband told reporters “the whole pole was live” and that his wife simply touched one of the street lights and was shocked. As a result of the electrocution, the woman had a burn mark the size of a dime on her knee.
Officials with Monroe County Parks and Beaches along with Wire Nuts, a company hired to conduct the repairs, were investigating the incident. The park, 8 acres of waterfront property located along the Overseas Highway, underwent repairs in the last few years including the construction of new restrooms, walking paths, lighting, wi-fi and electricity. The light poles that electrocuted the woman Tuesday were installed approximately two years ago.
Additional details, including what caused the pole to be electrified were not immediately available Wednesday.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission pits accidental electrocutions at roughly 400 a year. A CPSC report states there was an average of 100 deaths from product-related electrocutions that have taken place from 2018 until 2020.
Past Cases
Leesfield & Partners, which has offices in Key West, Miami and Central Florida, has helped numerous families cope after a loved one was electrocuted. These devastating incidents were devastating tragedies such as the case of an 11-year-old girl celebrating her birthday in Orange County. The little girl was playing a round of mini-golf when she reached into a pond to retrieve her stray golf ball. The girl immediately screamed in pain and an adult nearby tried grabbing her and was also shocked. Leesfield & Partners attorneys discovered the property owners and maintenance workers were responsible for improperly installing electrical breakers. In addition to the improper installation, ground fault interrupters (GFI), a device required by state and local mandate, were missing, allowing the water to become electrified. The child’s death was entirely avoidable and changed and devastated the lives of her loved ones forever. Within nine months of filing the lawsuit, attorneys with the firm were able to secure a $10,000,000 settlement for the family.
The case is not an isolated one. Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, secured a $5,250,000 settlement for the family of a man electrocuted after he came into contact with lighting fixtures outside his family’s home.
Another case handled by Leesfield & Partners on behalf of a grieving family was that of a 15-year-old who died after being electrocuted from a puddle of water. The boy was barefoot at the time of the incident and was shocked by live wires in the street. Attorneys were able to secure a confidential multi-million settlement.