Stephen Hasner | Product Liability | March 24, 2026
The tool or machine that injured you at work may not have been your fault or your employer’s fault. When a power tool shorts out, a piece of machinery sends a surge through its housing, or a faulty electrical component fails without warning, the manufacturer of that product may bear responsibility for the harm it caused.
A defective electrical equipment injury in Georgia opens the door to a product liability claim that exists entirely separate from your workers’ compensation case. Pursuing both at the same time may significantly increase your total recovery.
Key Takeaways About Defective Electrical Equipment Injury Claims in Georgia
- Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-11 allows injured workers to file product liability claims against manufacturers of defective electrical equipment, and these claims exist separately from the workers’ compensation system.
- Three legal theories support a product liability electrocution claim in Georgia: manufacturing defect, design defect, and failure to warn. Each applies differently depending on how the equipment failed.
- You may pursue a workers’ compensation claim through your employer and a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer at the same time, and the two processes move on separate legal tracks.
- Georgia applies a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims and a ten-year statute of repose for product liability actions measured from the date the product first sold as new to its intended user.
What Makes a Product Liability Electrocution Claim Valid in Georgia?
Georgia’s product liability framework under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-11 holds manufacturers strictly liable when they sell a product as new that is not merchantable or not reasonably suited to its intended use.
The injured person does not need a direct contract with the manufacturer to bring a claim. Georgia law removes the privity requirement, which means any person who uses, consumes, or is reasonably affected by the defective product may file suit.
Three distinct legal theories apply to product liability electrocution cases in Georgia, and each one addresses a different type of product failure. To succeed under any of these theories, the injured worker generally must show the following:
- The manufacturer sold the product as new property
- The product had a defect at the time it left the manufacturer’s control
- The defect made the product not merchantable or not reasonably suited to its intended use
- The defective condition of the product proximately caused the injury
Meeting these elements opens the path to holding the manufacturer accountable, regardless of whether you have a direct contractual relationship with that company.
Manufacturing Defect
A manufacturing defect occurs when a specific unit of a product leaves the factory in a condition that differs from the manufacturer’s own design and specifications. The product might function properly in every other unit produced, but the one that reached your job site had a flaw. In the context of electrical equipment, that flaw might involve a miswired circuit, a missing insulation layer, or a component that the manufacturer did not properly seal during assembly.
Design Defect
A design defect means the product’s blueprint or engineering itself is flawed, and every unit built to that design carries the same dangerous characteristic. Even if the manufacturer followed its own specifications perfectly, the product is unreasonably dangerous for its intended use. A power tool designed without adequate grounding protection or a machine with no built-in safeguard against electrical overload may fall into this category.
Failure to Warn
A failure-to-warn claim applies when the manufacturer knew or reasonably should have known about a danger tied to the product but did not provide adequate instructions or warnings to users. Georgia courts have held that the ten-year statute of repose does not apply to failure-to-warn claims, and the manufacturer’s duty to warn continues as long as the product remains in use.
Electrical equipment used on Atlanta construction sites, in warehouses along I-285, or in manufacturing plants outside Kennesaw may carry risks that only surface under specific conditions. Manufacturers have an obligation to communicate those risks to the people using their products.
Each of these theories holds the manufacturer accountable for a different kind of failure, and in many cases, an injured worker may raise more than one theory in the same lawsuit.
What Types of Defective Electrical Equipment Cause Injuries on Atlanta Job Sites?
Electrical equipment failures happen across industries and in a wide range of workplace settings throughout metro Atlanta and the rest of Georgia. The types of defective products that lead to electric shock injuries on the job vary, but several categories appear more frequently than others.
Products that commonly cause workplace electrocution injuries include:
- Portable power tools such as drills, saws, and grinders with faulty wiring or inadequate grounding
- Industrial machinery and heavy equipment with defective electrical panels or control systems
- Extension cords and temporary power distribution units that fail under normal use
- Electrical components like switches, breakers, and transformers with manufacturing flaws
- Personal protective equipment rated for electrical work that fails to perform as advertised
Workers on construction sites in Buckhead, at industrial facilities near the Port of Savannah, and in maintenance roles across Fulton and DeKalb counties all rely on this equipment to do their jobs safely. When a manufacturer puts a defective product into the market, the workers using that product bear the risk of an injury they did nothing to cause.
Why Does Pursuing Both Workers’ Comp and a Product Liability Claim Matter for a Defective Electrical Equipment Injury in Georgia?
Georgia’s workers’ compensation system and its product liability laws serve different purposes and provide different types of benefits. Filing both types of claims at the same time is allowed under Georgia law, and doing so may significantly expand the total amount of compensation available to an injured worker.
What Workers’ Comp Covers After an Electrical Equipment Injury
Workers’ compensation provides no-fault benefits, meaning you do not need to prove your employer acted negligently. The trade-off is that the benefits are limited by statute. A workers’ comp claim for a defective electrical equipment injury in Georgia may provide:
- Payment of reasonable and necessary medical expenses tied to the injury
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the state maximum
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits if the injury results in a lasting impairment
- Vocational rehabilitation if you are unable to return to your previous job
These benefits provide a financial foundation while you recover, but they do not address the full scope of harm that a serious electrical injury may cause.
What a Product Liability Claim Adds Beyond Workers’ Comp
A product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer is a separate legal action that operates under Georgia’s tort laws rather than the workers’ comp system. If the manufacturer is liable for the defective product that caused your electric shock injury, the additional damages available through a product liability case may include:
- Pain and suffering from the electrical injury and its long-term physical effects
- Full lost earning capacity if the injury prevents a return to your previous trade or occupation
- Loss of enjoyment of life when the injury limits daily activities and personal interests
- Future medical costs beyond what the workers’ comp claim covers
Combining both claims requires careful coordination because the workers’ comp insurer may have a right to recover some of what it paid from any product liability settlement or verdict. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer who also handles product liability cases may help you navigate the overlap and protect your recovery on both tracks.
What Deadlines Apply to a Defective Electrical Equipment Injury Claim in Georgia?
Georgia imposes separate filing deadlines for workers’ compensation claims and product liability lawsuits, and missing either one may permanently bar your case.
Workers’ Compensation Filing Deadlines
Under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80, you must report your workplace injury to your employer within 30 days. You then have one year from the date of the injury to file a formal claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82. If your employer paid for medical treatment, the filing window may extend to one year from the date of the last authorized treatment, but relying on that extension is risky.
Product Liability Statute of Limitations and Statute of Repose
For a product liability lawsuit, Georgia’s general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. Georgia also applies a ten-year statute of repose under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-11(b)(2), which bars any strict liability claim filed more than ten years after the product first sold as new to its intended user.
The statute of repose does not apply to negligence-based failure-to-warn claims, but it does apply to strict liability and most other negligence theories. Acting quickly on both fronts protects your rights and gives your legal team the time it needs to preserve the defective equipment, identify the manufacturer, and build the strongest possible case.
Why Atlanta Workers Turn to Hasner Law for Defective Electrical Equipment Injury Cases
Electrical injuries caused by defective equipment can raise issues outside a standard workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ comp may pay medical bills and part of lost wages, but it does not cover pain and suffering or the full financial impact of a serious injury. In some situations, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may also be available. Reviewing the equipment involved and preserving evidence early may help clarify whether another claim exists.
More Than a Century of Combined Workers’ Compensation Experience
Hasner Law Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys represents injured workers across Atlanta, Savannah, and communities throughout Georgia. The firm brings more than 100 years of combined legal experience. Founding attorney Stephen Hasner co-founded the Georgia Injured Workers’ Advocates (GIWA). The legal team also includes a former Administrative Law Judge who presided over more than 500 cases at the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
How Defective Equipment Cases Are Evaluated
When a workplace electrical injury may involve faulty machinery or tools, reviewing the product and the circumstances of the accident can help determine whether a third-party claim may apply. This review may include:
- Preserving the equipment before it is repaired, discarded, or returned
- Reviewing maintenance records, recall notices, and safety documentation
- Identifying manufacturers, distributors, and other parties in the product’s chain of commerce
- Coordinating a workers’ compensation claim with a possible product liability case
- Gathering medical records that describe the electrical injury
In product liability cases, the equipment involved may serve as important evidence. If defective equipment contributed to a workplace electrical injury, speaking with a lawyer may help you understand whether a product liability claim may be available. Hasner Law handles these cases on a contingency-fee basis and assists clients in both English and Spanish.
FAQs for Defective Electrical Equipment Injury Georgia
If I file a workers’ comp claim, may I still sue the manufacturer of the defective equipment?
Yes. Georgia law treats these as two separate legal processes. Workers’ compensation addresses your employer’s obligation to provide benefits regardless of fault. A product liability lawsuit targets the manufacturer of the defective electrical equipment that caused your injury. You may pursue both at the same time, and the damages available through each claim are different.
What do I need to prove in a product liability electrocution case in Georgia?
Under Georgia’s strict liability framework, you must show that the manufacturer sold the product as new, that the product had a defect when it left the manufacturer’s control, and that the defect proximately caused your injury. You do not need to prove that the manufacturer acted negligently under a strict liability theory, though negligence-based claims are also available as a separate or additional theory.
How long do I have to file a product liability lawsuit for a defective electrical equipment injury in Georgia?
The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Georgia is two years from the date of the injury. A separate ten-year statute of repose under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-11(b)(2) applies, measured from the date the product first sold as new. Failure-to-warn claims based on manufacturer negligence are exempt from the statute of repose.
What types of compensation may a product liability lawsuit provide that workers’ comp does not cover?
A product liability lawsuit may provide compensation for pain and suffering, full lost earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-economic damages. Workers’ compensation in Georgia does not cover these categories. Combining both claims may significantly increase the total compensation available to you.
What if the defective equipment has already been repaired or thrown away?
Losing the defective product makes a product liability case harder to prove, but it does not necessarily end the claim. Maintenance records, recall notices, photographs, witness statements, and other documentation may still support your case. Reaching out to an attorney as soon as possible after the injury gives you the best chance of preserving the evidence you need.
Take Action on Your Defective Electrical Equipment Injury Claim in Georgia
The manufacturer of the product that shocked you at work has legal obligations under Georgia law, and those obligations do not disappear because your employer’s workers’ comp policy is already paying part of your bills. Every day that passes without preserving the defective equipment and documenting the facts puts your product liability claim at greater risk. Speak with a Hasner Law electrocution injury attorney today for a free consultation and find out whether the equipment that injured you gives you grounds for a claim against the company that made it.
