Updated on: 10/12/2018
A man and his 5-year-old son were injured and had to be hospitalized Friday after being involved in an electrical accident in downtown Everett.
According to The Herald, the incident happened at approximately 1 p.m. in an alley near Colby Avenue and California Street. The man and his son were using a mechanical lift for an undisclosed reason when the lift touched a set of power lines, and the electricity shocked them both.
Police say both the boy and his father suffered injuries in the electrical accident, with the boy’s injuries being more serious. There was no available information regarding the condition of the boy’s father, though they were both taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.
Parental Negligence In Child Injury Claims
Any time a parent is present when a child is injured, the actions of the parent are likely to come under scrutiny. However, Washington state law recognizes the parental immunity doctrine which protects parents from being held liable for negligence in the event that a child is injured in an accident.
This means that even if a child’s injuries are the result of the parent’s negligence, the parent cannot be apportioned any fault for the accident, which could reduce an injured child’s recovery in the event of a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
In this example, parental immunity doctrine would not prevent the boy from recovering damages even if his father were found to have been negligent in supervising the child since the doctrine dictates that children should not suffer a diminished ability to recover damages just because of a parent’s negligence.
Free Consultation With A Child Injury Attorney
The award-winning legal team at Davis Law Group has helped countless parents of injured children successfully recover financial compensation after an accident. Attorney Chris Davis has handled some of the most serious and high-profile child injury cases in Washington.
We will review your personal injury case free of charge and help you better understand your legal rights after an accident. If we believe we can help improve the chances of a successful outcome, we will meet with you for a free legal consultation to discuss your case in more detail.
Call our office in Seattle at (206) 727-4000 or use the confidential contact form on this page to have your case reviewed by our legal team. Someone from our office will contact you to gather additional information and explain the next steps in the legal process.
