I’ve been working on my electric car, doing small repairs and upgrades and things. My wife is worried I’ll get hurt or burned, so I want to reassure her that I know what to do if I get hurt, how to take care of myself when it’s too much for me to handle and I should go see the professionals. When should I go to urgent care for an electrical burn?

Bellina Gaskey · Updated on Aug 30, 2023

Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.

Great question! There are some questions to ask that will help you determine if you should go to urgent care for a burn: How big and deep is the burn, and where and on who is it located? The location, size, and severity of the burn will help you determine if you need help.

First, be safe when you’re working on your car. Disconnect all power sources before proceeding with any work. If you’re not a licensed

electric

mechanic, make sure you know what you’re doing, or consider not doing it at all.

Electric cars work very differently than gas cars, and can really hurt inexperienced technicians.

Many electric car companies will void their warranty if someone other than their technicians works on the vehicles, so be sure you understand your warranty before proceeding.

If you do get an electrical burn, get away from the source of danger as safely as possible, ensuring that the electricity has been cut off and won’t start a fire.

First, ask yourself how big the burn is. You can measure it using the surface area of your palm, excluding your fingers and wrist. One palm’s breadth is roughly 1% of your body mass.

For instance, 3 palms is 3% burned. In adults, anything more than 3% burned needs immediate attention. For children, it’s 2%.

Next, figure out how deep it is. If it is second-degree or greater, you’ll need to go to urgent care. Anything that is swollen, red, blistered, and painful is second-degree. Third-degree is often white or blackened and charred, and fourth-degree burns have no feelings in them.

Burns that are on your face, hands, feet, genitals, or go all the way around a limb or digit is considered tougher to care for or complicated. These kinds of burns should be seen by a medical professional.

Lastly, high-risk patients, like infants, older people, diabetics, or those with chronic medical conditions might have complications to their burn because of their condition, or vice versa. These people should see a doctor for burns.

Whether you drive gas or electric, get yourself the most affordable insurance.

Jerry

, the number one car insurance comparison app, will help you find the best rates. You can save an average of over $800 a year with dozens of providers like GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, Nationwide, and more.

MORE: Get Excited America: Morgan is Giving Us a Zippy 3-Wheeler of Our Own

View full answer

WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY

Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.