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A Clay County couple have filed a federal suit against Appalachian Power over what they say was a severe electrical shock.
The man says he received the shock from an electric line while he was searching for ginseng.
Samuel and Crystal Nottingham filed suit.
The suit says Samuel Nottingham was hunting for ginseng on June 10, 2007, on property owned by a member of his family when he passed under electric power transmission lines near an Appalachian Power pole.
"Suddenly and without warning, the plaintiff suffered severe electrical shock as a proximate result of the unreasonable dangers posed by Appalachian Power's electric power transmission lines and poles," according to the suit.
Before being shocked, Nottingham says he saw no warnings of live electric power lines.
The suit claims Nottingham suffered permanent physical impairment, incurred severe injuries to his right arm, left foot and lungs and sustained severe burns, disfigurement and scarring.
He also says he incurred medical expenses, experienced emotional distress, lost wages and sustained a decreased earning capacity, lost his enjoyment of life and experienced pain and suffering.
"Crystal Nottingham has suffered severe emotional distress, including, but not limited to: Horror, grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, chagrin, disappointment, worry and nausea to a degree that no reasonable person should be expected to endure," the suit states.
Appalachian Power should not have maintained an electric power transmission line with a high and dangerous voltage in a place where it knows people may come into contact with it, the complaint says.
In addition, the company should have provided warnings about the lines, according to the suit.
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