Lightning caused injuries in humans

A lightning flash may interact with humans in several ways. The possible pathways of interactions are direct strike, side flash, touch voltage, step voltage, subsequent stroke, connecting leaders and shock waves. The permanent or the temporary injuries that a victim suffers depend, among other parameters, on the type of interaction through which the body is exposed to a lightning strike and the path and the strength of the electric current passing through the body. In addition to the effects of electric current passing through the body, strong light and shock waves may also interact with the body in various ways. In this paper, the different types of injuries that may result from a lightning strike are documented and they are summarized, from engineering rather than a medical perspective.