To review reported telephone-related lightning injuries, outline the mechanisms of injury and suggest treatment strategies.Cases notified to Telecom Australia and an extensive search of the literature.There is a dearth of literature on telephone-related lightning injury. Some reports note it in passing, others describe single incidents. Case reports from Australia provide detail sufficient for review, and the general principles which govern management of such injuries are presented.Telephone-related lightning injury is not rare. Practitioners should be aware of the uniqueness of lightning injury and the complexity of its assessment. A research program aimed at further elucidation of the detail of this injury is proceeding.