Burns are one of the most painful injuries someone can suffer. They may require extensive medical treatment and long recovery times that interfere with your ability to earn a living. If you suffered a burn injury because of someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to pursue compensation for the damages you’ve suffered, such as your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact Oklahoma Injury Law Firm to discuss your legal rights after an injury during a free case review with an Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer.
What Are Common Causes of Burns in Oklahoma City?
There are various causes of burns. Some of the most common include:
- Fires and flames from stoves, grills, fireplaces, and other heat sources
- Scalding from hot liquids or foods
- Contact with hot objects, such as metal or glass
- Electrical currents, outlets, or cords
- Acids or other caustic chemicals
- Ultraviolet light, X-rays, and radiation
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What Are the Types of Burn Injuries in OKC?
There are four types of burns:
- Thermal burns – A thermal burn involves contact with something hot, such as metal, open flames, steam, or a scalding liquid. These burns may cause tissue cell death or charring.
- Electrical burns – An electrical burn involves contact with an electrical current.
- Chemical burns – A chemical burn occurs from direct contact with a strong acid, solvent, alkali, or other chemical.
- Radiation burns – A radiation burn occurs due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, such as from the sun or an X-ray.
Burns are also classified in degrees, based on how far they penetrate the skin:
- First-degree burns – These are more superficial burns that only affect the outer layer of skin. Symptoms include pain, redness, and warmth around the burn.
- Second-degree burns – A second-degree burn affects the outer layer of skin, as well as the second layer of skin. Victims may suffer pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.
- Third-degree burns – A third-degree burn affects all skin layers, sometimes damaging the fat and muscle tissue beneath the skin. Victims may not experience pain because these burns can cause nerve damage. Skin can appear white, charred, or brown.
Oklahoma City Medical Treatment for Burn Injuries
Healthcare providers typically begin burn injury treatment with first aid. They may assess the burns, clean wounds, dress wounds, and apply antibiotic ointment. More serious burn injuries may require more extensive medical treatment, such as:
- Surgery – In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove damaged skin and tissue.
- Institutionalization – Severe burns may require treatment at specialized burn centers. Victims may need to be monitored for dehydration or infection.
- Skin grafts – Skin grafts may be necessary to cover large wounds.
- Physical therapy – Victims may need to undergo physical and occupational therapy to stretch the skin to help make joints more flexible, strengthen muscles, and coordinate movements.
- Medicine – Healthcare providers may use topical products to prevent infection and encourage the wound to close, oral medications to help with pain, a tetanus shot, and anti-anxiety medication.
- Mental health support – Victims may need emotional support following a traumatizing event that led to burn injuries.
You can pursue financial recovery with help from an Oklahoma City burn injury attorney, to pay for medical expenses stemming from a burn caused by someone else’s negligence.
What Are Common Complications Associated with Burns in OKC?
Burns are one of the most painful injuries that a person can suffer. Because the skin is seared off the bone, the body presents an entry point for bacteria to infiltrate. This can lead to infection. Sometimes, the infection is so serious that it causes sepsis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s organs start shutting down in response to infection. Patients who suffer from septic shock or organ failure can die if the condition is not promptly detected and treated.
Massive fluid shifts can cause a low blood volume and burn shock, affecting the heart and other organs.
Burn injury victims can suffer from long-term physical complications, including hypertrophic scars that are thick and raised or keloids, which are overgrown tissue. These conditions can lead to pressure ulcers, scarring, and disfigurement that can cause psychological trauma to the victim.
Sometimes, burns are so severe that they cause permanent nerve damage, preventing the victim from feeling.
How Do I Determine Who Is At Fault for a Burn Injury?
Various parties could be liable for burn injuries, including:
- Negligent motorists
- Trucking companies
- Businesses
- Employers
- Product manufacturers
- Property owners
It is often necessary to conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for burn injuries, which may involve the following:
- Reviewing accident reports and interviewing responding investigators
- Interviewing witnesses
- Requesting video camera footage from traffic cameras or surveillance cameras
- Visiting the accident scene
- Working with medical experts and accident reconstruction experts
- Reviewing electronic, personnel, and inspection records
After a thorough investigation, your personal injury lawyer can identify the party or parties responsible for your injuries and the legal theories to hold them accountable.
How Can I Prove Negligence for My Oklahoma City Burn Injury Case?
Negligence is the legal theory most often used in cases involving burn injuries. To establish negligence, you must prove the following:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care to prevent causing you injury.
- The defendant breached their duty of care.
- The defendant’s breach caused your injuries.
- You suffered harm as a result of the accident.
Evidence can help prove each element of negligence, including the following:
- Duty of care: Traffic laws, regulations, ordinances, and statutes
- Breach of duty: Video footage, cell phone records, inspection records, and personnel records
- Causation: Surveillance camera footage, event data recorders, witness statements, and accident reconstruction reports
- Damages: Medical bills, wage loss statements, property damage estimates, and pain journal entries
Our experienced OKC personal injury attorneys understand the evidence necessary to meet your burden of proof and can help assemble it in a compelling manner.
What Are Types of Compensation You Can Recover in Oklahoma After a Burn Injury?
Burn injuries are often expensive to treat. As noted above, you may also face serious complications. Through a personal injury claim, you can seek compensation for your medical expenses, including:
- Emergency medical treatment, including emergency transportation, diagnostic tests, surgeries, and hospital stays
- Ongoing medical care, including rehabilitation, physical therapy
- Skin grafts and reconstructive surgery
- Future medical expenses
Other economic and non-economic damages you can demand as part of your accident claim include the following:
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Physical pain and suffering and discomfort
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
Let our experienced attorneys review your case and demand the compensation that you deserve.
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Seek Compensation with the Help of an Experienced Oklahoma City Burn Injury Attorney
If you suffered a burn injury because of someone else’s carelessness, an experienced OKC personal injury lawyer from Oklahoma Injury Law Firm can investigate your case, gather evidence of wrongdoing, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation, or call (405) 310-8800 to set it up.