Oklahoma City Burn Injury Lawyers

A burn injury is among the most painful types of damage. In addition to the acute physical pain a burn may cause, a burn victim may experience emotional suffering because severe burns are often disfiguring.

At Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons, our experienced Oklahoma burn injury attorneys provide dedicated legal representation to people who have suffered burn injuries because of another’s negligence. Founded in 1984, our law firm has been helping burn survivors and other accident victims for over 30 years. Our firm secured the most significant judgment for burn victims ever reported in Carter County, Oklahoma.

Our compassionate Oklahoma burn injury attorneys understand a burn victim, and their family is enduring a difficult recovery. We offer personalized one-on-one attention to address the financial aspects of the rally. We have represented clients in many counties and communities throughout Oklahoma. Contact us today if your loved one has been severely burned in an accident.

Types of Burn Injuries

After the accident that injured you or your loved one, you may have heard the burn injuries described according to the degree of severity.

Burns are classified as:

• First-degree burn. This damages the outer layer of the skin, which causes pain, redness, and swelling.
• Second-degree burn. This is damage to the outer and underlying layers of skin (epidermis and dermis), which results in significant pain, redness, swelling, and blistering. Second-degree burns look wet and moist. This level of burn injury may leave a scar.
• Third-degree burn. The damage extends to fat tissue below the skin and leaves exposed skin looking stiff, waxy, leathery, or tan. Because of nerve damage, the victim may experience numbness instead of pain. A third-degree burn will likely cause scarring.
• Fourth-degree burn. A fourth-degree burn damages muscle, tendons, and bone and is potentially fatal. The skin may be blackened or charred. Ironically, because of extensive nerve damage, the victim may feel no pain.

First-degree burns are akin to mild sunburn and can usually be treated at home and heal in a few days to a week. Second-degree burns require medical attention, and someone who has suffered a third- or fourth-degree burn will require hospitalization. Less severe burns that cover large parts of the body or that cover the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, or a significant joint also require emergency medical care.

Treatment for significant burn injuries will likely include reconstructive surgery followed by cosmetic surgery and rehabilitation therapy. A severe burn victim is likely to be scarred or disfigured for life.

Because of the loss of skin, even when hospitalized, a severe burn victim is highly susceptible to infection, which can be deadly. An individual who has suffered severe burns in a fire is also likely to have respiratory damage, which may prove fatal.

Even if the recovery goes well, an outpatient burn victim may require rehabilitation therapy, psychological therapy, mobility devices such as walkers or wheelchairs, and future cosmetic surgery.

What to Do if You Are Injured by a Burn in Oklahoma

Any second, third- or fourth-degree burn requires emergency medical treatment. The American Burn Association says you may rush a second-degree burn victim to a hospital, urgent care clinic, or a doctor’s office. Dial 911 for assistance with a more severe burn injury.

Even a tiny burn wound has the potential to become infected. For a first-degree burn treated at home, you should seek follow-up medical attention immediately. If you think the individual’s life is in danger or you are in doubt about what to do, call 911.

As you await the arrival of emergency responders, move the victim away from the source of injury if possible. In electrical burns, ensure the electrical current’s source is off before touching the victim.

For a serious burn injury, the Mayo Clinic says to also:

• Make sure the burn victim is breathing. If needed, begin rescue breathing if you know how.
• Remove jewelry, belts, and other restrictive items, especially from around the neck and burned areas. Burned tissue swells rapidly.
• Cover the burn with a cool, moist bandage or a clean cloth that will not stick to the burn.
• If possible, have the burn victim sit up to elevate the burned area above heart level and lessen swelling.
• Watch for signs of shock. Signs and symptoms include fainting, pale complexion, or breathing notably shallowly.
• Upon signs of shock, lay the person down and elevate their legs and feet slightly unless you think this may cause pain or further injury.

For a first-degree burn, run cool (not cold) water over the wound or apply a cool, wet compress to soothe the burning sensation. Once the burning eases, apply an aloe vera cream or a moisturizer and bandage loosely. You may give the victim ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) for pain.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

Burns are caused by a transfer of energy to the body. There are several types of burns based on how the energy is transferred:

• Thermal burns. A thermal burn occurs when an external heat source raises the temperature of the skin and potentially other tissue and causes tissue cell death or charring. Open flame, scalding liquids, steam, and hot metals can cause thermal burns if they come into contact with the skin.
• Electrical burns. These are burns from electrical current, whether alternating (AC) or direct (DC). Electrical burns usually have an entrance and exit wound because the current enters at one point and leaves the body at another end, which may be the larger wound. The visual size of the burn may not reflect the extent or depth of the internal injury.
• Radiation burns. Prolonged exposure to sun ultraviolet rays or other radiation sources, such as an X-ray, can cause radiation burns.
• Chemical burns. Strong acids, alkalis, industrial detergents, or solvents can burn if they come into contact with the skin and eyes.

Our Oklahoma City burn injury lawyers typically help clients burned by:

• An arc flash burn from an electrical source
• A propane or natural gas explosion or fire
• A thermal burn from a hot surface
• Scalding from steam or hot liquid
• An explosion in a commercial or residential setting
• A chemical burn suffered in a work setting
• A home or business fire.

Oklahoma Burn Injury Statistics

Burns are typically the result of an accident, equipment malfunction, or failure.

The Paul Silverstein Burn Center at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City says 2 million Americans are burned severely enough to need medical attention yearly. Of them, 130,000 require hospitalization, and 20,000 burn patients die. Burns are the third-leading cause of accidental death in the United States.

A residential fire is reported every 64 minutes, and 75 percent of burn injuries occur in the home. Nearly 3,000 fires occur in businesses in the U.S. every year.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that, nationwide in 2017, there was a civilian fire injury every 36 minutes and a civilian fire injury in home fires every 50 minutes. Eighty-three percent of all civilian injuries occurred in structure fires and 9 percent in highway vehicle fires.

The NFPA estimates that 22,500 intentionally set structure fires and 8,500 intentionally set vehicle fires in 2017.

Structure fires caused $10.7 billion in property damage, including $7.7 billion in property loss in home fires, the NFPA says. Highway vehicle fires resulted in $1.45 billion in property loss.

How You Can Get Compensation For Your Burn Injury in Oklahoma

While every case stands independently, Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons has a track record of pursuing total and fair compensation for our injured clients. We hold negligent people and businesses accountable for their harmful actions. Our commitment to the successful outcome of a case can make a world of difference to a person who has sustained a severe burn injury.

Our legal team will investigate the incident that led to your burn injury by reviewing local officials’ reports, gathering evidence independently, and seeking the opinions of expert fire/arson investigators. We may determine that an individual, entity (such as a business or civic group), or manufacturer is responsible for your injury.

Our team will examine your medical records to determine your burn injuries’ full extent and costs. We will discuss a burn victim’s prognosis for recovery and future medical needs with their doctors and independent medical professionals. The claim we develop will account for economic losses up to the date of the claim and for projected future expenses and losses, such as future surgery and loss of income due to an inability to work.

A personal injury lawyer at our firm can help you or your loved one seek compensation for a burn injury in one of the following ways:

• Negligence claim — This type of claim can be filed if someone acted carelessly and caused an accident in which you suffered burns. This could be the property owner with inadequate fire exits or sprinklers or a careless driver who caused a vehicle accident that resulted in a fire.
• Strict liability — The manufacturer is strictly liable under Oklahoma law if your burn injury is linked to a defective product. In arc flash cases, we have successfully argued that electricity is a product, not a service.
• Workers’ compensation — Burn injuries often result from oil field, refinery, and construction site accidents. You may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if you sustained a burn injury on the job. If you have trouble obtaining benefits, including paid medical care, let our workers’ compensation lawyer review the situation.

Contact Our Oklahoma City Burn Injury Firm Today

Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons understand the physical, emotional, and financial stress a severe burn injury can cause. We strive to obtain compensation that covers the full extent of your harm. Contact our firm today online or call us at 405.528.4567 to arrange your free consultation to learn how we can help you.