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Oklahoma City Burn Injury Lawyers
Helping workers, residents, and visitors who suffer severe burns due to negligence
A serious burn injury can change your life forever, leaving you in a lot of pain, with a lot of medical costs and a long road to recovery. If you got burned in an accident, explosion, fire, or because someone else was negligent in Oklahoma City, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries and losses.
After a burn, you may have to deal with a lot of difficult things, like expensive surgery and rehabilitation, permanent scars, disability, and emotional distress. You shouldn't have to deal with insurance or figure out what to do next on your own.
An experienced attorney from Cunningham & Mears can help you understand your legal options, whether your burns were caused by a car accident, a fire in an apartment or house in Oklahoma City, an accident at work, or a harmful product.
Our team knows how serious burn injuries are and how important it is to get answers and support right away. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation with an Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer.
Key takeaways
- Serious burns can lead to lifelong injuries, scars, and ongoing medical needs.
- If you’ve experienced a severe burn because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation to assist with your medical bills, lost wages, and the emotional toll of scarring or disfigurement.
- Burns can happen in many different places for a variety of reasons, such as on the road, at home, at work, or because of a dangerous product or explosion.
- Oklahoma has strict deadlines for starting a burn injury claim, and if you were partly at fault for the accident, it could lower the amount you can recover.
- Working with an experienced Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer can help protect your rights and strengthen your claim for compensation.
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Table of contents
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- What is a burn injury case?
- Steps to take after a burn injury in Oklahoma
- Can I recover compensation for scarring and disfigurement?
- How much is a burn injury case worth?
- How are burn injuries categorized?
- Why do burn injuries happen in Oklahoma City?
- What is the treatment timeline for a serious burn injury?
- What are the treatments for burn injuries in Oklahoma City?
- What are the long-term consequences of burn injuries?
- Who is liable for my burn injuries?
- What types of compensation can I recover in an Oklahoma burn injury case?
- How do Oklahoma laws affect my burn injury claim?
- Frequently asked questions
- Do you have an Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer near me?
What is a burn injury case?
A burn injury case is a personal injury claim brought by someone who suffered burns due to another party’s negligence, recklessness, or wrongful act. These cases can involve burns caused by car crashes on I-35, I-40, I-44, house or apartment fires, defective products, workplace accidents, or explosions - basically, any situation where someone else’s actions or unsafe conditions led to your injuries.
The goal of a burn injury case is to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses related to your burn.
Steps to take after a burn injury in Oklahoma
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury in Oklahoma, taking the right steps right away can make a big difference in your recovery and your legal case. Here’s what you should do:
- Get emergency medical care as soon as possible.
- Follow all instructions from your doctors and specialists.
- Take photos of your injuries throughout your recovery.
- Keep all medical records, bills, and receipts.
- Don’t give statements to insurance companies without legal advice.
- Write down details about how the burn happened and who was involved.
- Contact a qualified Oklahoma burn injury lawyer for guidance.
The right support early on can improve your chances of getting the right treatment as well as the compensation you need.
Can I recover compensation for scarring and disfigurement?
You can recover compensation for scarring and disfigurement if you’ve suffered a burn injury because of someone else’s negligence. This is part of the non-economic damages in a case. The amount can be difficult to put into a monetary amount, but your lawyer can help you with this. Generally, the more visible and severe the scars are, the higher the payout for these types of damages.
How much is a burn injury case worth?
The amount of money you will get after a burn injury case depends on many different factors. This usually includes the severity of the burns, how visible they are, how much they affect your life, and the extent of your medical costs. Lost income and future lost wages or medical expenses will also play a significant role.
How are burn injuries categorized?
Doctors put burn injuries into different degrees based on how deeply the burn affects the layers of your skin and the tissue underneath. The severity of the injury can vary a lot. Understanding which type of burn you have is important because it affects your treatment, recovery, and legal claim for compensation.
- First-degree burns: First-degree burns only damage the outer layer of your skin, which is called the epidermis. Redness, soreness, and slight swelling are all signs of this injury, which is similar to a normal sunburn. It normally heals without leaving scars.
- Second-degree burns: Second-degree burns are deeper and cause damage to both the outer layer (the epidermis) and the layer underneath (the dermis). Burns of the second degree generate blisters, increased pain, and swelling that is clearly visible. They can leave scars and usually need medical treatment.
- Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns go all the way through the skin and can damage nerves that are underneath the surface. These burns can make skin look white, burned, or leathery, and they often lead to skin grafts and advanced medical care. Victims may not feel pain initially due to nerve damage.
- Fourth-degree burns: Fourth-degree burns are the most serious burns, going beyond the skin into fat, muscle, or even bone. They travel through the epidermis and into the fat, muscle, or even bone. Fourth-degree burns can be deadly and generally leave people permanently disabled and disfigured.
Knowing what type of burn injury you have helps your medical team treat you appropriately and helps your lawyer build a clear case for the serious and long-term impacts you’ve experienced.
Why do burn injuries happen in Oklahoma City?
Determining how the accident caused your burns is necessary to determine who should pay for your burn injuries. At Cunningham & Mears, our Oklahoma City burn injury lawyers work with investigators, fire officials, private experts, and the police to show what type of accident caused your burn injuries and why your accident was preventable.
Some of the common reasons burn injuries happen in residential areas, at work, and on the road are:
- Fire: Many deaths and injuries occur when a homeowner fails to properly maintain or use a home fireplace, grill, propane gas, heaters, or other flammable devices.
- Scalding: Exposure to excessively hot liquids such as hot coffee or boiling water can cause severe burns. Exposure to gases or steam can also scald someone. Deaths due to the scalding of infants are all too common. Contact with hot glass or metal can also cause scalding.
- Electrical burns: If an electrical current strikes any part of the body, the victim can die or suffer severe shock. Electrical failures often occur because a product is defective, used improperly, or the user isn’t properly trained. Electrical burns often happen at construction sites, other work sites, and the home.
- Chemical burns: If toxic or hazardous materials contact your skin, the burn injuries can be catastrophic.
- Vehicle crashes: If a fuel line ruptures, the gas can ignite, causing a fiery explosion.
- Ash and soot inhalation: It is possible to inhale embers and hot ash, which can lead to permanent scarring in the nose, throat, and mouth. If the throat swells shut because of the injury, a person can suffocate if not treated quickly.
What is the treatment timeline for a serious burn injury?
Recovering from a serious burn is a long process that often involves several stages of medical care and rehabilitation. The treatment plan will depend on the severity of the burns and any complications, but most burn survivors go through three main phases of recovery.
Emergency treatment
Immediately after a burn injury, emergency room doctors focus on stabilizing the patient. This may include administering IV fluids to prevent shock, managing the airway if breathing is difficult, and giving medications for pain control. Quick action at this stage can be critical to survival and long-term outcomes.
Early recovery
Once stabilized, patients move to the early recovery phase, which involves wound care, cleaning and dressing burns, and preventing infection. Some patients may require skin grafts or other surgeries to repair damaged areas, and hospitalization can last for days or even weeks, depending on the extent of the injury.
Long-term recovery
The long-term recovery phase can last months or even years. It often includes physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy to regain skills, scar management, and possible reconstructive surgeries. Psychological care and counseling are also crucial, as burn survivors often face emotional and mental health challenges resulting from trauma and changes in appearance.
Each person’s recovery timeline will be unique, but understanding these stages can help victims and families prepare for what’s ahead and highlight why comprehensive compensation is so important after a serious burn injury.
What are the treatments for burn injuries in Oklahoma City?
According to the prestigious Mayo Clinic, the goals of treatment for severe burns are to control pain, prevent infections, remove dead tissue, reduce the risk of scarring, and help the patient regain function. Many burn injury patients are treated at specialized burn centers such as the INTEGRIS Paul Silverstein Burn Center in Oklahoma City.
After receiving initial first aid, the treatments often include:
- Water-based treatments, such as ultrasound mist therapy, to clean and stimulate the wound tissue
- Fluids to prevent the burn injury victim from becoming dehydrated, which may include intravenous (IV) fluids
- Pain and anxiety medications, which may include morphine and anti-anxiety medications
- Burn creams and ointments to prevent infection, generally for patients who aren’t being transferred to a burn center
- Dressings to help the wound heal
- Drugs to fight infection, including the possible use of IV antibiotics
- A tetanus shot
Many burn injury victims require physical therapy to help stretch the skin and improve muscle strength and coordination. Occupational therapy helps Oklahoma City burn injury patients perform normal daily activities.
If surgery is required, burn injury patients may need breathing assistance, a feeding tube, procedures to ease the flow of blood around the wound, skin grafts, and plastic surgeries. For severe burns, multiple surgeries may be required.
What are the long-term consequences of burn injuries?
Many burn injury victims suffer depression and other emotional disorders as they attempt to manage their pain and live with their disfigurement, especially if their face is scarred. Oklahoma City burn injury victims may benefit from psychological help to cope with any scarring, especially if the scars are visible. Many burn injury victims find support groups with other people who have had severe burns helpful.
Severe burns also pose a risk of infection. Scarring can lead to contracture, a condition in which soft tissues (muscles, tendons, etc.) shorten and harden, resulting in decreased mobility and deformity.
Who is liable for my burn injuries?
When you sustain a severe burn injury because of the negligence of another person, you can make a claim for compensation against the responsible party. Our Oklahoma City burn injury lawyers file claims against every person and company responsible for your burns. The defendants may include:
- Property owners and operators: We bring negligence claims against people and companies that fail to follow safety guidelines and building codes, and that fail to take reasonable steps to protect their occupants. Whether it is an unsafe store or another unsafe property, we can file a premises liability claim alleging negligence. If the burn happened at work, your claim may instead involve workers’ compensation and, in some cases, a third-party claim.
- Manufacturers and sellers of defective products: If a product was poorly made, improperly designed, proper warnings were lacking, and these failures caused your burns, we bring lawsuits against the makers of the product. This could include faulty electrical wiring, defective smoke detectors, flammable children’s clothing, defective grills and barbeques, and so forth.
- Employers: If you were burned due to a workplace accident, you have the right to claim your Oklahoma workers’ compensation benefits if you are an employee.
If a fire was intentionally or recklessly started, punitive damages may also be available.
What types of compensation can I recover in an Oklahoma burn injury case?
Burn injury victims can recover a wide range of compensation for their injuries and losses, depending on the specifics of the case. This often includes some or all of the following:
Economic damages
The economic costs of a burn injury are often immediate and ongoing. You can seek compensation for emergency medical care right after the injury, including:
- Current medical expenses, like emergency room visits and ambulance rides
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Skin grafts
- Medications
- Reasonable and necessary future treatment
- Lost wages, including wages you missed while recovering, and future earning capacity
Many burn victims spend weeks or months in the hospital and even longer undergoing rehabilitation and therapy, and these costs can add up quickly.
Non-economic damages
Burn injuries are more than financial. They often leave significant scarring, which can have a serious impact on a person’s life and well-being. Non-economic damages often include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Trauma
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Decreased quality of life
Punitive damages
In cases where the defendant’s behavior was intentional or particularly egregious, punitive damages can be awarded. This is done to punish their behavior and deter similar acts from them and others in the future. These damages are fairly rare, but they do get awarded in some Oklahoma injury cases.
If you or a loved one has suffered burn injuries because of someone else, you don’t have to face the financial and emotional impact alone.
How do Oklahoma laws affect my burn injury claim?
There are a number of Oklahoma laws that affect your burn injury claim. It’s helpful to be aware of these, so you know what to expect and give yourself the best chance to recover compensation for your severe injuries.
Two-year statute of limitations
In most cases, you have just two years from the date of your burn injury to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, the court will almost always dismiss your case, no matter how serious your injuries are.
Comparative negligence
Oklahoma uses a modified comparative negligence system. This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault for the accident, as long as you are not more than 50% responsible. However, your recovery will be reduced by the percentage of fault you bear.
Workers’ compensation and third-party claims
If your burn happened at work, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, which can cover your medical care and some lost wages. Sometimes, you can also file a separate personal injury claim against a third party (like a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or someone else who contributed to your injury) to recover additional damages.
Talking to an experienced Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer as soon as possible can help you protect your claim and avoid common mistakes that could cost you compensation.
Frequently asked questions
What is a third-degree burn?
Third-degree burns are one of the most serious types of burns. They tend to cause damage to all layers of the skin as well as the nerves underneath. These injuries require immediate medical intervention.
Can I recover damages for scarring?
Yes, you may be able to recover damages for scarring, especially when it’s on a visible part of your body that affects how you look and feel about yourself. This is a non-economic damage that is harder to quantify objectively, but still has a real impact on your life and your case.
How much is my burn injury case worth?
The amount that your burn injury case is worth depends on the specifics of your case, and it’s difficult to answer this without reviewing your claim. That being said, the more severe your injuries and the more visible they are, the higher your damages usually are.
How long do I have to file a burn injury lawsuit in Oklahoma?
You usually have two years to file a lawsuit. If the injured person is a minor, different tolling rules may apply, so the filing deadline should be evaluated carefully under Oklahoma law. If the defendant is a government entity, this brings quicker notice requirements, and you should speak with a lawyer immediately.
Who can be held liable for a burn injury?
Essentially, any negligent party can be liable for a burn injury. This could include a driver, a subcontractor, a product manufacturer, a property owner, or anyone else whose actions led to your injuries.
What if I were burned at work?
If you were burned at work, you likely have a workers’ compensation case. This allows you to recover some of your lost income and all necessary medical expenses without having to prove that anyone was negligent. If you were injured at work and it was caused by someone other than your employer, like a subcontractor, you may also have a third-party lawsuit against that party.
Do I need a lawyer for a burn injury case?
We always recommend speaking with a lawyer for your burn injury case. It isn’t a requirement to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit, but a legal professional generally makes the case easier for you to handle and improves the outcome.
Do you have an Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer near me?
Our Oklahoma City burn injury lawyers meet clients at our two Oklahoma City offices located at:
- 5104 N Francis Ave., Suite 102, Oklahoma City, located four minutes by car from Penn Square Mall. There is plenty of parking available.
- 9428 Westgate, Suite 102B, in the Brookhaven West part of Oklahoma City. We’re near Resurrection Cemetery and off the Northwest Expressway.
There’s plenty of public transportation. If you are immobile or too upset to come to our office because of your scarring, we will meet you at your home or in the hospital. We also conduct consultations by video conference.
We understand the physical and emotional needs of burn injury victims. We’ll fight to pursue all compensation available under the law.
Speak with a respected Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer today
We are passionate about helping burn injury victims. At Cunningham & Mears, our Oklahoma City burn injury lawyers work with experienced burn professionals who are dedicated to helping burn injury victims heal, work, and enjoy their lives.
We are respected by former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers, and have recovered successful settlements and verdicts for injured clients.
With more than 105 years of combined experience and proven results, including a $3+ million settlement for a young girl with catastrophic burns, Cunningham & Mears is ready to put our resources to work for you. Call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
