Oklahoma City Burn Injury Lawyer
Did you or a loved one sustain a burn injury in Oklahoma City, OK? You should contact an experienced Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer at McGuire Law Firm. We can fight to help you recover fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Our lawyers have over six decades of experience between us. We’ve recovered millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims across Oklahoma.
Protecting your legal right to compensation is our top priority. If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, call 405-913-6142 or contact our law offices in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, today to schedule a free consultation.
How McGuire Law Firm Can Help With a Burn Injury Claim in Oklahoma City?
Many burn injury victims face the prospect of a long and painful recovery. Taking legal action can be more overwhelming than you can bear after a burn. There’s no reason that you have to do it alone. McGuire Law Firm can take care of the heavy lifting and handle every aspect of your claim.
Collectively, our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers have over 60 years of combined legal experience. Our founding attorney has been recognized as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer and a National Trial Lawyer’s Top-100 Trial Lawyer.
With us in your corner, you’ll have a lawyer to:
- Identify the cause of your accident
- Assess the fair value of your burn injury claim
- Demand fair compensation from all responsible parties
- Use our own resources to hire expert witnesses to build your case
- Negotiate with the insurance companies to secure the maximum compensation possible
Our Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys will work tirelessly to pursue the money you need. If the insurance company refuses to offer an acceptable settlement, we’ll take your case to court and fight for what’s fair.
Ready to learn more? Call for a free consultation today.
Overview of Burn Injuries
The skin can be seriously damaged when exposed to certain elements. Heat, flames, and even harsh substances can damage the skin and underlying tissue. This damage is called a burn. If the damage is severe, it can cause the tissue to die--and the victim can suffer any number of complications.
What Are the Different Types of Burn Injury?
Burn injuries can vary depending on the cause. Burns caused by house fires, workplace accidents, and chemical spills all have very different characteristics.
At McGuire Law Firm, we handle all types of burn injury cases in Oklahoma City, including:
- Thermal burns caused by exposure to fire, hot liquids, hot objects, and steam
- Chemical burns caused by contact with chemicals and other dangerous substances
- Electrical burns, which often result from contact with live electrical wires
- Radiation burns, which can be caused by exposure to high doses of radiation in the workplace or during medical treatments
Our lawyers are ready to help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. All you have to do is pick up the phone and schedule a free case review.
How Common Are Burn Injuries?
Burn injuries are extremely common. In fact, they’re one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in the U.S.
According to the American Burn Association, about 486,000 burn injury victims require medical treatment each year. Approximately 40,000 people require hospitalization for burn injuries.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Burn Injuries?
Doctors classify burn injuries according to degree. The degree of the burn will depend upon a few different factors, including:
- The area of the skin that was damaged
- The type of burn
- The depth of the burn injury
The signs and symptoms of a burn injury will depend on the degree--or severity--of the burn you’ve suffered.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns impact only the outer layer of the skin called the epidermis. These burns tend to be mild. Symptoms include pain and redness.
Most first-degree burns heal on their own without any medical treatment.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns are also called partial-thickness burns. They extend through the epidermis and can also damage the dermis, or inner layer of skin. Signs and symptoms include blisters, swelling, and skin that appears shiny or wet. The skin may also be hot.
Second-degree burns can be extremely painful but typically heal within a few weeks.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns impact both the skin and the fatty layers beneath the skin. Signs and symptoms that you’ve sustained a third-degree burn include skin that is black, brown, yellow, white, or leathery in appearance.
Many victims don’t experience any immediate pain when they suffer a third-degree burn. That’s because these burns can damage the nerves beneath the skin. Even if you don’t feel any pain, it’s important to seek medical attention quickly.
Fourth-Degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns are extremely serious. Some signs and symptoms include:
- Exposed bone or muscle tissue
- Numbness in the burned area
- Charred-looking skin
Victims of fourth-degree burns often require painful skin grafting procedures. Fourth-degree burns can also be fatal.
What are the Long-Term Consequences of Burn Injuries?
The long-term consequences of a serious burn injury can be dramatic.
Victims may suffer:
- Severe scarring and disfigurement
- The need for painful skin grafting and reconstructive surgeries
- Skin loss
- Bone damage
- Permanent nerve damage
- Infection
- Internal organ damage
- Joint damage
- Amputation
- Wrongful death
Some burn injuries are fatal. Even if the victim does survive, they may experience ongoing psychological suffering. It’s not uncommon for victims of severe burns to experience anxiety, depression, and PTSD in addition to their ongoing physical pain.
Our Oklahoma City burn injury attorneys know that money can never take away this type of suffering. It can, however, help you get the quality medical treatment you deserve.
What Causes Most Burn Injuries in Oklahoma City?
Burn injuries are usually accidental. They occur because of negligence.
Some of the most common causes of burn injuries in Oklahoma City include:
- Car accidents
- Defective household products that cause house fires
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents involving explosions or exposure to toxic substances
- Electrocution accidents
- Exposure to live electrical wires
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Premises liability
- Medical malpractice
- Chemical spills
- Aviation accidents
Did you suffer a burn injury in a fire, explosion, or motor vehicle accident? If someone else was responsible, you may be entitled to compensation. Call our experienced lawyers in Oklahoma City to schedule a free case evaluation today.
What is My Oklahoma City Burn Injury Case Worth?
Typically, the severity of the burn will heavily influence the value of your personal injury case.
Insurance companies, judges, and juries tend to consider the following factors when determining how much a claim is worth:
- The cost of your past medical care and other out-of-pocket expenses
- The anticipated future cost of your medical treatment, including burn center treatments
- Whether you’ll suffer permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Your lost wages and income
- The impact of the burns on your future career prospects
- Your emotional and mental trauma
Recovering fair compensation after a burn injury accident can be one of the most important things you’ll ever do. Our lawyers will work with highly respected experts who can help us through the valuation process.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Burn Injuries in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
Burns are some of the most painful injuries a person can sustain. They can also be incredibly expensive to treat.
When you hire us, you can rest assured that our lawyers will demand the full range of damages available under personal injury laws in the state of Oklahoma. Those damages include compensation for economic and economic losses. In rare cases, punitive damages may be available to punish the at-fault party for gross negligence.
Economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- Skin grafting and surgeries
- Care in a burn center or treatment facility
- Property damage
Non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Depression, anxiety, and PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
If you were hurt on the job, you may also be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim to cover your medical bills and lost wages.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Burn Injury in OK?
Most burn injuries are preventable. Many happen due to negligence. The liable party in your burn case will depend on how you suffered your injuries.
For example, if you developed burn injuries after a car accident, a negligent driver may be responsible for your damages. If you suffered burn injuries on a property, the landlord or property owner may be liable. If you endured burns due to a defective product, the manufacturer may owe you compensation.
A lawyer can help you hold these and others liable through a negligence claim. Your legal team will attempt to show the at-fault party:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached their duty
- Caused your accident
- Caused you to suffer damages
Your attorney will gather various forms of evidence to prove these elements, from video footage to medical records. Contact us today to get started.
How Long Do I Have to File a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Oklahoma?
Burn injury victims in Oklahoma only have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. This statute of limitations applies even if you sustained severe burn injuries. The clock starts ticking on the date of your accident. Therefore, you should get started on your claim right away.
Contact an Oklahoma City Burn Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
It’s not your fault that you were injured. An experienced Oklahoma City burn injury lawyer at McGuire Law Firm can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations, so call today for more information about how we can help.