Burn Injury Lawyers

Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, and McAlester, Oklahoma

Schedule Your
Free Consultation

burn injury is one of the most common accidental injuries, especially in children. Babies and young children are most susceptible to burn injuries because they are curious, small and have very sensitive skin. Babies and young children not taught to avoid the stove and other hot surfaces in and around the kitchen/dining area may be curious and touch these surfaces. Some minor burns are not too much cause for alarm and can be treated at home, but other more serious burns require immediate medical care.

According to the Burn Survivor Resource Center, approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported each year and approximately 650,000 of those injuries require medical attention with 75,000 being serious enough to require hospitalization. Between 8,000 and 12,000 people will die from burns each year, and one million people will sustain substantial or permanent disabilities from their burns. You can tell by these shocking statistics that burns are a serious problem. Those of you who have suffered burns know the excruciating pain these injuries cause. Many people say there is no pain worse than that of a burn injury. If you have been burned due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may have a valid personal injury lawsuit on your hands.

Causes of Burns

Scalds are the number one culprit and include scalds from steam, hot bath water, tipped over hot drinks such as coffee, and cooking fluids.
Contact with flames or hot objects such as the stove, fireplace, curling iron, and candles.
Chemical burns from swallowing things like drain cleaner and batteries or from spilling chemicals onto the skin such as bleach.
Electrical burns from electrical cords and outlets or children sticking fingers or objects in electrical outlets.

Severity of Burns

Several factors are used to determine the severity of a burn including the patient's age, size, depth of burn, and the location of the burn. Burns are classified as first degree, second degree, or third degree in most cases.

First degree burns are red and very sensitive to touch; the skin will appear blanched when light pressure is applied. These burns involve minimal tissue damage and only involve the epidermis (top layer of skin). These burns may cause pain, redness and swelling. A sunburn is a good example of a first degree burn.

Second degree burns affect the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and the underlying layer of skin (dermis) and cause redness, pain, swelling and blisters. Second degree burns also affect sweat glands and hair follicles. If a second degree burn is not treated properly, swelling and decreased blood flow in the tissue can result in the burn becoming worse.

Third degree burns affect the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, causing charring of the skin or a translucent white color with coagulated vessels visible just below the surface of the skin. These burns may be numb, but the burn victim may complain of pain due to other second degree burns. Healing from third degree burns is a very slow process due to the skin tissue and structures being destroyed, and third degree burns usually result in extensive scarring.

Fourth degree burns go into the subcutaneous tissue and, at times, beyond and into the muscle and bone. Fourth degree burns are also called black or char burns (because of their color). People suffering fourth-degree burns often die due to their injuries.

The treatment for second and third degree burns is the same:

Do not remove burnt clothing.
Make sure the victim is breathing and if breathing has stopped, begin CPR.
If the victim is breathing, cover the burn with a cool moist sterile bandage or cloth. Do not use a blanket or towel; a bed sheet is best for large burns. Do not apply ointment and avoid breaking blisters.
Separate burnt toes and fingers with dry sterile non-adhesive dressings.
Elevate the burned area if possible and protect it from pressure or friction.
Monitor the victim's vital signs.
Try to prevent shock by lying the victim flat with feet elevated about a foot and cover the victim with a coat or blanket. Do not place the victim in this position if it makes the victim uncomfortable or if a head, neck, back or leg injury is also suspected.
Do not apply ice, ointment or butter to a burn.
Do not allow the burn to become contaminated.
Do not apply cold compresses.
Do not immerse the victim in cold water.
Do not place a pillow under the victim's head if there is an airway burn and they are lying down as this can close the airway.

Burns are said to be the most excruciatingly painful physical injuries, and even minor burns can be relatively painful. If you are burned, seek medical attention immediately.

If your burn was due to a defective product, industrial accident, automobile accident, chemical spill or an electrical mishap, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your suffering.

If you or a loved one lives in Oklahoma and has suffered a burn due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, please contact the experienced burn injury attorneys at Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Belote, Maxcey & Thetford today to schedule your confidential, no-cost consultation.

Over 50 Years and Growing Strong

– Stipe Law Firm

Welcome to The Stipe Law website, please upgrade your Flash Plugin and enable JavaScript.

McAlester Office
343 E. Carl Albert Pkwy.
McAlester, OK 74501

Phone: (918) 423-0421
or (800) 658-1596
Fax: (918) 423-0266

Oklahoma City Office
525 Central Park Dr., 101
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Phone: (405) 524-2268
or (800) 299-7299
Fax: (405) 525-3231

Tulsa Office
2417 E. Skelly Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74170

Phone: (918) 749-0749
or (800) 798-2613
Fax: (918) 747-0751

Disclaimer: The information contained throughout this site is meant to generally inform the reader about our areas of practice, including burn injury. This information is not meant to be taken as legal advice and nothing on this site establishes a lawyer / client relationship. Our accident lawyers provide legal assistance in the Tulsa area including Oklahoma City, McAlester and Norman, Oklahoma.