Documenting a Burn Injury: What to Do After an Accident in Ohio

A burn injury can have catastrophic consequences, from expensive surgeries and treatments to permanent scarring and disfigurement. Fortunately, you can pursue an injury claim for burns caused by someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions in Ohio.

However, your injury attorney must present evidence to insurers and jurors to win compensation for you. Here’s what you need to know about documenting burn injuries and what steps to take after suffering an accident in Ohio.

Immediate Steps to Take After a Burn Injury

It’s important to seek medical care after any burn injury. The appropriate level and type of care depends on the type and severity of your burn.

Burns come from five main sources, including:

• Hot objects, liquids, and gases
• Flames
• Chemicals
• Radiation
• Electricity

After you get burned, you should first move to safety. Extinguish flames on your body, and move away from any hot, radioactive, or electrified materials. Flush any caustic chemicals off your skin.

Once you are safe from further burns, you can assess the severity of your wounds. First-degree burns are the least severe and will only appear red and swollen. Second-degree burns appear red, swollen, and blistered.

First and second-degree burns may only require first aid and home treatment unless they cover a large area of the body. Cool minor burns using cold water before bandaging them loosely to protect the damaged skin. You should consider visiting your doctor for large first or second-degree burns.

Third-degree burns appear charred, ashen gray, or white. These burns require immediate medical attention because the burn has destroyed your skin. You should not put anything on the wounded area, and avoid trying to remove any burned clothing. Instead, call for emergency assistance.

Why Medical Attention Is Vital

Your skin protects your body from infection and dehydration. A burn that damages or destroys this layer could threaten your life and health. A large or severe burn requires medical attention for several reasons, including:

Diagnosis

A doctor can diagnose the severity of your burn. This diagnosis tells you the prognosis for recovery. For example, first- and second-degree burns typically heal without any complications, while third-degree burns can develop scars and contractures.

Also, an at-fault party can try to reduce their share of the fault by shifting blame for your losses to you. A prompt diagnosis shields you from accusations that you worsened your injuries by neglecting to seek medical care.

Treatment

Your physician will treat your wound or prescribe home treatment for your burn. Third-degree burns may require skin grafts or other surgeries to clean and protect the damaged tissues. These treatments will address any immediate risks, like infection and dehydration. You may also need further treatment to deal with scars.

Restrictions

The doctor may restrict your activities during your recovery. You may even require hospitalization until your skin begins to heal. Medical records with your activity restrictions will prove the disabilities your burn injuries caused. They will also explain why you could not work during your recovery.

Documentation

You will need evidence to support your insurance claim or lawsuit. Your medical records provide objective proof of:

• When your injury happened
• The type and severity of your burns
• How your burns affected your health
• Expenses associated with your care

As a result, these records will provide essential information to prove liability for your burns and the losses you incurred.

Gathering Evidence and Documentation

You will also need evidence to show how your burn happened. For example, if your injuries resulted from an electrical fire in your home, your lawyer must identify the defective product that malfunctioned.

You should document the accident scene or ask someone to help you by taking photos and videos. At the same time, you should not disturb the scene because you can interfere with a fire investigation.

Reporting the Incident

You can report most types of incidents that produce burns injuries. The local fire department investigates fire, while federal agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission investigate defective products. The police department will investigate truck accidents that spill hazardous materials, and OSHA often investigates workplace accidents.

The investigative findings can help you prove liability for your injuries. After you report the incident, make sure to cooperate with the investigation.

Consulting With a Burn Injury Attorney

A personal injury attorney stands up to insurers and at-fault parties to recover fair compensation under Ohio law. Take the documentation to your initial consultation to help the lawyer evaluate the value of your claims.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Burn Injuries

What Do You Do if You Get a Burn Injury?

When you suffer a burn injury, you first need to stabilize the situation to prevent further burns. Thus, you should extinguish flames on your body and move away from hot solids, liquids, or gases. If you experience a chemical burn, flush the caustic materials from your skin.

What Do You Do After Third-Degree Burns?

First- and second-degree burns will typically look red or blistered. You should cool these burns using cold water. Third-degree burns look charred, gray, or white and require immediate medical care. You should call for emergency assistance and refrain from removing clothing or putting anything on the burn.

What Documentation Does a Burn Injury Lawyer Need for an Injury Claim?

Documentation that could help your lawyer support your claim includes:

• Medical records
• Photos of the accident scene
• Eyewitness statements
• Police reports

If your injury happened at work, internal reports about the cause of your burns can also explain what happened and who might have been at fault.

Connect With a Cincinnati Burn Injury Lawyer Now

Severe burn injuries can change your life forever. The Moore Law Firm has over 50 years of experience pursuing justice for injured clients just like you. Contact us to learn how we help after you suffer burns in an Ohio accident today.