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Scarring or Disfigurement
Those who are injured in a way that results in scarring and disfigurement often have their lives changed forever. While such injuries may be catastrophic, they are especially damaging if the scarring and disfigurement are visible, like on the face, neck, hands or extremities. Even when not visible, the person may suffer from the continuous reminder of the accident that caused the injury.
Most Common Accidents Resulting in Scarring and Disfigurement
There are many types of accidents that can result in these extreme types of injuries. Some examples include:
- Vehicle accidents including automobiles, motorcycles, boats, bicycles, and pedestrian accidents. Glass may break causing deep and severe lacerations. Limbs have been trapped and scarred, disfigured, or even severed. Air bags deploying may cause permanent facial scarring due to burns and abrasions. Road rash may cause permanent damage if a person’s body skids across the asphalt.
- Burns. This includes burns from fires, chemicals, heat, and from road rash.
- Defective products.The damage can occur from the defective product itself, for example causing burns, or the container exploding may cause severe damage including chemical burns, damage to the face and even the loss of an eye, a nose, or an ear lobe.
- Dog bites. These are often on the face. Loss of sight may occur or nerve damage to the bitten area. There is no end to the list of scarring or disfigurement that can result from a dog bite.
- Fractures. A severe fracture or broken bone may not heal and result in disfigurement, lack of mobility, and other damage.
- Medical malpractice.This often reveals itself in a cosmetic surgery gone wrong. Medical malpractice requires more than just dissatisfaction with the outcome, but a clear bad result due to a surgeon’s negligence.
Legal Remedies for Scarring and Disfigurement Due to Another’s Negligence
If you suffered scarring and disfigurement due to another’s negligence, the legal remedy is to file a lawsuit so you can collect for your damages. Before filing a lawsuit, you or your attorney may try to negotiate and settle your case with the liable parties or their insurance companies.
Damages available to you after you prove the person or persons responsible for you injury were negligent include:
- Medical expenses. This includes cost of medication, hospital stays, cost of surgeries necessary to repair the scarring and disfigurement. In some cases, multiple surgeries are required and more are expected to be required in the future. This may include reconstructive surgery including skin grafts. These are just examples. You should be compensated for any medical expense currently incurred and expected to be incurred in the future.
- Cost of prosthetics. One you need now and will need to have replaced in the future.
- Rehabilitation. This may be physical or vocational. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may not be able to return to your former employment. Vocational retraining and rehabilitation may be necessary.
- Lost wages. This includes time you need off work due to the injury, including time you are expected to miss work in the future. If you must change occupations and earn less than you would have, you can also collect for the difference.
- Pain and suffering. For a scarring or disfigurement, you may suffer from long-term physical pain as well as mental anguish over the life-changes you experience due to the injury.
