Compensation for Scarring and Disfigurement Injuries
Some accidents leave a permanent mark on the victim, both physically and mentally. Some people are never the same after they suffered an injury to their face or limbs.
If you are the victim of a scarring accident, you might be eligible to pursue compensation.
Losing the feeling or full function of parts of your body is physically disabling, but it also can permanently alter your physical appearance, which can be psychologically devastating.
If you are the victim of scarring or disfigurement from an accident, you might be able to pursue compensation for the drastic personal impact the injuries have on your life.
Did you know that if you are involved in an accident that results in scarring or disfigurement in New York, you could be entitled to compensation if the accident was not your fault?
Visible scars or disfigurements can have lasting psychological effects, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
There are several medical procedures available that may enable the revision of such scarring or disfigurement.
By working with a personal injury lawyer specializing in scarring and disfigurement cases, you are bettering your chances of achieving the best compensation.
Causes of Scarring or Disfigurement Accidents
Common accidents that result in scarring or disfigurement in the state of New York include the following:
- car or truck accidents
- motorcycle accidents
- bus accidents
- pedestrian accidents,
- bicycle accidents
- construction accidents
- industrial accidents,
- violations of workplace safety standards,
- defective products
- slip and fall accidents,
- violent attacks,
The most common causes of the transportation-related accidents listed above are distracted or impaired driving, speeding, running a red light, falling asleep at the wheel, rear-end collisions, rollovers, and side-impact crashes.
Types of Injuries Involving Scarring or Disfigurement
Several types of injuries can cause scarring or disfigurement, ranging from nose fractures to amputation. All of these injuries can be compensated in NY.
- facial scarring, nose fractures, ear or nose deformities, loss of teeth, jaw bone fractures, loss of eyes, blindness, vision impairment, orbital fractures, and other facial injuries;
- scarring or disfigurement of the upper body and torso;
- spine injuries, posture distortions;
- scarring, shortening, and distortion involving limbs (arms and legs);
- burn marks;
- neurological injuries –spinal cord injuries and paralysis;
- fractures in the lower limbs that cause limping or other gait issues;
- limping or mobility impairments;
- amputation or loss of a limb.
What Types of Compensation Are You Entitled to for Disfigurement Cases?
Injuries, such as those listed above, generally require plastic surgery or reconstructive surgery, or other medical or psychological intervention.
For instance, if any of these scars or disfigurements are visible, and your physical features play a role in your profession, their visibility could bring about an abrupt and untimely end to such a career.
Scarring or disfigurement victims can make an injury claim for different types of damages.
If this is the case, these individuals may have to turn to alternative forms of employment and will require employment rehabilitation services.
Additionally, these types of injuries can be so traumatic that they become psychological scars and upend how the victim lives their lives.
Auto accident victims may never be able to ride in a vehicle without suffering from severe anxiety the entire time, leading them to become more reclusive.
Indeed, many of these victims may develop different levels of PTSD and necessitate psychological counseling and psychiatric care.
Scarring or disfigurement injury victims can claim either non-economic or economic damages and in some instances, they may be able to seek punitive damages.
- economic damages: these are monetary losses you can show proof of medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment, and loss of business or employment opportunities.
- non-economic damages: these are more personal losses and not monetary. They include but are by no means limited to pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental suffering, emotional distress, loss of society and companionship, loss of consortium, injury to reputation, and humiliation.
- punitive damages: these damages are intended to punish and deter wrongful acts and are usually available when it is clear the defendant acted with oppression, fraud, or malice.
The compensatory value of a scarring and disfigurement claim will depend on various factors, such as the location of the injury, age and gender, collateral losses, emotional injury, and the occupation of the victim.
How a New York Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
If you or someone you love has suffered from a serious accident, injury, or attack that has resulted in physical or emotional scarring or disfigurement at the hands of a negligent party, you, or they, may be entitled to compensation.
Call our law firm at 212-240-9465 for a free, in-office case evaluation.
Having a successful scarring and disfigurement injury attorney can increase your chances of ensuring your best possible outcome.
Our injury attorney will work diligently to understand every aspect of your personal injury case, including determining what types of damages you are entitled to.