Obtaining Fair Compensation After a Disfigurement Injury
When you’re hurt in a car accident, dog attack, or fall, the damage is often immediately noticeable. For most victims, it’s also temporary—while they may carry the mental trauma of the accident with them for years to come, they’re often lucky enough to make a full physical recovery.
Those who suffer disfiguring injuries are forced to show signs of their injuries for years or the rest of their lives. If you’ve been involved in a disfiguring accident, it’s time to talk to an attorney about your options. Call Peake & Fowler at 803-788-4370 to set up a consultation now.
Disfigurement Injuries in an Accident
Disfigurement can occur in many types of accidents. It’s most commonly seen in car accidents, where victims can suffer serious cuts, chemical explosions, and burns that leave large scars. You may also experience disfigurement in workplace accidents, electrical accidents in a home or place of business, a fall from a higher level, or a dog bite.
While many disfiguring injuries are aesthetic in nature and do not affect your mobility or physical health, there are some that go beyond appearance. For example, an amputation does have a significant negative impact on your appearance, but it also completely changes how you use your body. When you have a disfigurement injury that also impacts the functionality of your body, you may need additional compensation for your new limitations.
Different Types of Compensation for Injuries
When you receive compensation for a disfigurement injury, it may be used to cover a wide range of relevant expenses, including:
- Medical expenses: These can often be incredibly high with a disfiguring injury. Immediate treatment is often required to limit the damage and try to save as much function and appearance as possible. Even with these efforts, people with disfiguring injuries often never make a full recovery. Some injuries even require ongoing care throughout a victim’s life. For example, scar mobilization is necessary after treatment to keep the scar from binding with skin and connective tissue. Follow-up care is generally needed to check the progress of at-home care.
- Lost wages: Depending on the type and severity of your injury, you may find that your ability to earn a living is affected. Many people with mobility struggles are forced to quit their job, go on light duty, or cut back on hours to the point that they are no longer able to support themselves. They deserve compensation for such a serious loss. Even if your injury does not cause a loss of function, it could still keep you from working. Disfiguring injuries can negatively affect your confidence, your ability to communicate effectively with other people, and your ability to function as you previously did in the workplace.
- Mental health needs: It’s important to avoid underestimating your own mental health needs after a disfiguring injury. Many patients need extensive counseling and pharmaceutical treatment for depression, anxiety, and other diagnoses. A sudden negative change in your appearance is hard to come to terms with, and even with ongoing mental health support, it may be a long journey.
Factors Affecting Compensation
A number of factors may influence the amount of compensation you actually receive from the negligent party. These factors include:
- Where the injury is and how large it is
- How likely the injury is to heal over time
- The victim’s age
- How much the injury affects your appearance and your physical functionality
- Your line of work
- How much the injury has affected your mental health
Obviously, proving how the injury has impacted you is crucial if you want fair and full compensation. You may need to provide medical bills, medical records, treatment estimates and prognoses from doctors, counseling records, and evidence of your mental state throughout the healing process. One of the main benefits of working with a personal injury attorney is knowing what evidence you need and how to gather it.
Start Your Claim with Peake & Fowler
The team at Peake & Fowler knows how devastating a disfiguring injury can be. We want to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Let’s sit down and talk about your options now. Give us a call at 803-788-4370 or contact us online.
