Personal Injury Damages for Scarring and Disfigurement
Silverman, McDonald & Friedman is the personal injury law firm you can trust to protect you and your loved ones. If you have sustained serious injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact us today and schedule a free consultation at one of our offices in Newark, Seaford or Wilmington.
Many injuries such as broken bones, cuts, and bruises do heal with time. Sadly, some injuries a lifetime. Two such types of permanent injury is scarring or disfigurement. These injuries may cause physical pain. For most victims, scarring and disfigurement cause a great deal of emotional pain. This emotional pain can affect the ability to enjoy life and to socialize. It may affect the victim’s desire to get married. The emotional pain from scarring and disfigurement can even affect your ability to do your job.
Some scars, disfiguring burns or cuts can be covered up with clothing. Facial scars are considered extremely upsetting to most victims precisely because they are visible to the accident victim and everyone who sees the victim. Other examples of disfigurement include the loss of a body part such as an eye or an amputation of a limb.
Types of accidents than can cause scarring and disfigurement
Almost any accident can cause scarring of any part of the body. Common causes include:
- Car, truck, motorcycle, and other types of vehicle accidents
- Construction accidents involving heavy machinery and equipment
- Fires
- Defective products which malfunction
- Explosions
- Animal bites including dog bites
- Falls
- Being struck by an object on someone’s premises
- Exposure to dangerous and hazardous chemicals and toxins
- Medical malpractice
What scarring and disfiguring damages are allowed?
If you are injured in such a way that you sustain permanent scarring or disfigurement because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to make a claim for damages. You could be entitled to:
- Medical costs associated with treatment. These costs may include bills from:
- Doctors who treat the underlying injuries
- Plastic surgeons who perform reconstructive surgery
- Psychologists and psychiatrists who help the victim manage their emotional scars
- Compensation for pain and suffering, both from the treatment of other people as well as any physical discomfort the scarring or disfigurement causes.
- Lost wages from days you were unable to work, or from future loss of earnings.
The amount of the damage normally depends on:
- Which body part is scarred or disfigured
- How deep, long, and severe the injury is
- The change in the quality of life of the victim
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our lawyers have been fighting for personal injury victims for a combined century. We understand how devastating scarring and disfigurement can be – and what kind of uphill battle you might face. Our lawyers have offices in Seaford, Wilmington and Newark. Please call us at 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form to learn more.
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Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.