Is my scarring and disfigurement important to my case?
Your body may scar as part of the natural healing process after an injury. Sometimes scarring is not too bad if it is small and in a location that is easy to hide. However, if you suffer from severe disfigurement as a result of an accident caused by someone else, you might choose to sue and recover damages.
Evidence of your scarring serves as an important part of demonstrating the economic (i.e. medical bills and loss of income) or non-economic (i.e. mental anguish) damages you suffered.
Types of scars
The type of scarring you might experience depends on the size of the injury, the location of your wound, your genes and your age. Keloid scars form after an overly aggressive healing process. This type of scar is usually very visible as they extend beyond the boundary of the injury. A keloid in certain areas may also diminish your ability to move.
Hypertrophic scars are still raised, red scars but overall are a less severe type of scar as they do not grow past the original injury. Contracture scars describe scarring from burns. These scars may go deep enough to affect your nerves and muscles. The tightness experienced from contracture scars may hamper your movement.
Claims involving disfigurement
If you experienced a permanent physical alteration of your appearance due to someone else’s negligence, you meet the damages element of a torts claim. A disfigurement claim can arise from a variety of personal injury situations:
- Chemical burns from defective products
- Scarring from surgery wounds
- Puncture wounds from a dog attack
- Burn injuries from fires
- Loss of eye or fingers
- Amputation of limbs
If you suffer from severe scarring or another substantial disformity, seeking medical attention and documenting the status of your wounds may help in any future personal injury action.
