Many of the injuries sustained in catastrophic car accidents are disfiguring. They leave nasty scars, sometimes even on the facial areas. These injuries can have lifelong impacts on their victims.
While many scars may be corrected through surgery, not all of them can. Some surgeries can improve appearances but can’t correct them entirely. The reminder of the accident will be present every time one looks in the mirror, and will impact every aspect of that person’s life moving forward.
Serious psychological effects and low self-esteem are two of the obvious effects.
However, it’s important to realize that these aren’t small matters, and that mere vanity isn’t the only reason they occur.
Numerous studies have shown that people with facial disfigurements are likely to be rated lower in job interviews than those who have none. That means these scars directly impact your ability to survive, or to advance in a career. It’s illegal to discriminate, but that doesn’t mean it never happens. While acknowledging and explaining the scar up front can help a little, that can be psychologically stressful and hurtful to the scarring
victim.
In addition, our culture places a large value on beauty, which means the victims of scarring can struggle to connect with others socially, something that is a real human need. Scarring victims can be the subject of staring, comments, and awkward questions which can further isolate them and harm them. The media often perpetuates stereotypes that link disfigured faces to evil personalities.
Facial scarring can have physical effects as well, such as impacting the victim’s speech.
This can further impact career and social opportunities. The scarring or disfigurement of hands or arms could result in an inability to conduct certain daily activities, or significant impairment in doing so.
Finally, scars themselves can be physically painful, leading to additional suffering long after the accident is over.
The costs of facial reconstruction can depend on the types of surgeries you’ll need.
You may need multiple versions of each surgery. There is also the chance that your surgery will develop complications, which can be even more costly.
Scar removal surgery can cost up to $4,000. If your child was scarred up in the car accident, then you stand to pay even more: pediatric surgeons are rarer than cosmetic surgeries, and thus cost more. Children also tend to need additional treatments as they grow.
Few people have a better argument for increasing their pain and suffering multiplier than the victims of scarring and disfigurement. While insurance companies will tend to downplay this damage as “merely cosmetic,” an experienced lawyer will fight for every penny you’re owed. We will work hard to communicate the lifelong damage that’s been done to your happiness and prospects to the insurance company, as well as to judges and juries if necessary.