Disfigurement/Scarring

Harm from a serious accident can lead to permanent disfigurement or scarring. Victims often need extra treatment and care, as well as financial support in order to receive it. The experienced injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon have the knowledge to help Miami residents seek the compensation they deserve for their harm. Serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, our attorneys are skilled in assisting individuals in all types of accident cases. Contact our office today for a free consultation.

Car and motorcycle crashes as well as workplace injuries or boating accidents can result in disfigurement. This is defined as an injury that impairs or negatively affects an individual’s physical appearance, often in the form of burns, lacerations, or even the loss of a limb. Scarring may remain even after the area has healed completely, permanently altering the skin.

Typically, there are not only physical and medical injuries to victims of devastating accidents, but psychological and financial consequences as well. Scarring and disfigurement may require long-term and expensive treatment, including:

• Surgery to reconstruct faces following a trauma
• Significant skin grafts
• Prosthesis for lost limbs
• Rehabilitative and physical therapy
• Psychological treatment

The effects of this harm are often felt well after the physical pain has subsided. Many victims will continue to suffer emotional turmoil due to the nature of their injuries for years to come.

Depending on the type of accident that caused your injuries, different parties may be held responsible. Often, a victim must prove that another party, or defendant, acted negligently. To show negligence, the injured person must demonstrate that:

• The defendant had a duty of care to him or her;
• That duty was breached with careless or reckless conduct;
• The breach caused an accident in which the victim was hurt; and
• Quantifiable damages were incurred because of the injuries.

For example, if you were harmed in a car accident, you must show the other driver failed to act as a reasonable person would have behaved under the same circumstances. If a dangerous product led to a victim’s disfigurement, a manufacturer could potentially be held strictly liable for the damages caused if it is shown that a design or manufacturing defect made the product unreasonably dangerous to consumers. In Florida, personal injury cases must be filed within four years of an accident. A victim has even less time to file if the claim arises from medical malpractice, since the statute of limitations on those lawsuits is only two years.

Florida is a pure comparative fault state, meaning that even if your own negligent act contributed to the accident, you can still recover a reduced amount of damages for your injuries. A court will set the compensation award in proportion to your degree of fault. Potential damages available to victims who have suffered disfigurement or scarring may include past and future medical costs, loss of income and earning capacity, pain and suffering, and more.

The accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon understand that the aftermath of a life-altering event in Miami or other South Florida communities can be emotional and painful. If you’ve been seriously injured because of someone else’s negligence, our attorneys can guide you through the legal process to make sure your rights and claims are protected. Please call 877.499.4878 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.