When involved in any type of accident, a person’s appearance can become disfigured in multiple of ways. Disfigurement can be highly visible, such as scarring on the affected person’s face, which will need to be covered by means of makeup, clothing, or other resources. Permanent scarring and disfigurement can greatly impact a person’s life physically, and more damaging, emotionally.
If you or someone you know has sustained significant scarring, or another form of disfigurement after being involved in an accident caused by another’s negligence, it is important to know that the State of New Jersey protects the right to file a personal injury claim. By filing a claim, there may be an opportunity to recover damages, which may necessary medical expenses associated with the injury.
Common Types of Disfigurement
Disfigurement may result through a variety of injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, some injuries may lead to lifelong pain and discomfort.
- Scarring – A scar can develop from a laceration, an animal attack, a surgical procedure, or road rash. Some scars may be clean, straight lines made during a surgical procedures but others can be rough and jagged, resulting from torn skin. Scar tissue can develop in a large area of a person’s body, which may be easily visible by others. Moreover, scars tend to result in a great deal of anguish for the victim and mental suffering. A very common cause of scars could be the result of dog bites or attacks.
- Burns – A serious burn can lead to damaged skin and even excessive scarring. When skin heals from a burn, the skin will become discolored and will have a different texture. Moreover, a burn could also cause the person to suffer muscle loss or hair loss in the affected areas. A majority of burn victims can continue to suffer as a result of continuous physical pain and emotional anguish.
- Amputations – Whether a person suffers an amputation as a result of a medical procedure or has sustained a traumatic injury, the amputation will lead to a lifetime of changes for the victim. The affected individual will need to learn to live without his or her body part, which could mean relearning how to eat, walk, or write. An amputation can usually be very visible and an amputee may undergo serious psychological trauma.
Hire the Support of a Skilled New Jersey Personal Injury Law Firm
One of the many challenges associated with a disfiguring injury is that the injury is often difficult to treat. For the most part, scars are not easy to reduce or conceal. Additionally, the impacts associated with burn scars take many months to improve, if they improve at all. A person who has sustained an amputation will often undergo years of rehabilitation. Injuries involving disfigurement can be very costly. If you or someone you know has sustained a disfiguring injury, consider seeking the legal advice of a skilled law firm.
The personal injury attorneys at Harrell Smith & Williams, LLC have many years of experience helping victims obtain the restitution they deserve when their injury was caused as a result of the negligence of another. After a traumatic injury, it is important to act quickly; contact a skilled law firm as soon as possible.
