What Counts as Disfigurement in a Personal Injury Case?

The disfigurement injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell have seen how catastrophic injuries can impact a person’s long-term health, require extensive and costly medical intervention, make working impossible, and strain family and social relationships. We have also seen these injuries result in visible marks and scars that can last much longer than physical pain and medical expenses, making every mirror, job interview, and social interaction a reminder of the accident that caused them.

When you experience a disfiguring injury after a car crash, construction site accident, surgical error, or any other event beyond your control, you shouldn’t have to face the consequences alone. Our firm has spent nearly 50 years helping people suffering from physical and emotional injuries secure fair and full compensation. If you have been harmed by someone else’s negligence, we are here to listen to your story, help you understand your rights, and assist you in seeking the compensation you need to make the best recovery possible.

Call Our Rhode Island Disfigurement Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Review

To schedule your initial consultation with one of our experienced attorneys, call Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell at 401-273-8330 today. This consultation is FREE of cost and obligation, allowing you to review your options and decide how best to proceed. Located in Providence, we proudly represent individuals and families living throughout Rhode Island and nearby areas of Massachusetts.

What Is Disfigurement in a Personal Injury Claim?

Disfigurement is any lasting physical alteration that diminishes a person’s natural appearance. In some cases, disfiguring injuries sustained in serious accidents may also limit mobility and impact physical comfort, but the distinguishing characteristics of this type of injury are sometimes dismissed as merely aesthetic. Our disfigurement injury lawyers know these alterations are much more than simple marks on the skin.

Some of the most common types of disfigurement injuries are:

• Facial lacerations
• Serious burns
• Amputation of a limb or digit
• Loss of an eye
• Significant dental damage

In some cases, skin grafts that leave a pronounced color or texture difference can be considered a disfiguring injury. So too might keloid or hypertrophic scars after a surgery or serious infection, such as might occur under unsanitary hospital conditions.

A disfigurement is considered permanent when it can’t be substantially improved, even after medical and cosmetic care. This can include scars that can’t be reduced through revision surgeries or laser treatments, lost limbs or extremities that prosthetics can’t fully correct or conceal, or severe burn patterns that resist skin-tone matching techniques.

While damages can be sought for any disfiguring injury, its permanence may give greater weight to how much you can seek in damages.

How Does Disfigurement Factor Into Personal Injury Damages?

Disfigurement can impact both economic and non-economic damages. For example, when a disfigurement injury necessitates reconstructive surgeries, dermabrasions, or prosthetics, it may increase medical expenses. When it results in physical limitations, impacts job opportunities, or requires a job change, a disfigurement injury can diminish future earning capacity. Both medical expenses and lost wages fall under economic damages.

Disfigurement injuries can also impact physical comfort, cause emotional distress, and result in a loss of enjoyment in life. Some disfigurement injuries can prevent you from engaging in hobbies, participating in certain sports, and make social activities difficult or embarrassing. Pain, suffering, and emotional distress fall under the category of non-economic damages.

Some insurance companies weigh factors such as visibility, location (face vs. torso, for example), severity, your age, and cultural considerations when calculating damages. Unfortunately, insurance estimates of pain and suffering are almost always underwhelming. When you suffer a serious disfigurement injury, talking to a qualified and experienced lawyer can help you understand how much your claim may be worth.

At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, our Rhode Island disfigurement injury lawyers rely on evidence, including expert testimony, statements from physicians and plastic surgeons, and personal impact evaluations to help quantify how your injury disrupts your daily life. In a state that does not place a cap on damages, this can result in more significant compensation and help you make a fuller physical and emotional recovery.

When Should I Talk to a Disfigurement Injury Lawyer?

It’s a good idea to talk to a disfigurement injury lawyer when your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence. This may include a reckless trucker, a careless property owner, an inattentive medical provider, the manufacturer of a poorly designed product, or even a careless government employee. Determining who can be held liable is essential for establishing your right to seek compensation.

A disfigurement injury lawyer can help you seek compensation for current medical bills, future cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, lost wages and projected earnings, the impact on your personal comfort and life, and much more. In most cases, the damages you can pursue through a personal injury action are more significant than those you can obtain through an insurance claim alone. Before you accept an insurance offer, talk to one of our Providence disfigurement injury attorneys for free to make sure you are not accepting less than you are owed.

Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell has a nearly five-decade-long history of fighting for the rights of people disfigured through serious accidents. During this time, we have secured a number of significant settlements and verdicts, including multi-million dollar wins for victims of severe burns, amputation, and other disfiguring injuries. Experienced, attentive, and compassionate, our lawyers are here to listen, advise, and support you during each stage of your recovery, including in the pursuit of every penny you are owed.

Reach Out for a FREE Consultation With an Experienced Rhode Island Disfigurement Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one is dealing with disfigurement after an accident, Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell is ready to help you pursue justice and a fair recovery. Use our online contact form or call our Providence office to schedule a FREE and confidential case review and learn how we can fight for the dignity and compensation you deserve. Located in Providence, Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell serves victims of disfigurement injuries throughout Rhode Island and surrounding Massachusetts communities.