Yes, you can receive compensation for scars from a car accident. These scars represent the physical pain you experienced and the emotional consequences of a disfiguring injury. The severity and location of the scarring, as well as other factors, dictate what type and how much compensation you could receive.
Types of Scars That May Qualify You for Compensation
The body can respond in different ways when healing an injury, resulting in different types of scars. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, common scars are:
- Keloids
- Hypertrophic
- Contractures
Depending on the extent of your injuries, you could have more than one type of scarring. Each person also reacts differently to injuries. Some people are more prone to keloids than others, for example.
Johns Hopkins also points out that scars cannot be erased, only minimized with treatment. For that reason, accident victims can receive compensation specifically for scars, as they are permanent consequences of someone else’s negligence.
Keloids
These are dark, raised sections of scar tissue that can develop up to a year after the injury. They tend to grow larger than the injured area as if the body is overcompensating. These scars sometimes return, meaning treatment can be ongoing.
Hypertrophic
These scars can develop faster than keloids, can be more treatable, and don’t typically grow beyond the injured area. Hypertrophic scars can diminish on their own, but it can take over a year. Moreover, that doesn’t mean the scars will be unnoticeable, especially if they are on the face or another prominent location on the body.
Contractures
As the name suggests, these scars contract the skin as the body tries to heal a large, damaged area. A contracture scar that forms on a joint can affect mobility. That means you are left disfigured and possibly unable to be as active as you were before the accident. This is grounds for compensation.
Vehicles run on combustible fuel, so car accidents often cause burns. The resulting scars can be extensive. Large scrapes or road burn can also affect significant areas of skin. When that happens, contractures can occur.
Types of Compensation You Could Receive
If a car accident physically scarred you, you could receive compensation in several areas depending on how you were affected. The typical compensation categories are:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Non-economic damages
As with other damages you may receive for your car accident, compensation for scars covers past and future losses due to the accident.
Medical Costs
Scars may require treatment beyond what was used for the original injury. Common treatments include:
- Steroid injections
- Skin grafts
- Surgery
- Cryotherapy
- Laser procedures
The location of the scar can also increase the cost. Facial scars may require more delicate and expensive plastic surgery. This is a scenario no one should have to experience. If you are going through this because of negligence, you should not have to pay for it yourself.
Your lawyer can evaluate your costs to pursue accurate compensation for medical expenses.
Lost Wages
You may not associate scars with missing work. However, you may have to take time off to seek treatment or recover from surgery. Disfiguring scars may have forced you to quit your job.
Contraction scars may have made it challenging for you to move in an active career. If any of these or other situations caused you to lose income, we could fight for reimbursement.
Non-Economic Damages
This refers to the personal pain and trauma of physical scarring after an accident. It acknowledges that you experienced something awful that affected how you interact with the world, feel about yourself, and earn an income.
You could qualify for:
- “Pain and suffering” and inconvenience
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Reduced earning capacity
Things You Might not Know About Scar-Related Compensation After Accidents
Furthermore, the injuries that cause scars are traumatic. For instance, Mayo Clinic states that victims coping with scars can use anxiety medication for treatment. This is because dealing with this situation can be psychologically taxing.
Any anxiety you experience from a burn or other injury can continue or be exacerbated once a scar develops. If you struggle with mental health from your scars, the liable party could reimburse you for:
- Anti-anxiety medication
- Antidepressants
- Counseling
Virginia considers protracted and obvious disfigurement a serious injury (Va. Code § 18.2-51.5). That can include extensive scarring following a car accident. In other words, the law sees you, and so do we.
Get Answers Today About Your Car Accident Scars
You could receive compensation if you were physically scarred in a car accident, so call the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC now for a free case review. The negligent party in your crash could have fundamentally altered your appearance and left you struggling.
You deserve justice. Call (571) 229-1800. You might not even need to go to court. Our lawyers will aim to settle your case. Do not wait to reach out, as Va. Code § 8.01-243 limits how long you have to take legal action.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form