Is There Permanent Scar Compensation for Injuries Suffered in a Car Accident?

What Kind of Permanent Scar Compensation May I Collect?

Like any other personal injury suffered in a car accident, you can recover compensation for your permanent scar treatments, mental anguish, or lingering effects. Many victims don’t understand that they can recover more than the cost of medical treatments and procedures.

Our experienced attorneys at Scholle Law understand the effect of a lifelong scar whether it’s visible to others or not. It can significantly alter your view of yourself and your ability to live your life as you did before the car accident. A large scar across the face may impact you for the rest of your life even after plastic surgery to fix it. Scars along joints may limit mobility and no matter where your permanent scar is, it may ache with pain for the rest of your life.

Because of the long-term effects of your injury, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than the maximum compensation our experienced Georgia car accident attorneys can win for you.

Medical damages

The first thing most people consider when seeking compensation is recouping their medical expenses. This can include: care for the original injury, rehabilitation, surgeries, and any procedures required to lessen the challenges of the scar, including cosmetic ones. Even the insurance companies tend to offer settlements that will cover at least part of your medical expenses when they make their first low-ball settlement offer.

With a permanent scar, you may face extensive procedures and surgeries to handle pain, mobility, and try to minimize the visible scarring. These can be expensive procedures that continue for years after the car accident.

Insurance companies try to argue that cosmetic surgeries are not necessary and therefore shouldn’t have to pay for them. But the reality is that cosmetic procedures can often do more for a plaintiff than rehabilitation.

Some medical damages you may be able to claim are:

●     Hospital bills

●     Ambulance costs

●     Specialist care

●     Rehabilitation

●     Mental trauma

●     Permanent change in lifestyle

●     Ongoing medical care and surgeries

Lost wages

You need time to heal after a debilitating car accident. However, employers can only give out so many sick days before they have to cut your pay . As your treatments continue or intensify, you’ll need to miss days of work for treatments and recovery.

It is unfortunate that a car accident can prevent you from earning the income which you need to live. That’s why you can claim lost wages as a form of financial damages that you suffered due to the car accident.

Lost earning capacity

In some cases, a permanent scar can affect your ability to pursue your career. Obvious facial scars can limit work for people who rely on their looks or communication skills. Models, actors, salespeople, and many other jobs which require one-on-one interaction can face dire results due to facial scarring, which leads to diminished earning capacity or loss of work completely.

Additionally, some scars cause mobility issues, sensitivities, or chronic pain, which may prevent a person from conducting their daily job. For example, a contractor wouldn’t be able to work with a stiff hand due to extensive scarring. Knee or leg scars can also cause chronic pain, which means jobs that require walking or standing for long periods can be unmanageable.

It can be difficult to determine your diminished earning capacity due to your permanent scar. An experienced lawyer at Scholle Law can help you determine the difference in potential salaries, the costs of retraining yourself for a new career, previous job experience, and lost potential due to your injuries.

Non-economic damages

These are damages that affect you emotionally, mentally, and physically, but are normally intangible. These are lifestyle changes, mental challenges, and emotional trials that you have had to endure and suffer from due to your injuries.

Non-economic damages you may claim are:

●     Pain and suffering

●     Anxiety

●     Depression

●     Disfigurement

●     Emotional distress

●     Physical impairment

●     Loss of enjoyment of life

●     Loss of quality of life