Facelift surgery (rhytidectomy) is a type of cosmetic surgery that aims to tighten and smoothen the skin on the face by pulling it back and lifting it. Generally, facelifts are performed by private cosmetic surgeons but they are sometimes offered on the NHS. In most cases, facelift surgery is successful but, on occasion, mistakes can be made. Regardless of who performed your facelift surgery, if they were negligent and you’ve suffered as a result, you may be eligible to make a facelift injury claim for compensation.

Our claims advisors are here to help if you’ve decided to take action following negligent facelift surgery. During your initial consultation, you’ll receive free legal advice. Where the grounds for your claim seem sound, we could partner you with a medical negligence solicitor from our team. Importantly, they’ll make the claims process easier for you by working on a No Win No Fee basis if they take you on as a client.

To begin a facelift compensation claim right away, please call us on 0800 6524 881. To find out more about the claims process before contacting us, please continue reading.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Botched Facelift?

All medical professionals owe their patients a duty of care towards their well-being while treating them. That’s true of NHS and private medical professionals. If they breach that duty of care during facelift surgery, a medical negligence claim might be possible. To be eligible to seek compensation, you’ll need to prove that:

• There was a breach of duty (technically called fault or causation); and
• You suffered an injury because of the breach of duty (called avoidable harm or causation).

As you can imagine, proving negligence isn’t always going to be easy when it comes to facelift surgery. A lot of technical medical and legal evidence is likely to be required. For that reason, we’d always suggest that you take on specialist legal support. Our team of solicitors have many years of experience in helping clients claim for their suffering and could help you too.

If you’d like to discuss a facelift compensation claim with us, please get in touch today.

What Conditions Can Arise From Facelift Surgery

It goes without saying that facelift surgery is going to cause some pain and discomfort for a while. Generally, the side effects of the surgery are quite short-lived. However, some other problems can arise from facelift procedures including:

• Nerve damage. This can lead to reduced facial movement and loss of sensation. We have a guide to nerve damage claims for more information.
• Scarring. Where the correct procedures are followed, facial scarring from a facelift should be minimal. If mistakes are made, this might not always be true.
• Haematomas. A haematoma is a collection of blood under the skin. Surgery may be required for it to be removed.
• Allergic reactions. It’s possible that you might suffer an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic used during treatment.
• Infection. Where facelifts are conducted in sterile conditions, the risk of infection will be low. If hygiene standards are not maintained, the risk will increase.
• Asymmetrical facial features. If something goes wrong with your facelift, it can result in facial features becoming asymmetrical. This could lead to additional corrective surgery.

Importantly, compensation claims for cosmetic surgery can’t generally be made if you’re simply not happy with the outcome of your treatment. That may only be possible if your surgeon over-promised the expected results of your treatment.

However, you could be entitled to claim if you suffered an avoidable injury or illness due to negligence. This is where medical negligence solicitors could help. To check whether we could help you take action, please contact us today.

What Forms Of Negligence Could Lead To A Claim?

In this section, we’ve listed some forms of negligence that might entitle you to seek damages for the injuries from your facelift procedure. They include:

• Clinical mistakes.
• The risks of the procedure were not properly explained.
• Failure to take precautionary measures.
• A lack of aftercare advice.
• A poor technique during surgery.

If you’ve suffered one of the above forms of medical negligence or something else, please don’t hesitate in calling our advisors to discuss your options.

How Much Compensation For A Botched Facelift Could I Claim?

When you seek compensation for a botched facelift you must account for every penny of your request and provide evidence of why the compensation is required. Cosmetic surgery claims are usually made up of two elements:

• General damages are claimed to compensate you for your pain, suffering, and loss of amenity. As mentioned below, it’s possible to include psychological injuries here as well as any physical suffering.
• Special damages are claimed to recover any costs, expenses, or losses your injuries have caused. Examples for this section include medical costs, travel expenses, or lost income. Your solicitor could also ask the defendant to pay for private medical care if it will help you to recover sooner.

To establish the severity of your facelift injuries, you’ll need a medical assessment as part of the claims process. Our team of solicitors will usually be able to make local appointments with an independent medical specialist.

Compensation Amounts For Facial Injuries

For guidance, we’ve added some typical compensation amounts for facial injuries below, based on the Judicial College Guidelines. The figures from the Judicial College are also used by insurers and courts when determining compensation levels.

• Trivial scarring as a consequence of substandard facelift surgery can lead to compensation from £1,710 and £3,530.
• Significant scarring to a relatively low degree which may require camouflage make-up, or involve more than one scar, but has little impact on the victim’s life can lead to compensation of between £3,950 and £13,740.
• Where significant scarring may require plastic surgery to reduce the impact, but leaves visible injuries, compensation of between £9,110 up to £30,090 isn’t uncommon.
• Severe scarring towards the lower end of the scale will include disfigurements and significant psychiatric/psychological issues resulting in compensation awards between £17,960 up to £48,420.
• Very severe scarring where cosmetic camouflage has little or no effect, leading to disfiguration of the face and psychiatric challenges, opens up the opportunity to claim compensation from £29,780 up to £97,330.

If you would like to discuss what compensation you might be due for your facial injuries, please call us today.

Psychological Damage From A Facelift Gone Wrong

It’s important to note that while negligence during facelift surgery might cause physical injuries such as scarring, it can also lead to mental harm too. This should not be forgotten during your compensation claim.

If your injuries have caused embarrassment, distress, or anxiety, this psychological suffering could be factored into your claim.

Should your claim be accepted, your solicitor will make sure they fully understand how you’ve suffered from psychological damage before filing your claim.

Evidence To Support A Facelift Injury Claim

A medical negligence solicitor may need to call upon specialists to help prove that negligence led to your facelift injuries. However, some other forms of evidence could also help to tip the claim in your favour. They include:

• Photos. Images from before and after your rhytidectomy are a great way to show what’s gone wrong.
• Correspondence about your treatment. Copies of letters and emails about your surgery could prove useful as they might show that you weren’t informed about the risks or the surgeon made promises that they couldn’t keep.
• Witness details. If anybody else was with you during your consultations, they could be asked to provide a statement to confirm what you’ve already alleged.
• Financial statements. As part of your facelift negligence claim, you could include any financial losses. It’s a good idea to keep hold of any receipts or bank statements to show the costs you’ve incurred because of your injuries.

If you call for a free consultation, a specialist will review your evidence with you. If they agree that you have a case, you could be partnered with a medical negligence solicitor from our team right away.

Time Limits For Claiming Facelift Compensation

The law in the UK allows 3-years for medical negligence claims to be made. With facelift injuries that are immediately obvious, the time limit will begin from the date of your surgery. Where symptoms don’t present immediately, the limitation period starts from your date of knowledge.

Claiming sooner rather than later is always a good idea. That’s because your solicitor will have quite a few tasks to complete before filing your facelift injury claim with the defendant. If you’re ready to start your claim today, please get in touch.

Do I Need A Medical Negligence Solicitor To Make A Facelift Injury Claim?

We hope that we’ve shown how the facelift injury claims process works during the course of this guide. As we’ve alluded to, there will be a lot of evidence required if you’re to receive any compensation for your facelift injuries. Not only will you need to prove that the negligent act took place but you’ll also need to prove that it caused your injuries.

We believe you’ve got an improved chance of being fairly compensated if a medical negligence solicitor from our team represents you. Remember, you don’t need to pay their fees upfront and you won’t pay them at all unless you’re compensated.

If your facelift injury claim is accepted, your solicitor will do all they can to try and secure the maximum level of compensation possible. They won’t always settle for the first compensation offer that’s tabled either. If it is not thought to be acceptable, they’ll fight your corner for a higher amount.

To begin your claim with us today, please call our team on 0800 6524 881 right away. We’ll check the viability of your facelift injury claim and clearly and concisely explain your options.