Scarring Injury Claims

Scarring Injury Claims, Lawyers and Lawsuits

The effects of some injuries do not dissipate with time. While cuts can heal over time and broken bones (assuming they are properly set and treated) will mend over weeks or months, other effects of injuries such as scar tissue can remain. Scar tissue can cause physical pain and discomfort; however, regardless of whether physical pain is present scars and scar tissue can create a great deal of mental and emotional trauma for the victim. While permanent scarring may not cause the same type of limitations as a paralyzing spinal cord injury or loss of limb, one should not discount the profound effect that scarring can have on a person’s life and wellbeing.

Scarring simply does not “just appear” – it is often the byproduct of an injury accident caused by another person’s careless and negligent behavior. This means that, in some cases, the injury victim will be able to obtain monetary compensation for his or her injuries and expenses. While this monetary award may not be able to remove all scars or erase the pain, embarrassment, or discomfort that may accompany scarring, it can help the victim obtain the assistance he or she needs to move forward with his or her life.

What is a Scar and How Does Scarring Occur?

Simply put, a scar is a mark on a person’s skin that occurs when a wound (such as a cut, puncture, bite, or burn) does not heal completely. It may take a scar up to one year before it will fully “mature” in its appearance and effects. Most scars are easily identifiable as the scar tissue has a deformed appearance: New scars may be red or purple in color, and older scars may have the appearance of wrinkling of the skin. Nerves beneath the surface of the skin below the scar may become pinched as the scar heals, thereby causing pain to the individual.

Since scarring occurs when skin does not properly heal from an injury, it follows that scars can result from a variety of external injuries and trauma. (Internal injuries such as a traumatic brain injury would not, in and of itself, cause scarring of the skin.) Scarring can occur as the result of:

• Cuts/lacerations/abrasions, like the type of cuts or lacerations that can occur from shattered glass in a car accident, “road rash” from a motorcycle accident, or a cut resulting from striking one’s head on the sharp corner of a stair or other object.
• Punctures, where a foreign object punctures one or more layers of skin. A puncture injury that results in scarring can also occur when a bone fractures and pierces through the skin. Even though the bone may set and heal, the place where it pierced the skin may develop scar tissue.
• Burns can also cause scarring – especially those burns resulting from fire or scalding liquids, chemicals, radiation, and/or electricity. While a first-degree burn (like a sunburn) may not leave any lasting scars, the risk of scarring increases with the severity of the burn.
• Bites and animal attacks can lead to scarring as many of these incidents cause cuts (from an animal’s paws or claws) and punctures (from an animal’s teeth).

Although these are the most common situations in which scarring occurs, scarring can result from nearly any physical injury. An injury victim who seeks prompt care and treatment for a wound can reduce – but not completely eliminate – the risk of scarring.

The Impact of Scarring on the Injury Victim

The impact of scars can go far beyond the physical pain or discomfort that scar tissue may cause. Excessive scarring can have a profound impact on the victim’s self-esteem and confidence. An individual who was once bubbly and outgoing may shrink back from public engagements and activities he or she once enjoyed because he or she is embarrassed by his or her scars. This, in turn, can lead to depression and a loss of enjoyment of life.

Cosmetic surgery and other treatments may be available to reduce the appearance of scarring (and thereby help increase a person’s self-esteem and confidence), but some insurance policies do not cover these expensive surgeries. For this reason, victims whose injuries are caused by the negligent actions of another person and who develop scars ought to seek compensation from the at-fault party through a personal injury lawsuit.

Contact Stern Law, PLLC for Assistance with Your Scarring Injury

Scarring following a personal injury accident caused by another can cause significant mental and emotional distress in addition to physical pain and discomfort. Attorney Ken Sterns and Stern Law, PLLC is committed to helping you obtain the compensation necessary to repair the physical and emotional damage that scarring can cause. Take the first step on your road to recovery following a scarring injury by calling our office today at (844) 808-7529.