As with any cosmetic surgery, a facelift procedure carries risks, and results aren’t guaranteed. However, the consequences of a facelift going wrong due to negligent care can be life-altering. Beyond the physical effects, mental health may suffer, and the financial consequences can be long-lasting. If you have been avoidably harmed under such circumstances, you may be able to start the facelift surgery compensation claims process and help fund your recovery.
Key Takeaways
- Only registered doctors are allowed to perform facelifts and other cosmetic surgeries in England.
- Facelift surgery may be negligent due to improper techniques, failure to consult a patient’s medical records, and the use of unsterilised equipment.
- Negligent facelift surgery can result in avoidable nerve damage, facial asymmetry, excessive scarring, and hair loss.
- Depression and other forms of psychological harm may occur, particularly if the negligent procedure results in excessive scarring or other unnecessary damage.
- Our medical negligence solicitors provide individualised support to clients, including help with gathering evidence.
At this stage, you may not know whether you want to make a clinical negligence claim. Our advisors are happy to talk you through any aspects of the process that you are unsure of. They are here to help and can provide peace of mind during this difficult time.
If you decide that you would like to proceed with a claim, they can put you in touch with one of our expert medical negligence solicitors. You may find yourself one step closer towards getting your rightful compensation, so why not reach out today?
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Can I Claim Compensation After A Facelift Surgery?
Yes, you can claim compensation after a facelift surgery if you were avoidably harmed due to a cosmetic surgeon’s (or other medical professional’s) failure to provide the correct standard of care.
All medical professionals, from surgeons to nurses, are required to provide a minimum standard of care while administering any treatment. This duty of care to patients encompasses the public and private sectors, and also extends to medical facilities themselves.
When a surgeon or other professional falls below required standards, this is termed a breach of duty. If this breach results in unnecessary harm, it may form the basis for a valid claim.
It is important to note that not all forms of harm will be due to negligent care. A facelift, like any surgery, has risks and is likely to cause some degree of pain and discomfort even when a surgeon meets minimum expected standards.
If you’d like to learn more about what constitutes medical negligence, keep reading this guide for specific examples that may help your understanding of this.
How To Claim Facelift Compensation Against A Private Clinic
To claim facelift compensation against a private clinic, you must still be able to demonstrate that the harm you suffered was avoidable and the result of substandard care provided to you as a patient. While your claim would be against the clinic itself, your compensation would be paid by the facility’s insurer.
If you are also looking to report a medical professional for negligence, you may want to speak with a receptionist or check online for the specific complaints procedure of the clinic. Keeping copies of any correspondence relating to this may help you to later prove your clinical negligence claim.
Can I Claim For Facelift Surgery That Was Done Abroad?
You can claim for facelift surgery that was done abroad, but this typically depends on which country you had your procedure in, as the laws around plastic surgery negligence may differ.
You don’t need to figure out whether you can start the facelift surgery compensation claims process on your own. By contacting our advisors, you can receive a free assessment to determine whether you can make a facelift compensation claim. They may connect you to one of our expert medical negligence solicitors, who will make sure to prioritise your health as they support you throughout your claim.
How Can Medical Negligence Occur During A Facelift?
The use of unsterile equipment, anaesthetic errors, and improper use of surgical instruments are examples of how medical negligence can occur during a facelift. Read the list below for the most specific examples of negligent treatment and its consequences:
- During your procedure, a surgeon uses a scalpel that hasn’t been properly sterilised. As a result of this failure, you develop an infection that progresses to sepsis.
- A counting error during surgery allows a fragment of a needle to be left behind after your facelift procedure has been completed. This foreign object causes an infection and requires additional surgery to remove it.
- While making an incision, your surgeon becomes distracted and severs a facial nerve. This causes you to permanently lose movement and feeling in one side of your face.
- An anaesthetist administers too low a dose of anaesthetic, leading to you waking up during your facelift procedure. The experience results in you developing long-term anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
There are many other valid forms of facelift medical negligence that we have not included. If you’d like to share your personal experience, our advisors can carefully assess your case at no cost.
What Are The Signs Of A Negligent Facelift Procedure?
Signs of a negligent facelift procedure can vary, but include excessive scarring, asymmetry, and hairline shifting. However, it’s important to keep in mind that facelifts come with inherent risks that a surgeon should discuss with you before any procedure. Nevertheless, the following outlines some potential indicators of a negligent facelift:
- A significant level of scarring behind or in front of the ears
- Asymmetrical or lopsided ears (known as ‘pixie ear’)
- Continual numbness or difficulties moving your face (your doctor should fully explain the risk of restricted facial movement before the procedure)
- Shifting hairline or a loss of hair in front of or behind the ears
- Tightness of skin
- An infection
- Asymmetry of the face
- Discolouration or loss of skin (a lack of circulation can cause this)
If you’re at all unsure whether you have experienced medical negligence, don’t hesitate to reach out to our helpful team of advisors for tailored guidance.
The Average Payout For Facelift Surgery Compensation Claims
For instances of very severe facial scarring, the average payout for facelift surgery compensation claims is between £36,340 and £118,790. This range is according to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), a document that lists suggested compensation brackets for various forms of harm.
However, evaluating compensation is a complicated and nuanced process. In order to understand how a medical negligence compensation calculator estimates your award, we will first explain what general damages are. This part of the compensation evaluates the suffering and pain caused by the negligent facelift surgery.
When valuing general damages, legal professionals may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document establishes compensation guideline brackets for various injuries based on type and severity. We have included some relevant JCG figures in the following table.
When reading this table, we would like to make clear that these figures offer no guarantee of how much compensation you could be entitled to. The evaluation of compensation must take into account the unique experience of each claimant. This is because no 2 claimants will have the exact same experience of medical negligence.
However, you are welcome to contact our advisors for a free assessment of your cosmetic surgery compensation. By outlining the various ways in which you have been impacted, you allow them to confirm what factors would be accounted for via a compensation payout.
| Type and Severity of Harm | Severity | Compensation Guideline Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple forms of severity harm with costs incurred | Financial effects could be lost income, medical bills and payments for professional care | Up to £250,000+ |
| General psychiatric damage | Severe; Person will experience various effects, such as impact on their relationships and an inability to cope with daily life | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| General psychiatric damage | Moderate; There will be some improvement by trial with a good prognosis | £7,150 to £23,270 |
| Facial disfigurement | Very severe scarring; Typically for claimants between their teenage years and their 30s who have experienced a very disfiguring cosmetic effect and psychological consequences | £36,340 to £118,790 |
| Facial disfigurement | Less severe scarring; Substantial disfigurement with a significant psychological impact | £21,920 to £59,090 |
| Facial disfigurement | Significant scarring; Plastic surgery will reduce the worst effects, leaving some cosmetic disability with no great psychological consequences | £11,129 to £36,720 |
| Facial disfigurement | Less significant scarring; There may be a number small scars or 1 scar which has an overall effect but does not markedly change their appearance | £4,820 to £16,770 |
| Facial disfigurement | Trivial scarring; The claimant will only experience minor effects | £2,080 to £4,310 |
| Damage to hair | (a); Claimant will experience depression, distress, confidence loss, and an inhibiting of their social life | £8,960 to £13,450 |
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Can Facelift Surgery Compensation Cover Special Damages?
Yes, facelift surgery compensation can cover special damages if the unnecessary harm you endured had a direct impact on you. Special damages vary from case to case, but can encompass:
- Medical expenses, ranging from private corrective surgery or laser treatments to medications
- Travel costs for getting to and from medical appointments
- A loss of income due to time taken off work, including future earnings
- Occupational therapy, if you need help with relearning tasks due to facial paralysis
- The cost of adjusting your home, such as installing a wet room. This may be necessary if you develop an infection that spreads to other parts of your body and restricts mobility
- Payments for a professional carer or support from loved ones, if you need assistance completing daily tasks
If you are looking to claim special damages, you should be aware that you must be able to prove your costs. You can use bank statements and receipts to do this.
You can speak with an advisor today to find out more about how a facelift compensation payout can reimburse you for your out-of-pocket expenses.
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What Evidence Will Support A Facelift Medical Negligence Claim?
Medical records, before-and-after photographs, and copies of correspondence are some examples of evidence that will support a facelift medical negligence claim. In this section, we outline the steps you can take to build a strong case and support your recovery journey.
Get The Help You Need
Your first priority should be your health, so it’s important to get the help you need if a negligent facelift has harmed you. That might involve consulting your GP or undergoing corrective surgery or laser treatment to address excessive scarring.
Not only will this support your recovery, but it will also document how the procedure has impacted you. You can later use a copy of your medical records as evidence for your cosmetic surgery claim.
Gather Your Evidence
All facelift surgery compensation claims require claimants to gather evidence in order to prove that medical negligence has occurred. In addition to your medical records, evidence can include:
- Photos of harm may show bruising, swelling and tightness of the skin
- Contact details of those who witnessed your negligent treatment. These can be passed to a solicitor, who can use the information to collect statements
- Copies of correspondence from the facility where you had the facelift (sometimes, claimants receive a letter to confirm that they were given negligent treatment)
Report The Incident
You can report the incident by using the complaints facility for the specific healthcare centre you visited, and this may also support your claim for facelift negligence. If you are unhappy with the report’s conclusion, you can escalate the issue to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Keep A Diary
If you keep a diary, you can maintain a written log of your treatment and how it has affected you over time. This can be useful when proving the impact you have suffered. You can record:
- Your experience of pain and any symptoms
- The time you had to take off work due to the harm
- The medical treatment that you underwent to address your issues
- Payments made for therapy, medication and travel for appointments
Consider The Time Limit
You will also need to consider the time limit, as a facelift compensation claim typically needs to be started within 3 years of the negligent procedure or the date on which you become aware of it. This time limit is due to the Limitation Act 1980.
There are exceptions when a claim involves a person who is either under the age of 18 or mentally incapacitated. Since they cannot claim for themselves, the time limit only begins if and when they regain mental capacity or reach the age of 18.
Seek Out A Solicitor’s Help
As you navigate your recovery and start thinking about the next steps, it may be time to seek out a solicitor’s help. Your first avenue will be to speak with an advisor, as they can assess your case and help you determine if you could begin the facelift surgery compensation claims process.
If you’re not sure where to start, why not get in touch with our enquiries team? They can explain what evidence is required and the steps you can take to strengthen your medical negligence claim.
How Legal Expert Can Help You Claim Compensation For A Facelift
Legal Expert can help you claim compensation for a facelift by offering tailored support that prioritises your well-being throughout, while building the strongest case possible. Our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis, specifically using a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). By signing a CFA, you will ensure that there is no need to pay for your solicitor’s work at the following stages:
- Before the facelift claim begins
- While the case is being assessed
- If facelift surgery compensation is not given
Should you be compensated, this will mean that you need to pay a success fee to your solicitor. This is a percentage of your compensation, but a legally enforced cap means the largest portion of it will remain with you.
You may find yourself asking, ‘How exactly can a solicitor help me?’ In addition to the advantages of the CFA they offered, our solicitors have a deep understanding of medical negligence claims and use this expertise to support clients from start to finish. They have already helped claimants get over £80 million in compensation, and one of our solicitors could secure a payout for you next.
Our solicitors recognise that support matters, and so they always take the time to listen and understand their clients’ needs. Their many services include:
- Explaining how to prove liability and where you can get your evidence
- Handling all communication with the defending party in a professional and expert manner
- Negotiating for a settlement that fully covers the harm you have suffered physically, mentally, and financially
- Help when applying for an interim payment (some claimants are eligible to receive an early payment before the case has been settled)
- Using their extensive knowledge of facelift surgery compensation claims to identify and obtain the evidence needed to strengthen a case
Contact Our No Win No Fee Solicitors
You can speak with one of our advisors today for straightforward advice on how to start the facelift surgery compensation claims and find out if you can be connected to one of our No Win No Fee solicitors.
Our advisors understand this is a difficult time and that this may be your first time seeking to make a claim. They have handled many enquiries of this nature, so they are happy to explain anything you are uncertain of without asking you to make any commitments. Get in touch today by:
- Contacting us online
- Using our live chat feature
- Calling on 0800 073 8804
Learn More
You can learn more about medical negligence claims involving cosmetic procedures in some of our other guides:
- Find out when liposuction negligence claims can be made
- Visit this guide on Botox injury claims
- Learn about surgical fat transfer negligence
External resources:
- Visit the NHS guide on getting cosmetic surgery abroad
- Read the NHS information on getting a facelift procedure
- Learn about facelifts and necklifts from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
Thank you for reading our guide on facelift surgery compensation claims.