Claiming Compensation for Cosmetic surgery and Plastic surgery compensation claims

If you have suffered as a result of negligent cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery, you may be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim.

• Information about cosmetic surgery claims
• How much can I claim?
• What can I claim compensation for?
• Making a claim for compensation

Cosmetic surgery is a growing area in the UK but unfortunately some of the medical staff conducting these procedures are under-qualified and do not have the necessary specialist skills to carry out the operations safely.

Surgeons specialising in cosmetic surgery must register with the GMC specialist register if starting up after 2002, and many already in practice have registered as well. But a report by the Chief Medical Officer in 2005 found that surgeons who only did cosmetic surgery were the least likely to have registered as specialists.  Every year there are victims of less careful colleagues and of clinics run by less scrupulous businessmen who cut corners on nursing staff and aftercare.

Common types of cosmetic surgery that can have a risk of adverse outcomes include:

• Breast implants
• Breast reduction
• Facelift
• Eye laser surgery
• Liposuction
• Tummy tuck
• Rhinoplasty
• Otoplasty
• Mentoplasty
• Chin tucks
• Hair replacement
• Breast uplifting
• Chemical peels

Some of the common areas of negligence within the cosmetic and plastic surgery fields include:

• Unexpected scarring following operations – this can include facelifts, breast implants and uplifts, breast reduction and liposuction
• Mismatched or lopsided breast implants, breast reduction or uplifts
• Injury to the accessory nerve after a face lift operation
• Wound infections following surgery
• Problems with eye sight following laser eye surgery

As many cosmetic surgery operations are conducted on a private fee paying basis (rather than through the NHS) you can sue on a breach of contract basis if you have received negligent care. You can also get help to pursue a claim if your operation was carried out by the NHS.

Compensation claims can be pursued following any type of surgery where someone can be shown to have been negligent. A specialist medical negligence solicitor will assess your situation and tell you if you have a valid claim.

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How much can I claim?

A number of factors will determine the value of your settlement:

• The type of injury and how severe the injury is
• Did you recover fully from the injury or do you have ongoing problems
• What are the long term effects on your health
• Did the injury cause you other losses such as loss of earnings

What can I claim compensation for?

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of earnings
• The loss of comfort/convenience/quality of life caused by your injury
• Medical care costs
• Costs involved in adapting your home to meet your new requirements as a result of your injury
• Other out of pocket expenses incurred whilst receiving medical treatment, such as travel expenses

Making a claim for compensation

A specialist medical negligence solicitor can assess your case and inform you about:

• How strong your case is
• The likelyhood of making a successful claim
• The amount of compensation you may receive if your claim is successful
• Pursue a claim on your behalf