Claiming For Plastic Surgery Compensation

By Ayesha Salim

Thousands of people every year go under the knife for various reasons. Their reasons may be personal to them, however one thing is clear. Plastic surgery can be a very personal and intrusive and patients should expect nothing less than the highest standard of care. However, the plastic surgery industry is quite unregulated and mistakes have been known to occur. It is only in recent years that the National Care Standards Commission has introduced regulations. Under this scheme, the clinics and surgeons are under the responsibility to 'ensure the safety and well-being of individuals having treatment'. Therefore, all the doctors registering after April 1st 2002 cannot perform plastic surgery without first completing specialist surgical training. However, it should be borne in mind that this only applies to doctors registering after this date, not before.

On most occasions the surgery is carried out by a qualified surgeon, however in a few rare instances this is not the case. If you feel you have been in this situation and would like help, we should be able to assist you.

Your case for compensation

If you have suffered significant scars or injuries as a result of the surgery, you will be entitled to make a compensation claim. It is natural to be feeling shaken, however you should be aware that it is your right to claim as every plastic surgeon owes a duty of care to their patient. The duty of care is owed both during and after the operation. You should be able to feel relaxed under the assurance that your surgeon will look after you and that your operation will be performed under the correct protocol.

If you went under the knife and suffered significant injuries or scars as a direct result from the surgery, then it is very possible that your plastic surgeon breached their duty of care towards you and has been negligent.

Before you decide to undergo plastic surgery, you should bear in mind some crucial points. A proper plastic surgeon will always:

Be qualified

Inform you properly of the procedure and the personal benefits to you

Inform you of all the risks involved in the procedure

Give you the option to consider alternatives

Give you the opportunity to think about your options

Unfortunately you may have suffered at the hands of a plastic surgeon that used the wrong instruments to perform the surgery, or made other catastrophic errors that resulted in you being scarred not only physically but also psychologically. In these circumstances it is your personal right to be able to make a plastic surgery compensation claim.

There are a number of things that can go wrong in plastic surgeries, however some of the more common complaints include the following:

Lack of necessary information regarding the risks involved in the procedure

Nerve damage during a facelift

Extensive scarring during a procedure such as liposuction

Unanticipated scarring on the face during a facelift procedure

The types of mistakes outlined above are only some of the types of claims that are usually made. However, it is these types of serious errors that lead to successful plastic surgery compensation claims.

Our clinical negligence specialist solicitors have dealt with many patients that have been physically and emotionally scarred at the hands of their plastic surgeons. We understand that your self-confidence will have been affected by this traumatising experience. Our specialist advisers will seek to understand your individual situation, and will always treat your case with great sympathy and compassion. - 31397

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