Cosmetic surgery procedure numbers are increasing every year – the most popular surgery procedures are breast enhancements and tummy tucks. The cosmetic industry makes hundreds of millions of pounds every year and the annual figure continues to increase.
Legitimate cosmetic surgeons should talk through all cosmetic procedures thoroughly with their client, and inform them of any risks that could happen during surgery. If the risks aren’t clearly explained and something happens during surgery, the client has a right to claim compensation.
Negligence during cosmetic procedures can happen for of all sorts of reasons – some cases are genuine mistakes on the surgeon’s behalf and other cases of negligence may happen because the person doing the surgery is not properly qualified to perform such procedures.
Common cosmetic surgery complaints
Not being told full risks: the cosmetic surgeon should be completely honest with you regarding all risks of the procedure, and is legally required to let you go away and weigh up your options once you have been informed of the risks and side effects.
Scarring: In some cases, cosmetic surgery procedures will leave slight scarring, but if the scarring is abnormal or particularly bad, then you may be able to claim compensation.
Bad results: If the procedure was painful or did not turn out as expected, then you have a cosmetic surgery compensation claim case.
It’s important to remember a good cosmetic surgeon will always tell you the risks involved in surgery and will give you time to make a decision without forcing you into any agreement. Your surgeon should also be fully-qualified (although prior to April 2002 training was not a legal requirement).
A lot of people who experience cosmetic surgery negligence don’t always know they have because they think whatever complication occurred was a risk – not all complications are risks so you should be sure to speak to an expert negligence lawyer find out whether you are entitled to some sort of compensation.
Because the cosmetic industry is so popular there are more and more clinics popping up – especially those who offer non-licensed procedures like Botox (fillers injected under the skin). You don’t need license to use fillers so anyone is free to conduct the procedure of Botox and other such injections into the skin. Although most cosmetic surgeons are reputable and want to make sure you are happy with your treatment, there are a few who use aggressive marketing techniques to make more money out of people and may not carry out procedures with the precision of a professional cosmetic surgeon.
If you think you’ve experienced negligence during surgery you should firstly consult your surgeon, usually if you have a fair case the surgeon will offer you a fee or corrective surgeon with another surgeon, but if this doesn’t help you should consult another surgeon for advice and proceed to see a lawyer experienced in clinical negligence.
If your claim is successful, there are two types of compensation you might be entitled to. Second award is for actual financial losses – this will include compensation if you couldn’t work and any money that you need to reclaim as a result of your injury. The aim of the second part of this reward is put you back in a financially stable condition, as though your injury hadn’t occurred.