If you’ve had facelift surgery and something went wrong because the cosmetic surgeon was negligent, you may be able to claim compensation for your suffering. Any settlement could pay for remedial treatment and could also cover any mental trauma or expenses caused by the botched facelift. In this article on facelift compensation claims, we’ll demonstrate when you might be entitled to begin a claim, how the process works and the amount of compensation that might be awarded.

Our advisors can assess whether you might be compensated during a free initial consultation. When you call, they’ll review everything with you and explain your legal options. If you decide to proceed with a claim and we believe it’s viable, we’ll connect you with a medical negligence lawyer on our panel. They will make your claim a lot less stressful by operating on a No Win, No Fee basis if they agree to represent you. That means you won’t be asked to pay any legal fees unless your facelift compensation claim is successful.

Please call us today on 0800 652 1345 to talk to a specialist about your claim. Alternatively, you’ll find more information on claiming compensation for a substandard facelift below.

What is a facelift?

Also known as a rhytidectomy, a facelift is a surgical procedure to raise and pull back the skin so that the face becomes smoother and tighter. Most facelift procedures are performed for purely cosmetic reasons. They can be carried out to smooth folds in the cheeks and jawline.

During a facelift, flaps on either side of the face are pulled back. The tissues below the skin are manipulated and any excess skin is removed. Many people have a neck lift at the same time as a facelift to remove skin folds in the neck.

Can I claim compensation for a facelift gone wrong?

It’s important to note that a facelift is a surgical procedure and, as such, comes with some associated risks. The reality is that if your surgeon didn’t do anything wrong, you won’t be able to claim compensation even if you’re unhappy with the outcome. Before one of our a solicitor will take on your claim, they will check if:

• Your surgeon acted negligently during your facelift procedure. This means that the standard of treatment fell below what could be reasonably expected of a qualified cosmetic surgeon; and
• You have suffered as a direct consequence of the surgeon’s negligence. This is referred to as causation.

As a solicitor doesn’t usually hold medical qualifications, they’ll ask medical experts to assess whether your surgeon was negligent. They’ll review what happened before, during and after your facelift to see if they’d have done things differently. If they concur that the surgeon was negligent, it may be possible for your claim to proceed.

What is a cosmetic surgeon’s duty of care?

In most facelift compensation claims, the surgery will have been performed by a private clinic rather than the NHS. That doesn’t mean the surgeon doesn’t owe you a duty of care though.

All medical professionals must be fully qualified and the clinic must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). During your treatment, the surgeon must have your best interests in mind at all times and make sure the quality of your treatment meets professional standards.

If a medical professional’s actions (or lack of actions) fall below those standards, they may be deemed to have been negligent and a compensation claim might be possible for any suffering that results.

Can I claim compensation for a botched facelift if I signed a waiver?

As part of any cosmetic procedure, you may have signed a waiver or consent form as part of your consultation. However, this does not stop you from claiming compensation for a botched facelift if something went wrong because the surgeon was negligent.

A consent form simply shows what treatment you were going to receive and that you have been advised of the risks. It does not stop a cosmetic surgeon from being sued if their negligent actions have caused you to suffer.

Please contact our advisors with a copy of your waiver and they’ll check your options for free.

Risks associated with cosmetic facelift surgery

In this section, we’ll look at some of the potential problems that can occur following a facelift. Compensation claims may be possible if the problem was caused by a medical professional’s negligence. The examples include:

• Facial asymmetry. If the skin is not even pulled back, it may become lopsided. It is also possible for the ears to be asymmetrical too.
• Hematoma. Here a collection of blood pools beneath the skin that will cause pressure and swelling. Prompt surgery may be necessary to prevent tissue or skin damage.
• Nerve damage. Although rare, nerve injuries sustained during a facelift can cause temporary (up to a year in some cases) or permanent loss of sensation. Nerve damage can also lead to asymmetrical facial expressions until resolved.
• Permanent scarring. The scars caused by incisions into the face will be permanent scars but should usually be hidden behind the hairline or the ears.
• Overtightend skin. This can occur when too much skin is removed and can lead to a lot of physical pain.
• Necrosis. This is where the skin loses colour if there is an infection or a lack of circulation.
• Infections. These are possible but should be managed by proper aftercare procedures.

If you have suffered following a cosmetic facelift procedure, please get in touch and let us review your claim for free.

Negligence leading to facelift compensation claims

As explained earlier, you can only claim compensation for a botched facelift procedure if your injuries were caused by medical negligence. Some examples of negligence that might lead to a claim include:

• The use of unrecognised procedures during your facelift procedure.
• If your facelift was carried out with the wrong surgical implements.
• Where the risks of the procedure were not discussed with you before treatment.
• If your medical history was not properly considered before surgery.
• If alternative treatments were not considered as part of your consultation.
• Where poor hygiene standards led to infections after your surgery.
• If the aftercare procedures were not explained to you properly and caused infections or other forms of suffering.
• Where you were promised an outcome that could not possibly be achieved by a cosmetic facelift procedure.

If you believe you have been treated negligently before, during or after facelift surgery and believe you’ve suffered as a result, please contact us for a free review of your claim.

How much compensation for a facelift gone wrong?

A compensation claim for a botched facelift must be fully justified and be linked to how you’ve suffered physically, mentally and financially.

We strongly believe that you’ll receive a higher amount of compensation if you are represented by a professional medical negligence lawyer. If your claim is handled by one on our panel, they may be able to secure compensation to cover:

• The cost of restorative surgery at a private hospital or clinic.
• The physical pain you endured following your facelift.
• Embarrassment, distress, depression or any other psychiatric harm.
• The time somebody else spent caring for you while you were injured.
• Any negative effect your injuries had on your normal activities (social life, hobbies etc).
• Loss of income if you needed time off work to recover.
• Future lost earnings for longer-term suffering.
• Travel costs linked to your claim or remedial treatment.

The element of your claim that’s linked to your physical or mental suffering is called general damages. The amount awarded is based purely on the severity of that suffering. As such, an independent medical professional will meet with you as part of the claims process and examine you. They’ll also review your medical records and discuss how your injuries have affected you before preparing a report to outline your prognosis.

Providing proof for a facelift compensation claim

If you suffer following a facelift procedure, there are some steps that could a) help you to recover sooner and b) provide proof if you do decide to make a cosmetic surgery claim. They include:

• Seek medical treatment for your injuries. Once your injuries have been assessed and treated, your medical records could be obtained to prove how you’ve suffered.
• Take photographs. It’s important to try and provide some before and after photographs to show what’s happened. You should continue taking photos of your face throughout your recovery.
• Write down what happened. Try to keep a record of names, what was said and the dates that events occurred.
• Collect any correspondence you’ve received. This could include information about your facelift surgery, consent forms and responses to any complaint you may have made.
• Provide witness details. Your solicitor may ask your family members or friend to provide a statement about how you’ve suffered. Additionally, anybody else who was present during your consultation may be asked to confirm what was said.
• Keep financial records. You should keep a record of any costs incurred as a result of your injuries.

Finally, please contact our team to discuss whether you’re entitled to make a facelift compensation claim. Our advice is free no matter what you decide to do.

Facelift compensation claim time limits

In the UK, there is a 3-year time limit for facelift compensation claims. This either begins on the date of your facelift or from when you realised there was a problem (your date of knowledge).

In our experience, it’s easier to gather proof and show how you’ve suffered if you begin the claims process sooner rather than later. Additionally, if you’re still suffering, your solicitor could seek an interim payment to pay for private medical treatment to help you recover more quickly.

The time taken to process your claim will depend on whether liability is accepted and if you’ve fully recovered. As such, straightforward claims may be settled in around 9 months or so whereas more complex claims can take more than a year.

No Win, No Fee claims

It can be quite offputting to think about paying for a solicitor to take on a facelift claim. However, if you decide to work with us, you won’t need to be too concerned about that so much. That’s because our panel of medical negligence solicitors offer a No Win, No Fee service for each claim that they agree to work on.

If your claim is taken on, your solicitor will:

• Review your claim with you in detail.
• Contact the defendant to inform them of your claim.
• Collect proof and medical reports to support the claim.
• Handle all communication with the defendant so you won’t have to handle any complex medical or legal questions.
• Advise you of your options if a settlement amount is offered and try to secure a higher amount if it is deemed to be too low.

You will only pay your solicitor for their work if your facelift claim is won. If that happens, a success fee will be deducted from your settlement amount.

Please call today to see if you could claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Start a facelift compensation claim today

We hope that this guide has helped and you now know what you’d like to do next. If you’ve decided to claim compensation following negligent facelift surgery, please call us on 0800 652 1345 today.

During your call, a specialist will review your claim with you and offer advice on your options. If the claim has a reasonable chance of success, we’ll connect you with a solicitor on our panel. They’ll represent you on a No Win, No Fee basis if your claim is taken on meaning legal fees are only payable if compensation is awarded.

Please connect to our live chat service if you have any further queries about a facelift compensation claim.