Seattle Facial Injury Attorneys

Common Types of Facial Injuries

Facial nerve injuries are among the most serious type of injuries we see from accident victims. Facial trauma can lead to permanent cosmetic scarring and disfigurement requiring multiple facial reconstruction surgeries, plastic surgeries, scar revision treatments or facial prosthetics. 

Many victims have a lasting or permanent change in their appearance and such injuries can also permanently impact vision and speech.

The most common types of face injuries include: 

• Broken nose
• Broken bones around the eye
• Fractured skull
• Fractured jaw
• Broken cheek bone
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Scars
• Road rash
• Cuts, lacerations and other marks on the face

The proper treatment of facial injuries is critical. Victims need to have excellent emergency care, acute treatment, long-term reconstruction, rehabilitation care, or custom prosthetics.

It is important to find otolaryngologists and/or plastic surgeons who are well-trained oral and maxillofacial surgery and are proficient at diagnosing and treating all types of facial lacerations. These kinds of care can be very expensive.

Depending on the severity of the injuries, you may need surgery, stitches, follow up surgeries, reconstructive procedures, scar reduction, and skin grafts. Extreme face injuries and disfigurement require pins or plates to be inserted to stabilize the facial bones.

Causes of Facial Injuries

If you are living with injuries to your face from an accident, you need legal help. There are many ways in which your facial injuries may have occurred, including: 

• Motor vehicle accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Dog bite attack
• Burn injury
• Bicycle accident
• Sports injury
• Sip and fall

Facial Injuries from a Dog Bite

When a dog attacks, one of the most commonly injured areas is the face and neck area. These are some of the most vulnerable parts of the body, and these are usually the most traumatic injuries in a dog bite attack. 

Dogs often target the face, an area that is susceptible to scarring and disfigurement. This part of the body is obviously the most visible to others, making it arguably the most physically and emotionally devastating injuries someone can suffer in a dog attack

On top of the physical pain, dog bite victims with facial injuries are often left with a daily reminder of the attack. The emotional pain comes back every time a victim looks in the mirror or makes eye contact with someone in public. The plastic surgery and resulting scars act as a lifelong reminder of the attack.

Psychological Impact of Facial Trauma

Injuries to the face, by their very nature, impart a high degree of emotional trauma, and affect a person’s general self-assurance and the ability to self-confidently socialize. Victims of facial trauma often require psychological treatment as well as physical treatment for their injuries.

The psychological effect of a facial injury may be short-term or long-term, depending on the circumstances of the case and the victim’s personality. 

Common warning signs of psychological trauma after a face injury include: 

• Mood swings. A victim with a facial injury may become depressed and generally feel anxious, angry, irritable, etc. 
• Social avoidance. Because of the facial injury, victims may withdraw from social situations, even friends and family. 
• Lack of focus. A common psychological effect of a facial injury is a feeling of numbness and a general lack of motivation. 
• Drug abuse. All traumatic experiences and the resulting treatment can cause a victim to abuse drugs and alcohol. Painful facial injuries may trigger a victim to abuse painkillers. 

Damages Recoverable for Facial Injuries

Your personal injury attorney should be aware of all the potential damages recoverable in facial injury case. While some may be obvious — medical bills, rehab, etc. — others aren’t. Only an experienced attorney can maximize your claim and put the most money back in your pocket.

Damages in a facial injury case may include:

• Medical Expenses
• Lost Wages/Earning Capacity
• Loss of Essential Services
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of Affection/Consortium/Quality of Life
• Property Damage
• Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Legal Help for Facial Trauma Victims

Victims of these serious facial trauma injuries almost always need the assistance of an attorney to ensure that they get the fair financial compensation that help can pay for the kind of specialized medical treatment that they require. 

Davis Law Group has a great deal of experience working with injury victims who suffer from major facial injuries and disfigurement. We have a special relationship with our clients who have suffered facial disfigurement because we know and understand how to offer legal assistance in a way that is also sensitive to the special psychological needs of facial injury victims.

If you or a loved one suffers from facial trauma, maxillofacial disfigurement and scars due to an injury accident in Seattle or anywhere in Washington state, contact Davis Law Group at (206) 727-4000 for a free legal consultation.