Compensation for Facial Injuries in Lawton, OK
Facial injuries occupy a special place in personal injury law. The face is how we present ourselves to the world. Damage to the face extends into identity, relationships, work, and self-perception. A Lawton facial injury attorney builds cases around the unique multi-dimensional damages.
What Makes Facial Injuries Distinctive
The Face Is Anatomically Complex
The face is one of the most anatomically complex areas of the body.
In a small area, the face contains:
- Complex bone structure
- Tissues with abundant blood supply
- Sensory structures
- The mouth and dental structures
- Major facial nerves
- Facial glands
- Visible skin
Healing Properties of Facial Tissue
Facial tissue heals differently than other tissue. The face has excellent blood supply that promotes healing but also creates scarring patterns that may not occur elsewhere.
Visibility and Permanence
Facial scarring is permanently visible. Visibility means lasting impact.
Identity and Self-Perception
People identify themselves with their face. Facial damage affects self-perception.
Categories of Facial Injuries
Facial Fractures
Broken facial bones.
Orbital Fractures
Fractures of the bones surrounding the eye. Affect eye position and vision.
Nasal Fractures
Fractures of the nose are the most common facial fractures. Create functional and aesthetic issues.
Zygomatic Fractures
Fractures of the zygoma affect facial structure.
Maxillary Fractures
Fractures of the upper jaw. Major mid-face fractures involve significant trauma.
Mandibular Fractures
Mandible fractures impact multiple functions.
Frontal Bone Fractures
Skull frontal fractures may indicate brain trauma.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Cuts are common facial injuries. Minor cuts may produce permanent scarring.
Eye Injuries
Eye trauma can produce partial or total blindness. Penetrating eye injuries sometimes require eye removal.
Dental and Mouth Injuries
Dental trauma, tooth fractures, and damage to the gums, lips, or oral structures frequently accompany facial trauma.
Nerve Damage
Cranial nerve injuries can cause altered facial function. Lasting nerve damage causes significant lifelong impact.
Burns and Scarring
Thermal injuries to facial tissue cause significant scarring.
Skull Fractures
Though distinct from facial fractures, skull fractures often accompany facial injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Facial impacts can cause TBI, as the head accelerates with the facial impact.
Common Causes of Facial Injuries
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car, truck, and motorcycle crashes produce many facial injury claims. Steering wheel impacts all cause distinctive facial injury patterns.
Falls
Fall accidents cause facial trauma. Trip-and-falls often cause specific facial injuries.
Workplace Accidents
Construction site accidents can cause facial injuries from falling objects, equipment failures, or other workplace hazards.
Assault and Violence
Intentional injuries can cause deliberate facial trauma.
Dog Bites
Bite injuries to facial areas, particularly for children. Pediatric dog bite cases involving the face often involve catastrophic injuries and lifelong scarring.
Sports and Recreation Injuries
Sports activities can produce sports-related facial trauma.
Medical Negligence
Surgical complications can cause facial injury.
Defective Products
Product malfunctions can cause product-related facial trauma.
The Damages Picture for Facial Injuries
Facial injuries can produce damages that other injuries don’t.
Medical and Surgical Costs
Facial injuries often require multiple specialists and surgeries:
- Initial emergency care
- Facial reconstruction
- Plastic surgery for cosmetic restoration
- Maxillofacial reconstruction
- Prosthodontic treatment
- Visual rehabilitation
- ENT specialist care
- Neurological specialist care
Future Medical Care
Facial injuries often require multiple revision surgeries. Long-term reconstructive care frequently extend over decades.
Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Capacity
Many careers depend on facial appearance. Professions where appearance matters may be substantially impacted.
Pain and Suffering
Facial injuries cause significant pain and suffering.
Disfigurement Damages
Disfigurement damages are particularly significant for facial injuries.
Permanent facial scarring or disfigurement reaches far beyond the physical injury.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
These injuries change basic life experiences.
Mental Health Damages
Mental health damages are common with facial injuries. Mental health consequences frequently develop.
Loss of Consortium
Facial injuries can profoundly affect intimate relationships.
Punitive Damages
Where the underlying conduct was particularly egregious, punitive damages may be available.
Special Considerations for Children
Facial injuries to children require careful damages analysis.
Growing facial structures impacts continuing facial development. Treatment must accommodate growth.
Decades of continuing care are common.
Pediatric psychological consequences affect identity formation.
How Damages Get Quantified
Medical and Reconstructive Surgeon Testimony
Treating providers document the full scope of treatment.
Plastic Surgery Cost Projections
Detailed projections of future plastic and reconstructive surgery establish future medical damages.
Vocational Expert Testimony
Vocational assessment establish the impact on earning capacity.
Mental Health Professional Testimony
Mental health experts document the psychological impact.
Before-and-After Photography
Photographs showing before and after provides compelling damages evidence.
Day-in-the-Life Documentation
Real-world impact documentation illustrates ongoing impact.
Common Insurance Defenses
“The Injury Wasn’t That Severe”
Severity challenges.
“Pre-Existing Conditions”
Past facial damage come up in defense arguments. Aggravation is compensable.
“Cosmetic, Not Functional”
“It’s just cosmetic”. Disfigurement creates real damages.
“Reasonable Care Was Provided”
“Treatment was reasonable”.
“Comparative Fault”
Comparative negligence.
Critical Steps After a Facial Injury
Get Immediate Specialist Care
Facial injuries require specialist medical care. Acute facial trauma often requires plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, or other specialist consultation.
Photograph the Injuries Throughout Treatment
Document injuries from the time of injury through all stages of healing build the visible damages case.
Photograph Before-Accident Appearance
Photos from before the injury provide before-and-after comparison.
Track All Symptoms and Functional Limitations
Track functional impact, pain, and limitations.
Track Mental Health Impact
Document psychological symptoms.
Identify Witnesses
Independent observers.
Get Medical Records Quickly
All medical documentation provide essential evidence.
Don’t Accept Early Insurance Settlement Offers
Insurance companies often offer quick settlements. These offers typically substantially undervalue facial injury cases. The full scope of facial injury damages often isn’t apparent until significant time has passed.
Attorney Costs
Lawyers experienced with facial injury claims charge no upfront fees. Expert costs run high advanced by the firm.
Move Quickly
Facial injury cases benefit from prompt legal involvement. Real-time injury documentation provides better evidence. OK’s statute of limitations continues running. Getting an attorney involved promptly ensures comprehensive documentation.