When you meet someone new, you look at their face to identify and remember them. People can recognize a familiar face from across a room. Your face is your calling card. So what happens when you suffer facial injuries in a car crash, slip and fall, or other type of accident?
Facial injuries can have a massive impact on your life. Don’t put your future in the hands of the insurance companies. Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900 to discuss your injuries with our team of personal injury attorneys.
Why You Need a Lawyer for a Facial Injury Claim in Chicago
We’ve all seen insurance company commercials. They’re friendly, dedicated to their members’ best interests, and committed to doing the right thing—right? All the upbeat, heartwarming commercials in the world don’t change the fact that insurance companies are in the business of protecting their bottom line. If paying you a lower settlement will boost their profits and make shareholders happy, you can bet that they will do whatever it takes to pay you a lower settlement.
Facial injuries can be incredibly expensive. After your initial check-ups and treatments, you may need ongoing care to repair scarring or restore the appearance of your face to its prior state. Depending on your career path, facial injuries could damage your job prospects and limit your earning potential. Facial injuries have a ripple effect on different areas of your life, and if someone else is responsible for your injuries, you deserve to be fairly compensated by them.
The person who caused your injuries has their insurance company advocating for them and mitigating their losses—you need the same. Working with an attorney gives you a chance to have your injuries properly assessed for financial value and go to the insurance company with a fair number. Your attorney will handle negotiations and fight for your right to get compensation for your losses. Without an attorney, you run the risk of getting a paltry settlement that doesn’t even cover your medical bills, much less your lost income, pain and suffering, and mental trauma.
Causes of Facial Injuries
Facial injuries are common in a wide range of accidents. You may suffer facial injuries as a result of:
Types of Facial Injuries
The variety of structures on the face mean that injuries are often multifaceted, affecting more than one structure. This can make treatment complicated and expensive. Different injuries include:
Bone breaks and injuries
The face has 14 bones, many of which are extremely small and difficult to set. Bone breaks can alter the structure of the face.
Joint injuries
Facial joints primarily control the opening and closing of the mouth, which can cause issues with eating, speaking, drinking, and living pain-free.
Skin and other soft tissue injuries
Skin damage is almost inevitable in every face injury. Facial skin is considerably thinner and more delicate than body skin, leaving it prone to scarring and permanent damage. Burns, abrasions, cuts, and bruising can all harm the skin.
Oral injuries
The force of accidents can cause damage to the teeth. Dental care is often extremely expensive, especially when extensive repair work is necessary. Furthermore, serious dental injuries may require implants, dentures, and lifelong care.
Seeking Compensation for Face Injuries
If you’ve never been involved in an accident before, you may wonder if you are entitled to compensation. There are many factors to consider, which is why it’s important to discuss your case with an attorney. They can look at the details of your case, determine whether or not you have a valid claim against the other party, and help you pursue legal action.
To seek compensation from another party, you must be able to prove the following elements:
- The other person had a duty of care to you (for example, other drivers on the road have an obligation to protect others by driving safely and pet owners have a duty to keep their pets leashed and in control)
- The other person failed to fulfill that obligation
- That failure led to the accident that caused your injuries
- Your injuries have caused you measurable damage or loss
This lays the groundwork for a personal injury claim. From there, you’ll need evidence to demonstrate the extent of your losses. Your attorney may gather evidence like medical bills, accident photos, photos of your injuries, medical reports, and input from expert witnesses. As a victim, you may be able to recover money for:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Surgical care and at-home care
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental trauma
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Lost future income
A lot goes into calculating damages in each of these categories, which is why you should schedule a consultation as soon as possible after your accident. We can help you determine how much your injury is worth and fight for a fair settlement from the insurance company.
Turn to Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. After Your Face Accident
A facial injury can cause immeasurable pain, shame, and embarrassment. You don’t need to handle this challenging period of your life alone. Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. is here for you. Schedule your consultation now by calling us at (312) 236-2900 or getting in touch online.
