I was injured in a road traffic accident last year. My friend was driving too fast and he crashed the car when he failed to take a sharp bend on the road. I was not seriously injured but I have been left with a noticeable scar on my forehead. My friend recently remarked that I may be entitled to compensation. Is this true, I have no other side effects from the accident? Please advise me.
It is not uncommon for a person who suffers an injury in a road traffic accident or otherwise to be left with scar tissue which forms after the injury heals. If the scar is the result of an injury received due to the negligence of another, you should be entitled to compensation.
Such scar injury cases are often complicated. Beyond the physical pain of corrective surgeries, a scar victim can also suffer emotional and mental trauma from the change in their appearance caused by a disfiguring scar. When considering the implications of a scar injury, the age of the scar victim, the severity of the scar, the permanency of the scar and the number of corrective surgeries needed must be kept in mind.
Expert medical advice from plastic surgeons and other medical practitioners is essential. The costs of any specialist medical treatment required, together with other out-of-pocket expenses, will form part of the compensation claim.
Strict time limits apply so you should immediately contact your solicitor who will offer you the best legal advice as regards bringing a claim for compensation on your behalf. Byrne Carolan Cunningham Solicitors are Members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
This column is prepared by Dolores Gacquin, solicitor. Byrne Carolan Cunningham has offices in Galway, Athlone, Moate, and Lanesboro. A person should always contact their solicitor to obtain legal advice specific to their own situation. This above column contains general advice and cannot be relied upon as legal advice. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.
Call Byrne Carolan Cunningham on (090 ) 6478433.
