Austin Facial Disfigurement and Scarring Lawyer

Facial injuries are different from almost any other kind of accident injury — the physical damage heals on its own timeline, but a visible scar or lasting disfigurement can affect how someone is seen and treated for the rest of their life. If you or a loved one suffered facial disfigurement or scarring in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, an experienced Austin injury lawyer can help you pursue the full compensation the injury actually costs.

How Car Accidents Cause Facial Injuries

Airbags deploy with tremendous force and can themselves cause facial injuries and burns. Windshields are designed to crack rather than shatter into loose shards, but side and rear windows aren’t shatter-resistant, and flying glass from any window is a common cause of facial lacerations and scarring. Anything loose in the cabin — a phone, a travel mug, an unsecured object in the back seat — becomes a projectile in a serious crash and can strike the face directly.

Seek medical attention immediately for any facial injury. A doctor will assess the wound and close it, typically with stitches, to give the skin the best chance to heal with minimal scarring. If a visible scar develops, a consultation with a plastic surgeon about reconstructive options is worth pursuing — and the cost of that treatment belongs in your claim.

Common Causes of Facial Disfigurement

Lacerations

Deep cuts from broken glass are common in head-on and rear-end collisions alike. Intruding metal — from a crumpled dashboard, door, or frame — can also cut the face if the force of the crash pushes it into the cabin.

Fractures

The face is made up of multiple bones that can fracture under the force of a crash, especially if airbags don’t deploy (common in some rear-end collisions) and the face strikes the steering wheel or dashboard directly. Facial bones don’t always fuse back together perfectly even with treatment, which can leave a victim with lasting disfigurement. If you’ve suffered a facial fracture, an experienced bone fracture attorney can help.

Eye Injuries

Flying debris can strike the eyes directly, sometimes causing partial or total vision loss along with visible disfigurement. Light sensitivity, blurry vision, or nausea after a crash can also signal a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion rather than an eye injury specifically — mention both possibilities to your doctor. If you’ve lost vision or suffered eye trauma in a crash, talk to an eye injury attorney.

Burns

A car fire, or the force of a deploying airbag itself, can burn the face or arms severely enough to cause permanent scarring. Burn severity is classified in degrees — first-degree burns affect only the outer skin layer, second-degree burns cause blistering, third-degree burns extend through the full thickness of the skin, and fourth-degree burns reach muscle and bone. Deeper burns typically require skin grafting and carry a much higher risk of permanent scarring. If you suffered a burn from someone else’s negligence, our burn injury lawyer page covers what compensation should account for.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the face can be damaged in a crash, and a cut to a facial muscle specifically can leave a victim with impaired facial function — not just a scar, but a lasting change in how the face moves or expresses emotion. These deformities may be permanent or may improve with reconstructive surgery.

What Compensation Should Cover

A facial disfigurement claim should account for more than medical bills: reconstructive and plastic surgery, current and future; the psychological toll of a permanent change in appearance; and the very real, documented impact disfigurement can have on someone’s social life and career prospects. Facial injuries are exactly the kind of case where an insurer will try to minimize the “cosmetic” aspect of the claim — don’t let them.

If you have facial disfigurement or scars from an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact The Traub Law Office. Complete the form on this page or call us, and we’ll get back to you right away. Call (512) 246-9191 or fill in the form to contact us.