Clinical Negligence Lawyers for Cosmetic Surgery
Seeking compensation in a cosmetic surgery claim is not something most people are thinking about when placing their trust in a cosmetic surgeon.
Patients seeking cosmetic surgery usually go into it with an excited and positive attitude, expecting to feel better afterwards. They expect that their chosen procedure will bring about some improvement in their appearance and possibly will boost confidence.
Bringing a cosmetic surgery compensation claim
However, if surgery goes wrong and you haven’t got the outcome you expected, then this can be very confusing. If this has happened to you, or a loved one, It can also cause feelings of anger, but also intense embarrassment. Some patients will hide away, rather than seeking advice about the way forward, to try and put things right, practically and financially.
Quite apart from the emotional fallout, you may feel that you have thrown your money away, after saving up for a long time. Clearly, this isn’t fair at all.
Our friendly team at Medical Solicitors can help you, or your loved one, to get:
- Answers about why your cosmetic surgery went wrong
- A refund for the monies you paid
- Compensation for additional costs associated with future treatment required to put matters right
- Compensation for other things, such as psychological upset, scarring, reasonable financial losses. This can include lost earnings, loss of your job, being at a disadvantage on the employment market in the future, additional travel expenses, costs of care from family and friends, etc.
In fact, you can claim for any reasonable loss in your cosmetic surgery claim that is proven as caused by the negligent care.
It is essential that you consult a specialist firm of Medical Solicitors, not just any law firm. This is a highly specialist area. At Medical Solicitors, we maintain a register of skilled and knowledgeable medico-legal experts. Instruction of the right expert can make or break a compensation claim.
Cosmetic Surgery on the NHS
Of course, all surgery has risks. It is a good idea to speak to your GP about cosmetic surgery as a starting point.
Occasionally, you can have NHS treatment, for example, where large breasts are causing neck or back pain. There has to be a significant physical, or psychological, reason to justify NHS funds being spent on cosmetic work.
If you do see your GP to support you in applying to the NHS for such treatment, you should be prepared for a long wait for the following reasons:
- Your GP may wish to see you regularly over a period of months, before being satisfied that your condition justifies referral on the NHS
- Your GP may wish you to have a psychological assessment before cosmetic surgery
- The Clinical Commissioning Group may have to be contacted to approve the NHS funding
- NHS waiting lists for surgery may be long
For such reasons, most people choose to seek private cosmetic treatment
Advice from your Cosmetic Surgeon
Your cosmetic surgeon should take the time to carefully manage your expectations, to ensure you are realistic about what can be achieved. The surgeon should also advise you about the risks associated with the proposed treatment. Failure to advise of a risk that later does happen can entitle you to compensation in some cases. Your surgeon is under a duty to consider the options available to you, to advise you of the options, risks and benefits of options, so you can make a fully informed choice about how you wish to proceed. They should also consider whether or not a patient needs to be referred for psychological assessment before operating.
Your cosmetic surgeon should take the time to carefully manage your expectations, to ensure you are realistic about what can be achieved. The surgeon should also advise you about the risks associated with the proposed treatment. Failure to advise of a risk that later does happen can entitle you to compensation in some cases. Your surgeon is under a duty to consider the options available to you, to advise you of the options, risks and benefits of options, so you can make a fully informed choice about how you wish to proceed.
Your surgeon is under a duty to consider the options available to you, to advise you of the options, as well as risks and benefits of such options. You can then make a fully informed choice about how you wish to proceed.
Is your Surgeon Registered?
Complaining about your cosmetic surgery
It is worthwhile putting your complaint in writing. We will happily check your draft complaint letter free of charge before you send it off. The surgeon, or clinic, may offer you further treatment, at no extra cost, to put things right. This may be all that is needed to resolve matters.
If you want to complain, please see our detailed advice via the ink below:
