Scarring and disfigurement that occur during an accident leave visible reminders and can affect every part of a person’s life. For victims in Las Vegas, injuries like these often mean not only pain and hospital visits but serious changes to daily routines, relationships, mental health, and even future employment. Working with a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer is essential in making sure victims get the support and corrective care they need.
What Counts as Scarring or Disfigurement?
In personal injury cases, courts and insurance companies generally look for injuries that make a noticeable, long-term difference in a victim’s appearance, ability to function, or self-image. Some examples of scarring and disfigurement include:
Permanent Scars
A lasting mark anywhere on the body from cuts, lacerations, or other wounds often constitutes scarring, especially when it cannot be removed by surgery or other treatments.
Facial Disfigurement
Damage to the face, including injuries from car accidents, dog bites, or broken bones, is considered disfigurement and can seriously affect a person’s social life and self-esteem.
Surgical Scars
Marks left behind after needed operations or even from medical mistakes are often addressed in personal injury claims.
Amputations
Losing a limb, fingers, toes, or even ears or noses (partial or total) constitutes physical disfigurement. Amputations are among the most significant sources of trauma and disability.
Nerve Damage Causing Visible Deformity
In some cases, nerve damage causes muscles to waste away, fingers to claw inward, or faces to droop. These are injuries that are easily seen by others and add to both pain and distress.
Nevada law allows injury victims to seek damages for these types of injuries that are caused by someone else’s negligence or intentional actions.
Compensation Commonly Awarded in These Cases
Victims of scarring and disfigurement may qualify for a broad range of damages in a Las Vegas personal injury claim. This most often includes:
Economic Damages
Economic damages include concrete, out-of-pocket losses resulting from the incident, such as all past and future medical bills related to wound care, scar treatment, or reconstructive surgery. Lost wages from time away from work are compensable as well. Property damage tied to the accident can also be recovered. These losses can usually be documented with bills, receipts, estimates, and proof of employment.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages cover losses that are harder to quantify. These include pain and suffering from the initial injury as well as continuing discomfort and chronic pain. You can also recover for the impact on your mental health, daily social anxiety, and psychological trauma related to your changed appearance. Victims may also seek compensation for loss of enjoyment of life and loss of confidence or self-esteem.
Punitive Damages in Nevada
In especially egregious cases involving fraud, malice, or oppression, Nevada law allows courts to award punitive damages. These are meant to punish wrongdoers, such as a drunk driver or someone who injuries another person intentionally.
NRS 42.005  Exemplary and punitive damages: In general; limitations on amount of award; determination in subsequent proceeding.
  1.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 42.007, in an action for the breach of an obligation not arising from contract, where it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has been guilty of oppression, fraud or malice, express or implied, the plaintiff, in addition to the compensatory damages, may recover damages for the sake of example and by way of punishing the defendant.
While punitive damages are not awarded in most scars or disfigurement cases, they should always be considered to see if they’re available.
Obtaining the maximum compensation possible is important in these cases so victims can fully focus on their recovery with as little other stress as possible. Working with a lawyer from Valiente Mott Injury Attorneys is one of the most effective ways to make sure your compensation is maximized. Contact our team today to learn more about your options during a free consultation.
