A facial injury can cause significant pain, result in mental suffering, and have a far-reaching impact on appearance. If you have suffered a facial injury due to the negligent actions of another, you may have grounds to begin a claim. To see if you have a case for facial injury compensation and learn about the claims process in general, please continue reading this guide.
Essential Information
- Facial injury compensation may cover a person’s pain and suffering, together with the associated financial impact.
- You typically have 3 years to start a claim. However, there may be some exceptions to this time limit.
- Facial injuries can occur in various settings, including accidents on the road and in the workplace.
- You must obtain evidence to demonstrate how the third party responsible for your well-being caused your facial injury.
- An experienced solicitor from our panel can help you claim compensation on a No Win No Fee basis.
If you would like more information on facial injury claims or you would like to start yours today, please contact our friendly advisors by:
- Accessing our ‘contact us’ page
- Calling them on 0800 408 7825
- Submitting a free online enquiry
Jump To A Section
- What Facial Injury Compensation Could I Be Entitled To?
- How Can Compensation Help With A Facial Injury?
- Can I Claim For Facial Injury Compensation?
- What Accidents Could Lead To A Facial Injury?
- Examples Of Facial Injuries Commonly Sustained
- How Much Time Do I Have To Claim Facial Injury Compensation?
- What Evidence Is Needed For A Facial Injury Claim?
- No Win No Fee Facial Injury Compensation Claims
- Learn More
What Facial Injury Compensation Could I Be Entitled To?
The facial injury compensation you may be entitled to can depend on 2 types of damages:
- General damages: The injuries you sustained. Physical and psychological injuries are taken into account if you suffered both.
- Special damages: The financial loss resulting from those injuries.
A solicitor may base their assessment of general damages on a report of your injuries written by an independent medical assessor and from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a document that contains an extensive list of injuries, presented alongside their suggested compensation brackets.
You can see a selection of those brackets below. However, the top figures for each table were not taken from the JCG, and the brackets themselves should be used as guidance only.
Facial Injuries Settlements
Below, you can see the JCG’s suggestive brackets for facial injuries.
| Injury | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Facial Injuries and Financial Losses (e.g. Private Medical Care) | Up to £100,000 plus |
| Fractures of Jaws (i) | £37,210 to £55,570 |
| Fractures of Jaws (ii) | £21,920 to £37,210 |
| Fractures of Jaws (iii) | £7,880 to £10,660 |
| Fractures to Frontal Facial Bones | £29,060 to £44,840 |
| Damage to Teeth | Up to £46,540 |
| Damage to Teeth (i) | £10,660 to £13,930 |
| Multiple Fractures of Facial Bones | £18,180 to £29,220 |
| Fractures to the Nose or to the Nasal Complex (i) | £12,990 to £28,220 |
| Fractures of Cheekbones (i) | £12,450 to £19,260 |
Facial Scarring Payouts
This table shows suggested compensation brackets for facial scarring, as provided by the JCG.
| Injury | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Multiple Very Severe Injuries and Financial Losses (e.g. Care Costs) | Up to £250,000 plus |
| Very Severe Facial Scarring | £36,340 to £118,790 |
| Less Severe Facial Scarring | £21,920 to £59,090 |
| Significant Facial Scarring | £11,120 to £36,720 |
| Less Significant Facial Scarring | £4,820 to £16,770 |
| Trivial Facial Scarring | £2,080 to £4,310 |
Psychological Damages Caused By A Facial Injury
Here are brackets from the JCG covering psychological damages.
| Psychological Injury | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Psychological Injuries and Financial Losses (e.g. Travel Expenses) | Up to £250,000 plus |
| Severe Psychiatric Damage | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| Moderately Severe Psychiatric Damage | £23,270 to £66,920 |
| Moderate Psychiatric Damage | £7,150 to £23,270 |
| Less Severe Psychiatric Damage | £1,880 to £7,150 |
| Severe PTSD | £73,050 to £122,850 |
| Moderately Severe PTSD | £28,250 to £73,050 |
| Moderate PTSD | £9,980 to £28,250 |
| Less Severe PTSD | £4,820 to £9,980 |
For a more specific discussion of facial injury compensation, please contact our helpful advisors.
How Can Compensation Help With A Facial Injury?
Compensation can help with your facial injury rehabilitation by providing financial relief and support throughout your recovery. Moreover, compensation may reimburse you for any financial loss your injuries caused you to incur. These losses can include:
- Missed wages for your time off work, as well as future earnings
- Lost work benefits such as bonuses and pension contributions
- Medical bills such as private cosmetic surgery and prescriptions
- Mental health services, including counselling and therapy
- Rehabilitative care, for instance, physiotherapy to help restore full jaw function
- Childcare if you needed extra support because of your injuries
- Travel to and from medical appointments
In order to claim for these or any other losses, you will need to have evidence. That proof may vary depending on the expense, but often includes payslips, invoices, and receipts.
To learn more about the benefits of claiming facial injury compensation, please contact our friendly advisors.
Can I Claim For Facial Injury Compensation?
Yes, you could claim for facial injury compensation if you meet the following criteria:
- A third party owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty
- This resulted in your facial injury
A duty of care is simply the responsibility that a third party has towards someone else’s safety. We are owed a duty of care by third parties in many situations. In the following section, you will find several scenarios showing how a breach might result in a facial injury and a potentially valid compensation claim.
If you sustained a facial injury in an accident that was not your fault, discuss this with our advisors to find out if you are eligible to start a claim.
What Accidents Could Lead To A Facial Injury?
A myriad of accidents may lead to a person sustaining facial injuries if a duty of care was not maintained. Here are some examples of them.
Road Traffic Accidents
Whether minor or serious, road traffic accidents are a common cause of facial injuries. They may occur because of:
- Collisions (head-on, rear-end, and side-on)
- Vehicle pile-ups
- Cycling accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
Road users, from drivers to bikers, must navigate in a way that avoids injury to themselves and others. That is their duty of care. As part of their duty, they must also follow the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
- Example: You came to a safe stop at a red light. However, a driver behind you was distracted by his phone, failing to slow down and stop on time, colliding into the rear end of your vehicle. As such, your face hit the steering wheel and you sustained a cheekbone fracture.
Accidents At Work
Regardless of your line of work, you are owed a duty of care by your employer under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In short, employees must take reasonable steps to protect the well-being, safety, and health of their workforce. Failing to do so may result in workplace accidents and facial injuries if an employer:
- Fails to complete routine safety checks on equipment
- Fails to provide safety or equipment training
- Fails to supply personal protective equipment
- Fails to conduct regular hazard checks
An employer may be liable for your facial injuries if they are caused by such a failure.
- Example: An employer doesn’t provide you with a protective mask while a colleague is cutting material with an electric saw. As a result, you suffer severe facial burns from the sparks of the tool, which leaves you needing long-term reconstructive surgery.
Accidents In A Public Place
Accidents in public places frequently occur and often result in facial injuries. Such accidents may happen in public parks, gyms, and supermarkets. Here, the duty of care for those in control of public spaces is established by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This act requires occupiers to use practical measures to keep visitors to their premises reasonably safe.
- Example: You visit your local swimming pool for the first time. However, the business owner failed to place up signs that alerted users of the deep and shallow ends. Unaware that you are near a shallow part of the pool, you jump in and suffer a broken nose.
Medical Negligence
Patients may sustain facial injuries as a result of medical negligence. Doctors and other medical professionals, along with facilities such as hospitals, have a duty to provide patients with the correct standard of care. If substandard care results in you suffering facial injuries that are unnecessary or avoidable, you may have grounds to claim compensation.
- Example: A patient undergoes laser eye treatment. However, the surgeon failed to set the laser to the correct setting for the procedure. As a result, the patient suffers burn injuries to their eye and temple, leaving them in need of multiple reconstructive surgeries.
Criminal Injury
It is not uncommon for the victims of violent criminal acts to sustain facial injuries. If you suffered such an injury following an attack or assault, you may be eligible to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This government-funded agency can compensate victims of violent crime under certain circumstances. However, you will need to meet the CICA’s eligibility criteria for making a claim.
Discuss the circumstances of your accident with our advisors. They can provide you with a free and confidential case assessment to see if you could make a claim.
Examples Of Facial Injuries Commonly Sustained
Below, you can find several examples of commonly sustained facial injuries:
- Burns and scarring
- Bruised or black eye
- Nerve damage
- Damaged teeth
- Broken nose
- Cuts and lacerations
- Broken cheekbone
- Fractured jaw
- Fractured eyesocket
Whether you believe your facial injuries are minor or major, you should visit a medical professional. Not only will this ensure you receive the correct treatment, but it can help create an official record of evidence for any potential claim.
Regardless of the type of facial injury you sustained, please share your experience with one of our advisors. They’re here to listen and provide tailored guidance throughout the week.
How Much Time Do I Have To Claim Facial Injury Compensation?
You typically have 3 years to start a claim for facial injury compensation, generally beginning on the date of the incident. This window applies to all personal injury claims as it is a requirement of the Limitation Act 1980.
However, there are some exceptions to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to claim compensation. As such, the time limit will not apply for individuals who cannot independently make a claim because they are:
- A minor: In such claims, the time limit begins on the claimant’s 18th birthday and ends on their 21st.
- Mentally incapacitated: Here, the time limit is frozen but will commence if they regain it.
A litigation friend may start a facial injury claim on behalf of the injured person while the time limit is paused. Any adult over the age of 18 can take on the role, but it is most often filled by a loved one or a solicitor. As part of their duties, litigation friends must make decisions in the claimant’s best interests and keep them informed where possible.
If you have any questions regarding the time limit for starting a facial injury claim or about the role of a litigation friend, please contact our advisors for assistance.
What Evidence Is Needed For A Facial Injury Claim?
The evidence needed to support your facial injury claim must establish third-party liability for the harm you suffered. This helps a solicitor from our panel paint a picture of how the third party breached their duty of care, resulting in your facial injury.
Examples of evidence that may support your claim include:
- Your medical records that state your facial injuries and other harm
- Copies of your prescriptions or medical scans, such as X-rays
- Photographs of your facial injuries or the accident scene
- A copy of the accident report book in which the incident was reported
- Dashcam or CCTV footage of your accident
- Copies of police reports, if they attended the scene
- For a road accident, you will likely need contact details for the driver, together with their insurance, registration, and vehicle information
- Copies of correspondence with the third party, such as e-mails
- The contact details of anyone who witnessed the accident
If you require assistance with proving a claim, rest assured that a solicitor from our panel will provide whatever help is needed. Once the evidence has been collected, they can then begin reviewing it to try and establish third-party liability.
If you would like more examples of the types of evidence that may support a facial injury claim, please contact one of our helpful advisors today.
No Win No Fee Facial Injury Compensation Claims
At Public Interest Lawyers, our panel of specialist solicitors help their clients make No Win No Fee facial injury compensation claims through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means that you will not be charged any solicitor fees either at the start of your claim, or as the case progresses. You also won’t pay these fees if the claim loses.
Understandably, if your claim wins, you will pay your solicitor a success fee for the work they performed on the case. This will be a percentage of your compensation, but it’s kept small thanks to a cap set by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.
Not only do our panel of solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis, but they are also specialists in personal injury claims. Therefore, they can support you throughout the claims process by:
- Utilising their knowledge, skills, and experience
- Explaining terminology associated with your claim
- Setting you up with an independent medical assessment to strengthen your case
- Putting you in touch with specialists to support your recovery, including mental health services
- Negotiating a fair compensation on your behalf
Our panel of solicitors understand that every client has unique needs after sustaining a facial injury. As such, they always dedicate their time and resources to providing tailored support at every stage of the claims process.
Get In Touch With Our Advisors
If you have any questions about the content discussed in this guide or would like to start a facial injury claim, get in touch with our 24/7 advisors today by:
- Accessing our ‘contact us’ page
- Calling them on 0800 408 7825
- Submitting a free online enquiry
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about personal injury claims, it may benefit you to read the helpful guides linked below.
- Understand the personal injury claims process
- Discover what interim payments are
- Access our mental health claims calculator
References:
- Find your nearest urgent care services, NHS.UK
- Access mental health services, NHS.UK
- Find out if you are eligible for statutory sick pay, GOV.UK
We appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this guide, which explains how to claim facial injury compensation.