Injuries from pedestrian accidents can be devastating. Broken bones, head trauma, and damage to internal organs are examples. But some might also experience disfigurement, which can impact victims physically and emotionally.
Road rash, which occurs when the pedestrian’s body skids across rough pavement, can lead to permanent scarring. Similar to burns, road rash injuries are categorized as first-, second- or third-degree.
First-degree injuries cause superficial damage to the skin. A second-degree injury causes damage to deeper layers of skin. The most severe type of road rash is a third-degree injury, which damages all layers of skin and even underlying tissue. These injuries could leave behind scarring, which can be especially troubling when on conspicuous areas of the body like the face, neck or forearms, and hands.
Severe road rash injuries require treatment that may include:
Injured pedestrians who pursue an injury claim may recover compensation for these medical treatments, as well as the income they lose during treatment and recovery. Other damages may also be recoverable, which are discussed below.
One must always be aware, however, that the issue of comparative fault may be at play. To recover compensation, your Dallas pedestrian accident lawyer will need to prove that the driver was the cause of the problem and not yourself.
Another type of disfigurement in a pedestrian accident is a traumatic amputation. This could be a partial or complete loss of a limb. For instance, this can happen if someone is pinned between the vehicle and another object. The loss of an arm or leg can be devastating, even with the possibility of a prosthetic device.
Severe fractures could also be disfiguring. Let’s say an individual breaks his or her pelvis in a crash. Despite surgery to repair it, the person isn’t able to walk without a limp. This may also be a form of disfigurement.
Like claims filed following severe road rash, pedestrians may recover compensation for their medical treatment and lost wages as they recover. But damages may also address the emotional toll that disfigurement can create.
In addition to medical costs and lost wages, damages may address losses such as:
It’s also possible to recover compensation for disfigurement. This addresses the impact of living with scarring or another kind of disfiguring injury. This can cause embarrassment and impact the victim’s ability to socialize or even work.
Oftentimes, these emotional damages are accompanied by psychological injuries, such as depression or even post-traumatic stress disorder (in some cases). These conditions can reduce the quality of life and necessitate additional medical care and treatment, such as anti-depressants or counseling.
Compensation for disfigurement depends on the unique circumstances of the case, like:
To learn more about the types of compensation that pedestrians who experience disfiguring injuries may recover, contact an attorney at the Law Offices of Julie Johnson in Dallas. Call 214-290-8001.
