Deciding to undergo a facelift is a deeply personal decision and one that you may have taken a lot of time to think about. So when the time comes for the procedure, you are understandably placing a lot of trust in medical professionals to treat you with excellent care and compassion. 

However, if their care is substandard, causing you unnecessary harm, this may have a detrimental impact on your life, health and confidence. If this happened to you, continue reading to learn how to sue for facelift negligence with our specialist panel of solicitors.

Key Takeaways 

• A facelift or rhytidectomy is a cosmetic procedure performed to lift and pull back facial skin to give the appearance of a tighter and smoother complexion.
• Some side effects are expected with a facelift procedure, such as swelling, numbness and bruising. However, they should only last a few weeks.
• Medical professionals need to make you aware of said side effects before you agree to the procedure.
• You can’t claim if you are just unhappy with the look of the facelift, you must have received substandard treatment and suffered unnecessary harm to have a valid compensation claim
• At How To Sue, we have an experienced panel of solicitors who offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis and will provide you with excellent support.

Contact our advisors today if you have suffered from facelift negligence to start a compensation claim.

Jump To A Section

1. How To Sue For Facelift Negligence
2. How Might Negligence Cause A Facelift To Go Wrong?
3. What Facelift Negligence Compensation Payout Could I Get?
4. What Will I Need To Sue For A Negligent Facelift Procedure?
5. How To Sue For Facelift Negligence On A No Win No Fee Basis
6. Learn More

How To Sue For Facelift Negligence

To sue for facelift negligence, you will need to demonstrate that you received negligent treatment from the medical professional who performed your procedure, and this caused you to suffer unnecessary harm. Essentially, the medical negligence claiming criteria is:

• The medical professionals completing your procedure owed you a duty of care 
• They provided substandard care, breaching this duty 
• This resulted in you suffering avoidable and unnecessary harm

All medical professionals, including those who specialise in cosmetic surgery, have a duty of care to provide the correct standard of care. Additionally, cosmetic surgeons must also meet professional standards of care set out by The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. This is to ensure their patients remain safe and avoid unnecessary harm. 

If the treatment they provide is substandard, this is considered negligent and may give rise to facelift negligence claims if it results in patients suffering avoidable harm. So, if you can prove this happened to you, you may be eligible to start a negligent facelift claim. 

Can I Still Sue If I Was Made Aware Of The Risks Prior To My Facelift?

Yes, you could still sue if you were made aware of the risks prior to your facelift, if it can be demonstrated that the medical professional acted negligently and you suffered unnecessary harm.

All medical and cosmetic procedures come with certain risks and side effects, such as swelling and bruising, and you may not be able to claim for these if your surgeon made you aware of them prior to the procedure. However, if you suffered harm that could have been avoided if the cosmetic surgeon had provided you with the correct treatment and care, you could claim for this.

Am I Able To Sue For Facelift Negligence If I Signed A Waiver?

Yes, you could sue even if you signed a waiver before the procedure. However, the harm you suffered must be the result of unanticipated negligent conduct by a medical professional.

All procedures have potential risks, and it is part of a medical professional’s duty of care to discuss them with you beforehand, then have you sign a waiver. All surgeons are required to do so under Regulation 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. However, if their treatment was substandard, causing you avoidable harm, the waiver does not protect them from liability, and you may be eligible to claim.

Contact our advisors today to learn more how to sue for facelift negligence and receive free advice for your case.

How Might Negligence Cause A Facelift To Go Wrong?

Negligence may cause a facelift procedure to go wrong due to surgical errors, failure to monitor the patient properly during the procedure, and inadequate aftercare advice. Below, we explain these examples in more depth:

• Surgical errors. For example, a surgeon may unnecessarily use excessive force during the procedure, resulting in the patient suffering from long-term nerve damage, which is considered negligent. 
• Filing to monitor the patient. For example, a surgeon may fail to monitor a patient’s blood flow and circulation; as a result, the patient may suffer from skin necrosis, and this is considered negligent. 
• Inadequate aftercare. For example, a surgeon may fail to provide the correct equipment or information to the patient regarding their aftercare. This may result in them suffering from infections or facial scarring, which may be negligent. 

If your facelift procedure went wrong, discuss this with our advisors to find out if you are entitled to compensation and how to sue for facelift negligence.

What Facelift Negligence Compensation Payout Could I Get?

For a successful claim for a negligent facelift procedure which caused very severe facial disfigurement and scarring, you may be awarded anything between £36,340 and £118,790 per the Judicial College guidelines (JCG). However, awards vary depending on the extent of your suffering and losses. 

Compensation for any physical harm or psychological distress you suffered is calculated by your solicitor under the head of claim general damages. In doing so, they will review an independent medical assessment of your harm alongside the JCG. 

The JCG is an extensive list of injuries associated with their suggestive compensation brackets. The table below contains examples of harm you may experience following a botched facelift, with the compensation guidelines from the JCG. However, as such figures are suggestive, they are not guaranteed. Please also note that the first entry has not come from the JCG.

Harm	Severity	Compensation
Multiple Severe Injuries Associated with Significant Financial Losses for lost earnings, corrective cosmetic procedures and travel costs	Severe	Up to £250,000 plus
Psychiatric Damage	Severe - prognosis will be very poor	£66,920 to £141,240
	Moderately Severe - significant issues suffered but a more optimistic prognosis	£23,270 to £66,920
	Moderate - marked improvements made	£7,150 to £23,270
	Less Severe - how sleep was impacted will affect the award	£1,880 to £7,150
Facial Disfigurement	Very Severe Scarring - in relatively young claimants with severe psychological reaction	£36,340 to £118,790
	Less Severe Facial Scarring - substantial disfigurement	£21,920 to £59,090
	Significant Facial Scarring - plastic surgery will have reduced the worst effects	£11,120 to £36,720
	Less Significant Facial Scarring - overall effect doesn't markedly affect the appearance	£4,820 to £16,770
	Trivial Facial Scarring - only a minor effect	£2,080 to £4,310

Can I Sue For Special Damages After Facelift Negligence

Yes, you may sue for special damages after facelift negligence for any associated financial losses you suffered.  

Examples of special damages that may be considered as part of your compensation payout include:

• Lost earnings for any time you took off work due to the procedure 
• Lost work benefits, such as missed bonuses or holiday entitlements
• Costs for medical treatment or prescriptions 
• Payments towards further corrective cosmetic surgery 
• Costs for mental health services, such as therapy 
• Travel costs from going to and from appointments 
• The cost of face creams and treatment to cover scarring

It is good practice to keep a record of any payments as a result of your procedure, as this may support your claim for special damages. This could include any invoices and bank statements.

For more examples of facelift negligence compensation, do not hesitate to ask our friendly advisors.

What Will I Need To Sue For A Negligent Facelift Procedure?

You will need to gather supporting evidence to sue for a negligent facelift procedure, as well as ensure your claim is started within the time limit. Your evidence should consist of documents, reports and information that illustrate how the medical professional performed substandard care regarding your facelift. Some examples of evidence that may support your claim include:

• Before and after pictures of your facelift procedure 
• Your medical reports stating how you suffered 
• Details of the type of cosmetic procedure performed on you
• Copies of any consent forms you signed before the procedure 
• Any correspondence between yourself and the institution you received the procedure at
• Copies of any complaints you made regarding the negligent treatment 
• Dated diary entries of your appointments and symptoms 
• The contact details of those who witnessed the substandard care 

It will benefit your claim to get as much evidence as you can, as it will help our panel of solicitors establish third-party liability, which is required for a successful claim.

If you are pursuing a claim, you also need to ensure your claim started within the 3-year time limit. You can learn more about this and any exceptions that apply to this time limit by reading our limitation period guide.

For more information about what you will need to sue for a negligent facelift procedure, please get in touch with our advisors.

How To Sue For Facelift Negligence On A No Win No Fee Basis

To sue for facelift negligence on a No Win No Fee basis, you should pursue a claim with our excellent panel of solicitors here at How To Sue. If you sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) with them, you can avoid paying upfront and ongoing costs for their services. You also will not need to pay them for their services if the claim is not a success.

Rather, if your claim is successful, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation. However, this is a small percentage set by a legal cap. 

Our excellent panel of solicitors specialise in medical negligence claims, including those for negligent cosmetic procedures, and want to utilise their legal skills and experience to help you:

• Get the highest possible compensation payout 
• Gather evidence to support your facelift negligence claim 
• Obtain interim payments to help you cover immediate medical costs 
• Get on the path to recovery and get your life back on track 
• Access an independent medical assessment 
• Receive support from mental health professionals 

At How To Sue, we recognise how suffering from facelift negligence may impact your life. As such, our advisors and panel of solicitors will work tirelessly to support you at this time and try to reach a settlement in your favour. 

Contact How To Sue

Contact our advisors at How To Sue today to start a claim for a negligent facelift procedure or to get free advice regarding your claim by:

• Giving them a call on 0800 408 7827 to discuss the circumstances of your procedure 
• Contacting us online
• Messaging them on their live chat to ask any questions and get advice

Learn More

Learn more about how to sue for medical negligence by reading the informative guides below.

• A guide about cosmetic surgery compensation
• Information about how to sue a hospital 
• Learn how to sue a doctor for compensation 

References:

• Information about cosmetic surgery, NHS.UK 
• Access mental health services, NHS.UK 
• Find out if you are entitled to statutory sick pay, GOV.UK 

Thank you for reading this guide, which explains how to sue for facelift negligence. We hope that you found this helpful.