Disfigurement refers to when an individual experiences a permanent change to their body that leaves visible marks and affects the individual’s physical appearance.
Typically, if an individual can prove that another person's negligent or intentional actions caused the disfigurement, this can lead to substantially higher damages being awarded to that individual.
Generally, when a court determines whether to award an individual with disfigurement damages, the court looks at the age of the individual, the location of the injury, the gender of the individual and the embarrassment to the individual as a direct result of the disfigurement.
Some general types of disfigurement include:
Common scenarios that would cause an individual to experience disfigurement include: