If you have suffered a disfiguring injury in a car or truck accident in Austin, Texas, you may be facing a range of new challenges. Car and truck accidents can leave victims suffering from burn scars, facial injuries and facial disfigurement, and disfigurement due to amputation. While many individuals who have suffered disfiguring injuries seek out cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, patients who have suffered a disfiguring injury should also take steps to get care for the psychological and emotional effects of a disfiguring injury. If you or a loved one has suffered a disfiguring injury in a car accident or truck accident in Austin, Texas, you are not alone. The Robson Law Firm are personal injury attorneys who can help you seek damages for your lost wages, medical costs, pain and suffering, and rehabilitation expenses. Contact our firm today to learn more.
Healing the Psychological Wounds of Disfiguring Injuries
Disfiguring injuries, particularly injuries to the face, can impact all aspects of a person’s life—from social interactions and self-esteem to anxiety and depression. Individuals might also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their injuries. Counseling and therapy, even more so than seeking plastic or reconstructive surgery, will be a main component of the healing process for individuals with disfiguring injuries. Because the face is how we are recognized by others, adapting to changes to one’s facial appearance can be challenging and traumatic. Your plastic surgeon alone won’t be able to help you with the emotional aspects of healing from a disfiguring injury. This is why it is important to seek counseling in addition to cosmetic surgery to help you manage expectations about what plastic surgery can and cannot do following a serious injury of this type. What are some psychological conditions that may need to be addressed?
- If your appearance has changed as a result of a burn injury, due to facial disfigurement, or as a result of an amputation, you may face anxiety as you return to social settings and to the workplace. Proper counseling can help you manage anxiety and learn to cope with social situations following a burn injury.
- Some patients experience depression as a result of changes to their body. Their self-esteem may suffer and they may struggle in social situations or may struggle with social withdrawal. Therapy can help individuals reach out for help, and cope with depression that can accompany disfiguring injuries.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder. Some individuals might find themselves struggling to sleep, may re-experience the traumatic event, or may struggle with situations that remind them of where their accident took place. Some people may even avoid driving or riding in a car after an accident. Individuals tend to experience better outcomes when they seek counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder.
These psychological symptoms can often lead to other issues, like problems getting a job, social isolation, substance abuse, and other struggles with coping. If you or a loved one has suffered a disfiguring injury in a car or truck accident, it is important to take steps to protect your rights and to seek appropriate medical care. If the prospect of paying medical bills sounds overwhelming, the Robson Law Firm are personal injury lawyers in Austin, Texas who may be able to assist you with your claim today.
Understanding Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for Disfiguring Injuries
If you have suffered a disfiguring injury in Austin, Texas, plastic and cosmetic surgery may be able to help reduce the appearance of scars or disfigurement. Reconstructive procedures for facial injuries may require more than one surgery. Burn injury patients may require several skin grafts in order to heal. If you have scars, you may also need multiple treatments to reduce the appearance of the scar. Different types of surgeries or scar reduction treatments may need to be performed depending on the type of scar you have. What types of scars can patients experience after a car or truck accident, and what kinds of treatments are available? Here are a few:
- Keloid Scars. These scars tend to form when a wound doesn’t heal properly or when a wound gets infected. These scars, when they form over a joint, can impede movement. Steroid injections or surgery may be required to reduce the appearance or impact of keloid scars.
- Contracture Scars. If you have suffered a burn injury, the skin, as it heals, can contract. This can lead to a contracture scar. These types of scars can impede movement if they form over a joint. Skin graft treatments and proper burn treatment are essential to reduce the impact of contracture scars.
- Hypertrophic Scars. These are scars that form as a wound heals. Steroid treatments and surgery may be used to treat these scars.
These are just some of the scar types and treatments available. Individuals who have suffered more serious disfiguring injuries may require more extensive reconstructive surgery to the face or to other parts of their body. If you or a loved one are facing surgery as a result of a disfiguring injury, the Robson Law Firm are personal injury attorneys in Austin, Texas who may be able to help you seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Seek Justice Today
The time following a disfiguring injury can be tough for both victims and their families. You may be struggling with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. You might be facing a range of surgeries to reduce the appearance of scars or disfigurement. The out of pocket medical costs for this care can be immense and overwhelming. If you have been hurt due to another person’s neglect or negligence, you may have the right to seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and pain and suffering. Contact the Robson Law Firm, personal injury lawyers in Austin, Texas today to learn more. You may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law.