Des Moines car accidents can lead to many facial injuries and permanent scarring. Accident victims need expensive medical care but also suffer from a range of emotional responses, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Contact Ball, Kirk & Holm, P.C. to speak with a Des Moines car accident lawyer about how you are holding up after an accident. We have offices at Waterloo and Iowa City, and we will gladly drive out to meet you, if necessary. Once hired, we can gather evidence to prove fault of the crash and help document the full fallout from your injuries. You deserve fair compensation, and you have come to the right firm.
Cuts and Lacerations
Facial cuts are usually caused by:
- Shattered glass
- Plastics or metal pieces expelled by the airbags
- Other sharp objects in the car
- A ring worn by a passenger
Facial cuts tend to bleed extensively. However, the real risk is that scars will form when the cuts heal. Many accident victims find scars intensely embarrassing, and they can struggle with a loss of self-esteem or even withdraw from friends or family.
Facial Fractures
A motorist can break bones after slamming their face against the steering wheel or the dashboard. Even airbags might fracture a bone when the bag is expelled with too much force.
Some fractures include:
- Orbital fracture. This is a fracture of the eye socket. An extremely dangerous injury, an orbital fracture can lead to vision impairment if not properly treated.
- Maxillary fracture. This is a fracture of the upper jaw, which can make it difficult for a motorist to speak or eat.
- Mandibular fracture. A fracture of the lower jaw, this injury impairs a person’s ability to move their jaw.
- Nasal fracture. A motorist can suffer a broken nose when they slam it in the steering wheel or the back of a seat. Nasal fractures can lead to misalignment if they are not properly treated. Other problems can impact your sense of smell.
Facial fractures require time to heal, but a doctor cannot immobilize a facial bone like they can with a broken arm or leg. Complications can arise if the bone does not heal in proper alignment. In fact, a person might have a permanent disfiguring injury.
Dental Injuries
Facial trauma can chip or crack someone’s teeth and, in extreme cases, knock teeth out. Dental care is expensive, and a motorist might need implants if a dentist cannot save a tooth. Crowns are another option to hold fractured teeth together.
Go to a dentist if you suffer any tooth injury for immediate treatment. Too many car accident victims overlook dental care as part of a post-accident treatment plan, but failing to fix cracked teeth can lead to other complications, including infections.
Facial Burns
A motorist can suffer a facial burn when the airbag expels hot air or gasses, or battery acid is thrown in their face. These types of burns lead to scarring and permanent disfigurement.
Some facial burns will require reconstructive surgery to try and get the accident victim back to their “normal” appearance. This surgery is expensive and not always successful, so multiple rounds might be needed.
A facial burn often leads to mental anguish and possibly PTSD. Contact your doctor if you believe a loved one is struggling after a burn injury.
Mental Anguish and Emotional Distress
Facial injuries might not be the most expensive injuries to treat. But they have many powerful negative effects on accident victims, including depression.
The face is the most visible part of the human body and intimately tied up with an individual’s identity. When disfiguring injuries change a person’s appearance, it is perfectly natural for someone to experience distress, including:
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Difficulty going out in public
- Severe embarrassment
- Sense of shame
Iowa law allows accident victims to request non-economic damages for mental anguish following a car accident. Hire a law firm which understands the severity of facial injuries. Ball, Kirk & Holm will demand a fair settlement, and we don’t limit our request to medical bills or lost income. We always consider the physical and emotional pain our clients suffer.
Steps to Receiving Compensation for a Facial Injury
After suffering any type of injury, accident victims should do the following:
- Continue with your doctor’s treatment plan. Following this plan will improve your health and strengthen your hand in negotiations with the defendant. If you stopped receiving treatment, then a defendant might allege you are to blame for your condition not improving.
- Don’t forget mental health. The mental side of most personal injuries is overlooked. Mental pain needs as much attention as bodily pain. If necessary, go to a therapist and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Consult a lawyer. Your attorney will have other tips for how to make your case.
- Refuse to give any recorded statement to a claims adjuster. This is one way an insurer will try to undermine your right to financial compensation. They could trip you up and get you to say something you haven’t really thought about.
- Never accept a settlement until you show it to an attorney. An attorney can also estimate the value of your injuries and then negotiate for an amount that is close to what you deserve. Many factors go into determining how much an accident victim can receive, but the reality is insurers don’t like to pay if they don’t have to.
These steps can prevent simple mistakes which hurt your chances of success in an injury claim.
We Can Negotiate for You
If you suffered a facial injury, call Ball, Kirk & Holm, P.C. Our legal team is known for our tough-minded approach to personal injury cases. We know injuries can throw a person’s life upside down, which is why we are able to drive out to meet our clients. Regardless of where you live, we are always available 24/7 and take every possible step to obtain a fair settlement. Contact us to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.