By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 13th September 2023. If you have had a fat transfer non-surgical or surgical, and it has gone wrong, you could claim compensation for the injuries you suffered. Cosmetic surgery negligence claims cover both physical and psychological injuries and here, at Accident Claims, we have helped many people get the compensation they deserve. This guide will outline when surgical fat transfer negligence claims might be possible.

You can reach us on 0800 073 8801 if you are ready to launch a case. However, continue reading to find out more about surgical fat transfer claims and how to prove third party negligence.

Select A Section

  1. What is a surgical fat transfer?
  2. Common problems with a surgical fat transfer
  3. Steps to take if you have had a surgical fat transfer gone wrong
  4. Plastic Surgery Negligence Claims – Can I Claim Following Elective Surgery?
  5. Time limits on surgical fat transfer claims
  6. What damages can I claim for when making a surgical fat transfer claim?
  7. How much compensation for surgical fat transfer gone wrong?
  8. No Win No Fee surgical fat transfer claims
  9. Useful links

What is a surgical fat transfer?

A surgical fat transfer is a type of cosmetic surgery that involves removing fat from one area of your body and inserting it in another area. For example, taking fat from the thighs and inserting it into breasts. It is also called lipo modelling and fat graft.

surgical fat transfer negligence claims

Surgical fat transfer

As this is cosmetic surgery, it is not carried out on the NHS and as such fat transfer UK prices tend to range from £2,000 to £6,500 with the exact cost depending on the area of a body treated.

Common problems with a surgical fat transfer

Despite being a safe procedure, there are various problems that can happen because of surgical fat transfer which includes the following:

  • Thick and obvious scarring
  • Air leaking into the space between your chest wall and lungs
  • A blood vessel blockage caused by fat being lodged in it
  • Fat necrosis – the death of fat tissue
  • Blood collection underneath the skin

Not only this but any operation runs the small risk of the following:

  • An allergic reaction to an anaesthetic
  • Infection
  • Developing a blood clot in a vein
  • Excessive bleeding

All of the above should be explained to you beforehand by your surgeon. If it is not, this could be deemed to be surgical negligence on their part should things go wrong.

Steps to take if you have had a surgical fat transfer gone wrong

There are a number of different steps you should take to strengthen surgical fat transfer negligence claims. This includes doing the following:

  • Taking photographs
  • Visiting a medical professional so they can produce a report of the injuries/harm you suffered
  • Collect relevant details
  • Document the issue

Plastic Surgery Negligence Claims – Can I Claim Following Elective Surgery?

Following a procedure removing fat, surgeons have a duty to provide care to a level that is reasonably expected of any competent medical professional. Medical negligence can therefore occur in elective surgery. It doesn’t affect your right to claim just because you chose to have a surgery rather than urgently requiring it.

Examples of surgical negligence claims arising from elective surgery may include:

  • Receiving poor aftercare after your procedure, resulting in you suffering an infection
  • Your surgeon failing to diagnose and treat a post-surgery blood clot
  • A psychological injury arising because no physiotherapist was available to provide rehabilitation treatment

Continue reading to learn about other examples of plastic surgery negligence claims.

Time limits on surgical fat transfer claims

There is actually a time limit on personal injury cases which is set at three years although there are exceptions to this. You would have three years from the date you suffered the damage caused by a surgical fat transfer that went wrong, and court proceedings must be issued within the deadline or you may find your claim is time-barred.

As mentioned, there are exceptions to this time limit which relate to incidents whereby the injuries manifest themselves over time. For example, you may not feel any side effects from the procedure for a number of years. In such instances, you would have three years from the date of a diagnosis associated with a surgical fat transfer that went wrong.

It is a lot easier to file a personal injury claim sooner rather than later because important details will likely still be clear in your head, meaning you won’t forget anything important. Not only this, but it would be a lot easier to collect evidence, such as photographs and witness statements all of which help strengthen you case against the negligent third party.

What damages can I claim for when making a surgical fat transfer claim?

Often, when people think about personal injury claims, they only tend to think about the money they would receive for the injuries they sustained. However, there are other things you can claim for which includes financial losses incurred as a result of having been injured.

What are financial losses?

This is the money you would receive to cover the cost of anything you paid out as a direct result of your injuries which are awarded by way of special damages. Examples include:

  • Damage to your personal belongings
  • The cost of surgery
  • Travel expenses
  • The cost of parking at the hospital
  • The cost of treatment
  • Medical expenses
  • Consultant’s fees
  • The cost of counselling
  • Loss of income
  • Childcare expenses

One thing you do need to be aware of is the fact that you will need proof if you are going to claim for these. Therefore, it is vital to keep receipts and any other relevant documents.

On top of special damages, you would also be compensated for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity in the form of general damages. You would need to provide a medical report which would be used to determine how much compensation you would receive. The factors that will be taken into account are as follows:

  • The type of injury you suffered
  • The level of treatment required
  • The extent of the injury in regards to when you can work again – if you can work again
  • The impact the injury has on your leisure pursuits
  • The impact the injury is going to have on your day-to-day life
  • The duration of the injury
  • The severity of the injury
  • How many injuries you suffered

When we review surgical fat transfer negligence claims, we offer free legal advice on what damages you could include.

How much compensation for surgical fat transfer gone wrong?

You would probably like to find out how much plastic surgery compensation you may be awarded in a successful claim. It is very difficult to know how much you could receive in compensation for a surgical fat transfer gone wrong. You may have used an online personal injury claims calculator, but these tools only ever provide rough estimates. The best thing to do is refer to the table below to get a better understanding of how much compensation you may be entitled to receive in a successful personal injury claim against a negligent third party.

Edit
The type of injury you have suffered Some extra notes The typical payout for this injury
Psychiatric Damage Severe (a) £54,830 to £115,730

 
Psychiatric Damage Moderately Severe (b) £19,070 to £54,830
Psychiatric Damage Moderate (c) £5,860 to £19,070
Psychiatric Damage Less Severe (d) £1,540 to £5,860
Scarring (Body) Noticeable laceration scars, or a single disfiguring scar. £7,830 to £22,730
Scarring (Body) Single noticeable scar, or several superficial scars. £2,370 to £7,830

If you cannot see the injury you sustained in the table above, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us to find out more regarding the surgical fat transfer compensation you may be entitled to.

No Win No Fee surgical fat transfer claims

If you’re eligible to claim compensation for a fat transfer gone wrong, you might wish to have a solicitor assist you. After all, having someone on your side who understands the claims process and who can help with gathering evidence could make things easier for you.

Not only this, but a solicitor could help negotiate a compensation settlement for you. 

Moreover, one of our solicitors could offer to take on your case under a No Win No Fee arrangement, such as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Claims made under a CFA typically don’t require you to pay your solicitor until your claim finishes.

Instead, your solicitor would deduct a legally capped success fee from your total payout. If your claim was to fail for some reason, you would not usually have to pay your solicitor for their work under a CFA.

To check your eligibility to make a surgical fat transfer negligence claim with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors, you can contact an advisor.

  • Call 0800 073 8801
  • Contact us online, and an advisor will call you.
  • Live chat with an expert.

Useful links

We hope you have found this guide useful in your quest to discover more information about making a claim for a surgical fat transfer that has gone wrong. If you require more assistance, the links below may assist.

NHS information concerning the fat transfer procedure– This link takes you to the NHS page on surgical fat transfers. You will find information on the procedure, as well as the potential side effects.

Care Quality – The Commission– This link takes you to the website for the Care Quality Commission, which helps people that require care, including anyone that has suffered because of cosmetic surgery that has gone wrong.

Other Useful Guides

Thank you for reading our guide on surgical fat transfer negligence claims.