By Danielle Griffin. Last Updated 26th July 2023. This online guide is for those who have been affected by rhinoplasty negligence and wish to make a personal injury claim for compensation.
Here at Accident Claims UK, the personal injury lawyers we work with understand that the damages inflicted by a botched nose job are unique to the affected individual, and we approach this matter sensitively. Our panel of solicitors are well versed in personal injury law, and they could provide claimants with support, advice, and legal guidance.
If you have questions about the claim process, please contact a member of our team. Our friendly advisers are more than happy to answer any questions that you might have and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We could also provide you with a No Win No Fee lawyer to help you with this type of medical negligence case. Simply call 0800 073 8801 to get started.
Negligent rhinoplasty claim
Select A Section
- A Guide To Negligent Rhinoplasty And Botched Nose Job Claims
- What Is A Nose Job Or Rhinoplasty?
- What Guidelines Should Surgeons Follow?
- Rhinoplasty Medical Negligence Claims
- Popular Reasons Why People Have A Nose Job
- Common Ways In Which Rhinoplasty Could Go Wrong
- Who Could My Negligent Rhinoplasty Claim Be Made Against?
- Compensation Payouts For Nose Job Negligence
- I Was Harmed By Negligent Rhinoplasty, What Should I Do?
- No Win No Fee Claims For Negligent Rhinoplasty
- Why Choose Our Medical Negligence Team To Handle Your Case?
- Start Your Claim For The Effects Of Negligent Rhinoplasty
- Essential Resources
A Guide To Negligent Rhinoplasty And Botched Nose Job Claims
The cosmetic surgery industry has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past decade. The latest surgeries are extraordinarily advanced and technical. Some may have a positive impact on a person’s health and well-being, correcting and improving previous conditions, symptoms or problems. One type of surgery is rhinoplasty, which is the technical term for a ‘nose job’.
There are a variety of reasons why people have rhinoplasty surgery, from health benefits to aesthetic value. When you invest a lot of your time, effort and money into surgery of this nature, you expect high-quality care. However, there are some scenarios in which rhinoplasty surgery could go wrong, resulting in harm to your health and well-being.
If you have been affected by cosmetic surgery negligence, then you might be searching for a solicitor who could represent and handle your claim. Below, we’ll discuss how botched surgery could occur, the recovery process, and the claims process.
What Is A Nose Job Or Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure performed on a person’s nose. A procedure of this nature is predominantly performed by a private plastic surgeon.
In most cases, there are two main reasons people have a nose job. Firstly, some have reconstructive surgery, which restores the form and functions of the nose. And secondly, others undergo rhinoplasty surgery to alter the shape, size and appearance of their nose.
According to the NHS, the cost of nose reshaping surgery ranges between £4,000 and £7,000.
There are common side effects people experience after a nose job, such as:
- A blocked nose
- A stiff nose
- A lack of feeling/numbness
- Light nosebleeds for the first couple of days
- Soreness, swelling, and bruising around the eyes. These effects could last for several weeks
It may be worth remembering that a rhinoplasty procedure is a complex operation that can be extremely intense. Not only can the process be expensive, but the results may not always be guaranteed, and there are risks involved.
What Guidelines Should Surgeons Follow?
If you live in the UK and are considering having a rhinoplasty procedure, there are some factors you may wish to consider. Independent clinics and hospitals within the UK must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC aims to ensure that health and social care services are safe, effective, compassionate, and high quality.
When considering plastic surgery, undertaking research may be advisable. Because the procedure is quite invasive, you should research the implications involved, the side effects, and look into the facility where you plan on having your nose job. It may be wise to look at other customers’ experiences online and see what people have said. It can also be beneficial to research the surgeon performing the surgery.
Rhinoplasty Medical Negligence Claims
The medical professional performing the rhinoplasty surgery should look after you once the surgery is over through various check-ups and keeping up to date with your well-being. A failure to do so could be considered a breach of their duty of care. If that occurs, then you could have grounds to pursue compensation. You may also have grounds to claim if your rhinoplasty surgery goes wrong, leaving you with a health problem you didn’t previously have. This could be considered medical negligence.
You may also claim compensation if the risks of rhinoplasty surgery were not conveyed to you adequately. There are significant implications that you could face when undergoing a major operation, especially a rhinoplasty procedure. Therefore, your surgeon should effectively outline these risks ahead of the operation. A failure to do so could also be considered a breach of their duty of care and if you are harmed by medical negligence you could make a claim.
In order to succeed in making a claim of this nature, you must as part of your claim obtain medical evidence that details the extent of your injuries, and crucially, points the finger at the botched procedure. Without such evidence, it will be challenging to make a successful claim as you won’t have any supporting evidence. It may also be crucial for a claimant and their legal team to prove that a similarly qualified medical professional would not have acted in the same way as the surgeon in question.
Popular Reasons Why People Have A Nose Job
There may be many reasons why people undergo cosmetic surgery. For example, some may seek to do it to improve their image, and by extension, their confidence and self-esteem. Others may require their nose to be repaired or reconstructed following an injury or deformity.
When it comes to a rhinoplasty procedure, the results may differ depending on the type of surgery you are having. A surgeon performing rhinoplasty surgery might:
- Reduce the size of your nose – to do so a surgeon may remove some of the existing cartilage and bone
- Make your nose larger – also referred to as nose augmentation, a surgeon transfers (grafts) cartilage from another part of the body to the nose
- Nose shaping – your nose may be broken then rearranged to alter the shape.
- Changing the angle between the nose and the top lip – a surgeon cuts the skin between the nose and the upper lip to make alterations
Common Ways In Which Rhinoplasty Could Go Wrong
Following nose surgery, a person could experience a lot of side effects. Due to the intensity of the surgery, take two weeks off from work to recover. To help the recovery process, the NHS states that you should:
- Avoid dusty areas
- Sneeze through your mouth to alleviate the pressure in the nose
- Avoid blowing your nose
- Do not get the split wet
- Prop your head upright to reduce swelling
Although this advice is designed to aid recovery, there may be instances where things could go wrong, leading to complications in your recovery, or even lasting health implications. Like any surgery, clotting, infection and bleeding could occur. However, before the surgery, your surgeon should outline that there are serious implications involved with a nose job. Nose reshaping surgery could cause:
- A permanent breathing difficulty
- Heavy nosebleeds
- An altered sense of smell
- Damage to the cartilage within the wall of the nose
If you have had rhinoplasty surgery and are experiencing problems, then it’s advisable to contact the clinic where you had the operation. If you begin to experience severe pain or unexpected symptoms, then you should seek immediate medical attention.
Who Could My Negligent Rhinoplasty Claim Be Made Against?
If you have been affected by a botched nose job, then you might be wondering who would be liable to pay compensation to you. If your operation took place through the NHS, they may be at fault. Or if you had your operation privately, it would be against that practice or specific surgeon.
Compensation Payouts For Nose Job Negligence
If your claim for a negligent rhinoplasty is successful, your compensation may consist of two heads of claim: general and special damages.
General damages compensate you for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by the nose job negligence. To help assign value to your claim, legal professionals may use a document titled the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). It provides a list of guideline compensation brackets for various types of harm.
In our table below, we’ve provided a few figures from the 16th edition of the JCG. It is only to be used for guidance.
| Injury | Severity | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial Disfigurement | Very Severe Scarring | £29,780 to £97,330 | A claim of this nature might be awarded to those who have been seriously disfigured due to cosmetic surgery, resulting in psychological suffering. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Less Significant Scarring | £3,950 to £13,740 | A settlement of this nature might be in relation to those with one or several scars that could be camouflaged or lessened through surgery. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Moderately Severe | £23,150 to £59,860 | This level of PTSD would result in significant disability in the near future. The effects could be lessened through recovery and professional help, but nothing is certain. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Moderate | £8,180 to £23,150 | In cases where PTSD has moderately affected the individual, the effects will not leave lasting effects or disabilities. |
| Loss of Smell | Severe | £24,990 to £32,900 | A case such as this would be made in the event a nose job impairs the sense of smells, leaving the effected party with no sense of smell whatsoever. |
| Fractures of Nose or Nasal Complex | Severe (i) | £10,640 to £23,130 | An injury of this nature might require multiple surgeries to correct the damage that has been inflicted. In serious cases, the affected party might have a difficulty breathing, permeant damage to their airways, damage to the tear ducts, or facial deformity. |
| Fractures of Nose or Nasal Complex | Displaced (ii) | £3,950 to £5,100 | A recovery from a displaced fracture is only possible with surgery. |
| Fractures of Nose or Nasal Complex | Displaced (iii) | £2,520 to £3,150 | The claimant has a displaced fracture that requires manipulation. |
| Fractures of Nose or Nasal Complex | Simple (iv) | £1,710 to £2,520 | In these cases, a full recovery is made from a simple undisplaced fracture. |
Special Damages
Some compensation settlements may include a second head of claim called special damages. Under this head, you could be compensated for any financial losses caused by the medical negligence. You should submit evidence of your costs, such as receipts.
Examples of special damages that could be recovered as part of your settlement include:
- Loss of earnings for any time spent off work to recover from the negligence.
- Medical expenses, such as the cost of prescriptions or surgeries to repair the damage.
- Therapy costs if this was required to help you cope with the harm you suffered.
- Travel costs if you need to take taxis to and from medical appointments.
Get in touch with one of the advisors on our team to learn more about how compensation is awarded in medical negligence claims. They can also value your claim for free.
I Was Harmed By Negligent Rhinoplasty, What Should I Do?
In the event your rhinoplasty surgery goes wrong, you might experience a variety of symptoms afterwards. There are steps you can take to alleviate the pain, but if you are in extreme discomfort, you ought to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Once you have visited a medical professional, you may wish to obtain photographic evidence of the problematic area. Taking photos will be extremely useful evidence when pursuing a claim.
No Win No Fee Claims For Negligent Rhinoplasty
If you have suffered from a botched nose job, then you might be searching for a solicitor to handle your claim. Here at Accident Claims UK, we can connect you with an accomplished solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis to handle your claim.
If you have an eligible claim, then a solicitor from our panel can give you the option of entering into a No win No Fee Agreement. This means that if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any of your solicitor’s fees. If your claim does succeed, then your solicitor will deduct from the compensation you are awarded at the end of your claim what’s known as a success fee. The fee acts as payment for the services that have been provided by the solicitor.
If you have any questions regarding No Win No Fee Agreements, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team. They can discuss them in greater detail and answer any questions that you might have.
Why Choose Our Medical Negligence Team To Handle Your Case?
If you have been affected by negligent rhinoplasty surgery, then you may wish to pursue a claim for negligence. If that is the case and you choose to work with Accident Claims UK, then we can connect you with an accomplished solicitor to handle your claim. We work with solicitors experienced in these claims. They will not rest until they have achieved the best level of compensation for you possible. And if you wish to get in touch with a query or for an update on your claim, you can do so any time you like.
Start Your Claim For The Effects Of Negligent Rhinoplasty
If you have been affected by negligence during rhinoplasty surgery, you might be searching for a solicitor to handle your claim. If that is the case, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team. Our phone lines are free to call, and our friendly advisers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our adviser can offer you free legal advice and will discuss your potential claim in greater length.
If you wish to speak with an adviser, the number to call is 0800 073 8801. Alternatively, you could enquire online about your potential claim. A member of our team will review your submission and contact you at a convenient time to discuss your No Win No Fee medical negligence claim.
Essential Resources
We sincerely hope that this online guide has been useful in outlining the relevant information for botched nose job personal injury claims. Below, we have provided some additional materials which could be helpful. You can find this information and the relevant links located down below.
Medical Negligence Claims – How To Claim Compensation
Syringe and Needlestick Infection – What Is A Needlestick Injury?
Death Due To Medical Negligence – What Can Be Claimed For?
Surgical References
Royal College of Surgeons – Clinical Guidelines
Royal College of Surgeons – Cosmetic Surgery
Royal College of Surgeons – Standards & Guidance
Negligent Rhinoplasty Claim FAQs
How could I prove my negligent rhinoplasty claim?
To evidence your claim, you would need to obtain the medical notes from the operation you have had. You could do so by requesting these from the NHS or private hospital that carried out your surgery. As part of your claim, you would also need to obtain an independent medical report. You would see such a medical professional and they would examine you to look at the site of the operation. They may ask you questions about how the surgery has affected you, what symptoms you have suffered and more. Once they had all the information required, they’d pull together a medical report detailing your condition and prognosis. This could be used to determine how much compensation your claim could bring.
What kind of mistakes could lead to a negligent rhinoplasty claim?
There are a number of reasons people may look to make a negligent rhinoplasty claim. They could include:
- Mistakes during surgery
- Risks not being explained to the patient
- Negligence in anaesthesia
- Negligent aftercare including failure to give care instructions to the patient
How soon after surgery could you make a negligent rhinoplasty claim?
If you notice swelling and deformation after surgery, this may settle over time, although if you’re concerned about it, you should go ahead and contact your surgeon to ask if things are healing normally. Once the healing process is well underway, if you notice issues with your surgery, you should approach the surgeon. However, you could also seek a second opinion if you’re unsure as to whether you are healing properly.
Thank you for reading our guide on making a negligent rhinoplasty claim.