Cosmetic surgery can not only improve your physical appearance but also boost your mental health. Whether it’s fixing a long-standing issue from an accident or getting the nose you’ve always wanted, cosmetic surgery is popular for good reason. Many individuals who opt for cosmetic surgery do so simply to feel more confident and happier in their own bodies.
Deciding to undertake cosmetic surgery is an important decision for a variety of reasons. Here are some details to consider if you’re contemplating cosmetic surgery:
- Expense. The cost of cosmetic surgery can be expensive depending on the procedure.
- Lengthy recovery time. Some surgeries have shorter recovery time, but most do have a lengthy time in recovery. For many, it may be weeks to months to recover from cosmetic surgery.
- Discomfort or pain. Like most medical procedures, discomfort and pain are frequent side effects that can affect recovery times and a return to normalcy.
- Side effects. Even simple procedures can have long-lasting side effects.
For these reasons, when cosmetic surgery goes wrong, it can be devastating to a patient. Cosmetic surgeries often represent years of saving, planning, and expectations, all destroyed because of a botched surgery.
It’s not just undergoing major cosmetic surgeries that can have an impact on physical or mental health either. Smaller, outpatient procedures such as Botox or fillers can dramatically lift a person’s face and improve their overall outlook. Many people opt for these simpler procedures, as they can be done easily. Yet all cosmetic surgeries run the risk of being botched or being poorly performed, even simple face lifting procedures.
Popular Cosmetic Surgeries
The year 2024 has seen some unprecedented times, but it hasn’t slowed the growth in cosmetic surgery is on the rise. Many people are asking for facial cosmetic surgeries, to improve their appearance on video calls. As many cosmetic procedures are not done under the supervision of a professional medical practitioner, the opportunity for botched procedures is high. Even under medical professionals, botched surgeries can occur, leaving a patient devastated and uncertain who to turn to.
Popular cosmetic surgeries include:
- Brazilian Butt Lifts
- Breast augmentations
- Botox
- Chin implants
- Eyelid surgery
- Facelifts
- Lip fillers
- Liposuction
- Nose jobs
- Skin resurfacing
- Tummy tucks
One of the difficulties with cosmetic surgery is the lack of regulation. Since the term “cosmetic surgeon” is not regulated by the Medical Council of Ireland, anyone can call themselves a “cosmetic surgeon”. Without formal rules and regulations, the odds are good that more botched surgeries will occur.
Consider lip fillers, which are an increasingly popular procedure to undergo. Many people can go to their hair salon on any day and see someone who will inject lip fillers into their lips. While many of these cases may turn out just fine, there have been serious issues. Filler can cause lumps, sepsis, and even blindness. Because many people consider filler to be on the more moderate end of cosmetic surgery, many do not consider the serious injuries that can occur when an unlicensed individual injects fillers into their body.
Here at O’Brien Murphy Solicitors, we are experts in the area of botched cosmetic surgeries. Our many clients have suffered a wide range of issues due to botched cosmetic surgeries, and we’re here to help. We cannot reverse a botch cosmetic surgery, but we can come alongside you to help you gain compensation for what you lost.
I’m a Victim of Poorly-performed Cosmetic Surgery. Now What?
If you are a victim of a botched or poorly-performed cosmetic surgery, you will need to file a medical negligence claim. This specific type of claim refers to injuries sustained at the hands of a healthcare professional. Medical negligence claims are part of an extremely complex area of Irish law, so medical negligence claims are typically handled in the following manner:
- Seek legal advice – Are you a victim of a botched cosmetic surgery? If so, your first step should be to seek the advice of an experienced medical negligence solicitor. A solicitor is able to guide you through the process and ensure that your claims are met.
- Access medical records and obtain expert reports – One you have chosen your medical negligence solicitor; they will begin by compiling your medical records. Here at O’Brien Murphy Solicitors, our solicitors are experts at accessing your records and the reports necessary to ensure that you received a sub-par standard of care. Determining that a client’s care was below the medically recommended standard is the foundation of every medical negligence case.
- Assess the claim – Many botched or poorly-performed cosmetic surgery have serious consequences and a surprisingly high number of cases have life-changing consequences. At the very least, a botched surgery can result in months of not being able to work or function properly. For this reason, patients must be compensated to either help mend the surgery or compensate the patient for valuable time lost. A solicitor with the help of experts will work together to assess the value of a claim to determine how much money a client is owed for their cosmetic surgery.
- Issue court proceedings – This is the final step before justice: preparing and filing the relevant court papers that lay out the basis of the claim.
If You Are a Victim of Botched or Poorly-performed Cosmetic Surgery, Contact Us!
Finding an experienced solicitor is vital if you are a victim of botched or poorly-performed cosmetic surgery. It is additionally important that you find your solicitor as soon as possible because under Irish law, your claim must be made within a two-year time frame from when you became aware of your injury. For some, the date of a negligent surgery is blatantly obvious, but for others, you may not have become aware of an issue with your cosmetic surgery until years later.
O’Brien Murphy Solicitors suggest that you need to understand and recognize that undergoing a botched cosmetic surgery involves many consequences, including emotional and physical issues. These issues will impact not just you personally, but also your family and friends.
