Plastic surgery on the nose is a fairly common cosmetic surgery procedure. Whilst frequently the procedure is performed without any complications, from time to time mistakes will be made. The question is whether the mistakes result in additional pain, suffering and disfigurement, and if they do, was the treatment so bad that it could lead to a medical negligence claim. The purpose of this article is to explore what amounts to medical negligence in relation to cosmetic nose surgery, often referred to as Rhinoplasty, or a 'nose job'.

What Is Rhinoplasty?

There are various reasons that a patient might undergo rhinoplasty/nose surgery. These can be purely cosmetic reasons (i.e. to approve the appearance of the nose), functional (to clear any blockages), or both. Whatever the reasons are for the surgery, a patient may be able to claim compensation if that surgery does not go as planned.

When Can You Claim Compensation Following Nose Surgery?

There are many reasons why cosmetic nose surgery can go wrong and lead to a compensation claim. Here are some of the more common reasons:

* Further disfigurement caused by the surgery;

* Loss of sense of smell;

* Infections;

* Failing to achieve the agreed objective (ie the new shape or rectifying the functionality problem);

* Making the appearance worse than prior to the surgery.

What Compensation Can You Claim Following Negligent Nose Surgery?

In many of the examples above the patient may still be left with problems that require further surgery. Obviously if the first cosmetic surgery went wrong, the patient is unlikely to want to have further corrective surgery from the same surgeon. This is perfectly understandable and if this happens the patient should seek legal advice to discover their options. The cost of the further treatment can be claimed as part of a successful medical negligence claim. In addition, the patient will also be able to claim compensation for their pain and suffering, along with any expenses such as lost earnings or medication.

What Should You Do?

If you believe that you have been the victim of medical negligence following cosmetic nose surgery, you should seek expert legal advice from a medical negligence no win no fee solicitor. This will ensure that you can be advised without incurring considerable initial legal expenses. Most solicitors will speak with you to find out what has happened and will provide you with an initial assessment of the strengths or weaknesses of your claim. You can then make an informed decision about whether to claim compensation.