What would be fair compensation for a burn and scarringscar caused by a hospital procedure?
Question Details:
I had a routine c-section and was burnt on my leg by the cauterizing tool. I have a permanent scar on the middle of my left thigh that is the shape of a teardrop. It's about an inch long, 3/4 of an inch wide and was at least 1/4 deep when it occurred. I have spoken w/risk management at the hospital and they've offered to eliminate my hospital bills which are about $2300. I'm wondering if that is a reasonable amount or if I am entitled to more?
Personal Injury Law Answers
I would like to see photos of the disfigurement. I think it has value significantly beyond the reimbursement for the hospital bill. And it also depends on any psychological impact it may have on your self image. If the scaring is highly visible, and the fault of the hospital is established, it seems worth pursuing.
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Assuming the scar is publicly visible (as it sounds like it would be in FL, given the weather and dress), then even a small permanent disfigurement is probably worth more than "just" paying medical bills (though $2,300 is not trivial). While it's probably "worth" another $1k - $2k, the question is also how much it's worth fighting for extra, given the cost of a lawsuit. At some point, plaintiff's need to decide how they value their time, aggravation, and the expenses they'd need to put into fighting for more.
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