Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors Offering Legal Advice

The proliferation of high street cosmetic clinics in the UK over the past few years has made the option of surgical enhancement increasingly attractive, accessible and affordable for consumers. The quality of such procedures has also improved markedly since the early days, when only wealthy stars had the financial resources or inclination to go 'under the knife'. The emphasis on physical beauty in the media and in society in general has fuelled the recent explosion in cosmetic surgery, along with other more standard beauty treatments. Children are body-conscious from an ever younger age, and the concept of cosmetic enhancement has altogether lost the social stigma that was once attached to it. This sharp upward growth trend shows no signs of stopping. The official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) predicts that 55 million cosmetic procedures will be performed in the US in 2015, a four-fold increase on today's figures. In the UK the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service reports that the number of surgical cosmetic procedures is growing by at least 25% a year. Our firm has handled a number of cases for clients who have suffered from poor cosmetic surgery procedures. Thanks to this experience our solicitors are successful at claiming compensation for bad cosmetic surgery.

Lack Of Regulation Of Cosmetic Surgery Clinics

The fundamental problem with the cosmetic surgery industry in the UK is that it remains unregulated. Anyone can effectively set themselves up as a cosmetic specialist and begin offering surgical treatments to the general public. Doctors meanwhile can learn to perform popular procedures such as liposuction and collagen implants in a matter of hours. Non-compulsory regulation and ever-increasing demand creates a situation where unscrupulous practitioners are motivated to obscure the very real threats posed by all types of invasive surgery. The emergence of special '3 for 2' offers on surgical treatments such as liposuction also serves to undermine the seriousness of such procedures in the eyes of the public. A recent survey by consumer organization Which? found that none of the sample clinics visited provided sufficient pre-treatment information to clients. In a report from September 2010 meanwhile, the government-funded National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) found that 56% of cosmetic surgery operating theatres were poorly equipped. More worrying still, 70% of the clinics surveyed by the NCEPOD refused to cooperate with the investigation, a figure that suggests conditions may be worse than previously suspected. Therefore, you may be entitled to claim compensation for a cosmetic surgery procedure that you are unhappy with or make a claim for a cosmetic surgery procedure that has injured you.

Cosmetic Surgery - Typical Risks

The threats posed by invasive surgery largely depend on sanitary conditions in the operating theatre, and the technical ability of the surgeon performing the operation. While each cosmetic surgical procedure has its own specific dangers, there are also general complications that can arise in any surgical environment. These include patients suffering adverse reactions to general anaesthetic, and the risk of bacterial or viral infections in the wound. In 2007 for example a British woman was awarded £300,000 after developing a serious blood infection following a liposuction operation. There is also an ever-present risk of potentially fatal blood clots forming during any type of surgery. A mistake on the part of the surgeon may lead to nerve damage, and a subsequent loss of physical sensation in the affected area. Surgical errors may also result in excessive scarring and disfigurement. While it is normal for blood pressure to fall during surgery, any excessive loss of blood can affect the rhythm of the heart, and ultimately cause a stroke or cardiac arrest. In these circumstances a patient could be left with either temporary or permanent paralysis, or brain damage. It is also essential that surgeons check for pre-existing medical condition prior to performing surgery. In 2007 for example, US rapper Kanye West's mother died following a breast reduction operation after her surgeon failed to detect a long-standing heart condition. Our clients often ask; can I make a claim against a cosmetic surgery practice for bad work. The answer is often yes. However, you should call us first for free legal advice on claiming compensation for a cosmetic surgery procedure you are not happy with before taking any action.

Lack Of Experience At Cosmetic Clinics

All invasive surgical procedures carry a host of risks, especially when performed in unsanitary conditions, or by unskilled cosmetic surgeons. With an estimated 5,000 clinics in the UK offering cosmetic surgical treatments, it is inevitable that some will be more skilled than others. The NCEPOD for example found that 55% of the clinics they investigated offering breast reduction surgery carried out fewer than 10 such procedures annually. This number is far too low for these clinics to claim to be 'specialists' in such procedures. A number of public bodies are now calling on the government to provide comprehensive regulation of an industry which is estimated to be worth £1.2 billion per year. In the meantime accidents and injuries during cosmetic surgery continue to rise proportionally with the popularity of such procedures. In 2008 for example 173 complaints related to poorly performed breast operations were received by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and increase from 135 such complaints in 2007.

Claiming Compensation From A Cosmetic Surgery Clinic

Provided your claim relates to a cosmetic procedure that has taken place in the last three years, Bartletts offer no win no fee solicitors for claiming for a cosmetic surgery procedure that has gone wrong. You are assured of keeping 100% of any compensation awarded, with no deductions. In the event that your compensation claim is successful our fees are paid by the losing party to the claim. The vast majority of the claims we take on are successful, and where they are not we will charge you nothing. If you win your claim against a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic practice their insurance company will pay all of your legal fees, and if you lose you will not pay a penny. You therefore face no cost or risk when bringing a compensation claim against a cosmetic practice. Using a Solicitor is different to using a Claims Management Company because you are protected by the rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority which govern firms of solicitors. Our solicitors are experts at claiming compensation for cosmetic surgery procedures that have gone wrong.

Questions From Clients Answered

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