Being ejected from a car, striking one’s face on the steering wheel or dashboard, an engine fire and flying debris can all leave victims with serious facial injuries after a wreck. Broken teeth, a fractured jaw, broken eye sockets and permanent scarring are all possible.
It can take years – and many expensive surgeries – to restore a victim’s appearance, if that’s even possible. Because of how deeply someone’s appearance can be tied to their identity, this reality can lead to all kinds of additional trauma and challenges.
Speech and communication problems
Facial expressions and the ability to clearly articulate are key to human communication – so anything that interferes with those things can leave someone feeling very limited. Injuries to someone’s jaw, teeth or palate can all make it very difficult to talk clearly, and injuries that affect the nerves in their faces could leave them with a very “fixed” expression that doesn’t easily convey their intentions.
Social rejections and work limitations
Visible scarring and speech problems can affect the ability of victims to work in their chosen fields, especially if that requires face-to-face contact with others or lots of verbal communication. Someone with serious facial injuries may find certain career paths permanently closed off to them. In addition, severe facial scarring can lead to discrimination and social rejection. Victims with bad scars may have a harder time making friends (or keeping them), just going about their daily lives without undue attention or finding employment.
Emotional issues and low self-esteem
It’s easy to understand how facial disfigurement can lead to mental health issues, including social anxiety and depression. Someone who once took pride in their appearance, for example, may struggle to mentally adjust to the changes they’ve experienced, and that can even lead to social withdrawal and isolation.
If you or your loved one have suffered serious facial injuries in a wreck, your entire life may be disrupted for a very long time. That makes it especially important to pursue the compensation you’ll need to carry on. Seeking legal guidance is a good place to start.