By Jade McCoy. Last Updated 11th October 2024. In this guide, we’ll explain how tummy tuck negligence and abdominoplasty negligence claims work. When receiving cosmetic surgery such as a tummy tuck, the aim of it is usually to make you feel better about yourself and your appearance. Such a procedure could help to boost your confidence and reduce anxiety and stress when engaging in social activities. However, what do you do in cases where a tummy tuck has gone wrong?
Unfortunately, a botched tummy tuck will do the complete opposite and make people feel worse mentally and physically than they did before. If your tummy tuck goes wrong because of medical negligence, you may wish to make a claim against the hospital or clinic where the procedure was carried out.
We are able to advise and guide you on the best action to take and to help you launch your tummy tuck claim. Please read on for further information on what to do following a tummy tuck that’s gone wrong. Alternatively, you can call 0800 073 8804 for free legal advice or to start your claim. Or fill out our online contact form.
Select A Section:
- What Is A Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)?
- Top Tips On Claiming For A Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong
- Can You Claim For Severe Scarring Caused By Tummy Tuck Negligence?
- I Suffered An Infection Because Of A Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong, Can I Claim?
- What Are The Most Common Problems Caused By A Botched Tummy Tuck?
- How Much Could I Claim For A Tummy Tuck Negligence?
- Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong – Claim With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
What Is A Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)?
If a tummy tuck has gone wrong, we want to help you.
A tummy tuck procedure will be undertaken to remove surplus skin and fat around the abdomen area. By doing this, the result will be a flatter, firmer-looking stomach.
People who want to have this kind of surgery are usually those that are looking to remove sagging, loose skin, often caused by a significant amount of weight loss.
According to the NHS there are 2 main methods of tummy tuck surgery:
- A partial abdominoplasty – This is where a cut is made across the lower stomach, separating the skin from the abdominal wall below the belly button to remove excess fat and skin. The remaining skin will then be pulled together and stitched into place.
- A full abdominoplasty – A large incision is made from hip to hip above the public area and a second incision is made to free the belly button from the skin around it. The skin is then separate from the abdominal wall, the muscles are realigned with excess fat and skin removed. A new hole is then made for the belly button and is stitched back into place with the remaining skin being pulled together and stitched into place.
All medical professionals owe a duty of care to provide the correct standard of care to their patients.
To be able to claim for a botched tummy tuck, you would need to prove:
- A medical professional owed you a duty of care.
- This duty was breached.
- You suffer unnecessary harm.
If you want to inquire about making a tummy tuck compensation claim, please contact us.
Top Tips On Claiming For A Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong
If you think you have suffered tummy tuck negligence and would like to bring a claim for damages here are some tips to increase the chances of being successful.
- Get legal advice: There is no requirement to use a solicitor to bring a medical negligence case, but you may increase your chances of success by instructing one. A solicitor with dedicated experience in cosmetic surgery claims can collect the evidence needed to support your claim. They can also advise you about how much your claim is potentially worth if there are offers of settlement. Not seeking legal advice could leave you arguing with lawyers or doctors about your tummy tuck gone wrong on your own.
- Claim within the time limit: The time limit to bring a claim for medical negligence (including a botched tummy tuck) is 3 years. This would be from the negligence occurring or 3 years from the date you knew or reasonably should have known that the harm you suffered could have been avoided. This time limit comes from the Limitation Act 1980.
- Keep records: You will need to evidence your claim. Any correspondence or records relating to your tummy tuck could be useful. You have likely incurred financial losses due to your injuries, so keep evidence that proves any out of pocket expenses. For example, wage slips if you took time off work or receipts for the cost of corrective surgery.
For more tips about how to increase your chances of winning your case, you can get in touch with an advisor today.
Can You Claim For Severe Scarring Caused By Tummy Tuck Negligence?
Some scarring is to be expected to a certain extent when undergoing a tummy tuck NHS procedure. However, the scarring could be more severe due to negligence.
For example, you may have developed an infection due to receiving poor aftercare for your wound. As a result, you may have experienced a longer recovery time and further harm in the form of severe scarring due to the infection.
It would be helpful for you to gather any evidence that shows your scarring to be more severe than it should have been, such as tummy tuck complications photos that you could take as visual proof.
During your free consultation, we can gather all the facts to get your claim well underway.
I Suffered An Infection Because Of A Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong, Can I Claim?
Getting an infection following surgery is always a possibility. However, if you have had an infection due to poor hygiene procedures and practices at the clinic or hospital where you had the procedure, then you could make a claim.
Not only can you launch a claim for your suffering due to the infection, but also for any medical expenses such as prescription fees and any loss of earnings that may have occurred if you have been unable to work as a direct result of the infection. Call us today, and we can advise you on the best action to take.
If you’re wondering what the most common complications are that might lead to a tummy tuck gone wrong and abdominoplasty negligence claims, then our next section will help; simply read on for more information.
What Are The Most Common Problems Caused By A Botched Tummy Tuck?
When making a medical negligence claim for a botched tummy tuck, you must be able to prove that you suffered unnecessary harm due to the medical professional performing the procedure breaching their duty of care.
Following a tummy tuck, some side effects are expected. The NHS states that some of the side effects that could be experienced include
- Difficulty standing up straight.
- Pain and bruising.
- Numbness in the tummy lasting from a few months to years and scars among these.
Your surgeon should have discussed these and relevant aftercare with you prior to the operation.
Operations, such as a tummy tuck, may have risks of death. If your tummy tuck has gone wrong, some examples of issues you might have experienced include:
- Unnecessary scarring.
- Fluid collecting around the wound on the abdomen (seroma).
- Persistent pain where you had the operation.
- Nerve damage.
- Infections if the surgical equipment used was properly sterilised before the plastic surgery
Call our advisors to discuss your potential medical negligence claim. If your claim seems valid, you could be put in touch with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors.
How Much Could I Claim For A Tummy Tuck Negligence?
Compensation for a tummy tuck gone wrong can be awarded under two different heads of loss, general and special damages.
- General damages: awarded for physical and psychiatric harm.
- Special damages: awarded for costs incurred as a result of that harm. We’ll examine this in more detail below.
Calculating a potential compensation figure is one of the many things our solicitors can support you with. When calculating a potential general damages figure, those assigned this task can refer to your medical documents alongside the Judicial College Guidelines.
Known as the JCG, this detailed publication contains the guideline compensation figures for various types of harm. We have included a relevant selections of these figures in our compensation table.
Compensation Table
Please take note that this table has been provided for guidance purposes only. The top entry is not a JCG figure
| Injury Description | Severity | Compensation Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Instances of Very Serious Harm with Significant Special Damages | Very Serious | Up to £500,000+ |
| Psychiatric Damage | Severe (a) | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| Moderately severe (b) | £23,270 to £66,920 | |
| Moderate (c) | £7,150 to £23,270 | |
| Less severe (d) | £1,880 to £7,150 | |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Severe (a) | £73,050 to £122,850 |
| Moderately Severe (b) | £28,250 to £73,050 | |
| Body Scarring | Numerous noticeable laceration scars or a single disfiguring scar | £9,560 to £27,740 |
| No Significant Internal Injury | In the region £10,550 | |
| One noticeable scar or several superficial scars. | £2,890 to £9,560 |
Special Damages
Special damages is the second of the two heads of loss you can be awarded compensation under. As we said above, special damages compensate for financial losses sustained as a result of the harm you experience.
It is very often the case that awards under special damages will be higher than those under general damages. We have given a few examples of costs you could be reimbursed for here.
- Lost earnings.
- Prescriptions and other out-of-pocket medical bills.
- Therapy or counselling sessions.
Remember to keep copies of any documentation, such as your payslips, prescription letters and other bills that show you incurred costs.
Since medical negligence claims are assessed individually, the information given in this section as intended as guidance. To find out if you’re eligible to claim for a tummy tuck gone wrong in your particular circumstances, contact our advisors today using the contact information given below.
Tummy Tuck Gone Wrong – Claim With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
As discussed, in some cases you could claim after a tummy tuck has gone wrong. However, you would need to prove that a medical professional failed to provide the correct standard of care and caused you to sustain avoidable harm as a result. This is medical negligence.
If you are eligible to make a medical negligence claim for a tummy tuck gone wrong or botched surgery, you may be interested in hiring legal representation to help you.
Our solicitors can offer their services to you on a No Win No Fee basis. As such, they could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement which is a type of No Win No Fee service. This generally means that you would not have to make a payment upfront, nor make any ongoing payments for their services.
After a successful claim, your solicitor can take a success fee, which is a legally capped percentage of your compensation. You will not be required to pay this fee if your claim is unsuccessful.
To learn more about claims for botched tummy tucks and whether one of our solicitors could represent your case on this basis, please get in touch on the number above. An advisor can also discuss your eligibility to seek compensation.
Contact Our Team
If you have any queries regarding botched tummy tuck cosmetic surgery claims or believe you may be entitled to compensation, please do not hesitate to call us on 0800 073 8804.
Your call will be answered by a member of our friendly and professional team who will be able to assist you in any way that they can.
They’ll explain the next steps in the claiming process and begin launching your botched tummy tuck claim to secure the payout you deserve.
You can speak to an adviser about tummy tuck negligence claims and abdominoplasty negligence claims by contacting Legal Expert today. You can reach us using the contact details included within this guide.
