Rhinoplasty
Negligence Claims

If a rhinoplasty injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Rhinoplasty, commonly known as a nose job, is a surgical procedure intended to change the shape or function of the nose. When this procedure results in complications or unsatisfactory outcomes due to a surgeon's negligence, patients can face physical, emotional, and financial burdens. If you have suffered harm due to rhinoplasty negligence, we can help.

If your injuries were caused by the negligence of a doctor, nurse, midwife or other medical professional, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a specialist clinical negligence solicitor.

You are not alone

Rhinoplasty is a common cosmetic procedure more commonly referred to as a 'nose job'. Nose reshaping surgery does cause some initial soreness and bruising, as it involves breaking and reshaping the nose, which needs to heal fully before the results can be seen.

However, some patients find that the pain following surgery does not alleviate as quickly as expected, or experience other complications. If this happens, it may be possible to make a compensation claim.

In 2023, there were 1,950 rhinoplasty procedures, a small decrease on 2022, but the overall trend in the last 3 years shows an overall increase, and clinical negligence cases have risen in line with this (baaps.org.uk).

If you decide to make a rhinoplasty negligence claim, your medical negligence solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

If you are looking for information on rhinoplasty, see: rhinoplasty (nhs.uk).

How long do I have to start a claim?

If your injury is apparent immediately after medical treatment, you will have 3 years to start a claim.

It may be that the negligent procedure happened more than 3 years ago, but your injury was only diagnosed recently, within the last 3 years. If so, you may still be able to make a claim.

What if your injury was diagnosed months or years after treatment?

You may not be immediately aware of your injury. In some cases, months and even years can pass before symptoms appear.

The law allows you to make a medical negligence claim up to three years after the 'date of knowledge' (when you first learned of the injury).

It is recommended that you start a claim as soon as possible, as medical negligence cases can be complex. Starting your claim sooner will give your solicitor more time to gather medical evidence, assess the extent of your injury and to negotiate interim payments and your final compensation amount.

How much compensation can I claim for rhinoplasty negligence?

The compensation you can claim for rhinoplasty negligence depends on several factors:

• how serious the injury is,
• the way your injury affects your day-to-day life and work,
• the financial costs and losses you have experienced due to your injury.

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your rhinoplasty ninjury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.

Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include corrective surgery, pain medication and psychological support.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average rhinoplasty negligence compensation payouts

The following rhinoplasty negligence payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Facial scarring

Injury to senses

Do I have a rhinoplasty negligence claim?

You can start a claim for rhinoplasty negligence, if:

• you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
• another party was at fault, and;
• that party owed you a duty of care.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.

How long do I have to claim rhinoplasty negligence compensation?

For a rhinoplasty negligence claim, you usually have 3 years to make a claim from the date you became aware of the negligent treatment (date of knowledge).

Who can make a rhinoplasty compensation claim?

In order to make a compensation claim for a rhinoplasty procedure, the claimant must be able to prove that the medical professional or the practice employing the professional was negligent in their duty of care. It is not possible to claim compensation purely due to dissatisfaction.

If the rhinoplasty procedure went wrong in some way, a claim for negligence could be made. Complications might arise due to procedural error:

• Infection
• Excessive bruising
• Nerve injury
• Breathing problems
• Further nose damage
• Blood clots

Every medical professional has a duty of care to make best endeavours in protecting patients from harm. If a medical professional breaches this duty of care, a claim for negligence may be possible.

A claim could also be made if the practice or medical professional failed to adequately inform the patient of the risks and the options available. Practitioners must give patients the necessary information to make an informed decision prior to surgery, including warning them of possible complications. If the patient is not properly informed, this is known as 'failure to advise'.

Who can the rhinoplasty claim be made against?

The compensation claim can be made against the medical practitioner who performed the rhinoplasty, or against the practice they work for.

There has been a rise in popularity of plastic surgery in recent years, which has resulted in an increased number of plastic surgery practices. Because cosmetic surgery is not as heavily regulated as many other medical disciplines, there is a risk of procedures being performed by untrained or inexperienced staff.

What can I claim compensation for?

Due to the nature of cosmetic surgery, when procedures go wrong the effects can be damaging both psychologically as well as physically. Rhinoplasty can be particularly damaging to a person's self-esteem, as the nose is such a prominent facial feature impacting on physical appearance. Rhinoplasty compensation claims will take into account:

• The pain and suffering caused
• Psychological impact
• Income lost due to incapacitation
• The medical costs of any corrective procedures

Rhinoplasty clinical negligence claims

Most rhinoplasty claims involve clinical negligence. Click the icon below to explore the next steps in the claims process.

Medical negligence Other accidents

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.