Cosmetic surgery is the process where someone undergoes aesthetic enhancements to their body through surgery. According to statistics, there were approximately 31 thousand cosmetic surgeries carried out in the UK in 2022. It’s believed that social media has been a key facilitator in the rise of cosmetic procedures.
Unfortunately, these procedures don’t always go to plan, in which case legal and corrective options may need to be explored. Here’s what you need to know.
Initial Steps After Recognising a Problem
Communicating with Your Surgeon
If you’re unhappy with the outcome, you should first speak to your surgeon. Good communication is important so you can understand what has gone wrong and what can be done next. Make sure you communicate calmly and honestly without shifting the full blame on them.
Before you leave the hospital after having your surgery, you should ask for details about the procedure you’ve just had in writing. Then, you can reflect on the situation and if you decide you’re still unhappy, you can take the next steps.
Understanding Your Rights and Options
Work out how you can move on by assessing your options and understanding your rights.
You might decide you’d like another procedure once you’ve healed. It’s important to establish the risks and costs that come with this. It might be that you won’t have to pay for this procedure, however, you might still have to pay for the anaesthesia and facility costs. You should also consider what you plan to do if this second procedure fails.
You’re also entitled to make a complaint if you feel that the treatment and service you have received was unprofessional. Formal complaints can be made directly to the surgeon, clinic or hospital. You will likely need to follow a formal set of procedures. Prepare yourself for the fact that the outcome of this complaint might not result in a satisfactory conclusion.
Seeking a Second Opinion or Corrective Surgery
If the communication between you and your surgeon breaks down or you feel like you would prefer a second option, you could find another surgeon and ask for their thoughts on what has happened. Make sure you choose someone reputable and from a surgery that you can trust. This will give you a well-rounded insight into what you can expect from your second procedure.
Legal Considerations and Seeking Representation
If you decide that you’d like to pursue things further with legal representation, this is something you’re perfectly entitled to do. In this case, you can speak with a medical negligence solicitor to get an understanding of what your legal rights are. This way, you can learn about the cosmetic surgery claims process. This will involve proving that medical negligence was responsible for the poor outcome of your procedure, in which case, you could be entitled to compensation.
It’s always worth trying to come to an agreement with your surgeon before seeking legal advice, however, some people may feel as though this is the only option to seek a fair resolution.