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Serious injuries can often result in permanent scarring and disfigurement, which, at times, go far beyond physical impairment. These types of injuries are often devastating events with long-term physical and psychosocial effects. Permanent damage to a victim’s appearance can have a brutal life-long impact on emotional health, well-being and quality of life.
Visible scarring is often seen as a daily reminder of the trauma caused by the accident. Victims are forced to deal with an alteration in body appearance – which, if caused by someone else who was negligent – is simply unfair. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often become prevalent. In our practice, we have seen victims with visibly disturbed scarring develop social problems, including difficulties in sexual life and social interactions. If the scarring is bad enough, problems in the mental area become more troublesome than physical problems.
Scarring, Degloving, and Disfigurement Injuries in Hamilton, Ontario
Accidents can cause injuries that extend far beyond broken bones or internal trauma—some of the most devastating and life-altering consequences involve severe damage to the skin and soft tissues. Among these, traumatic scarring, degloving injuries, and disfigurement represent three of the most serious complications that accident victims may face.
These injuries share common ground in that they permanently alter the body’s largest organ—the skin—and often leave lasting physical, functional, and psychological effects. Whether from motor vehicle collisions, workplace accidents, falls from height, or machinery incidents, these types of injuries can occur in seconds but require months or years of treatment and recovery.
Understanding the nature and severity of these injuries is essential for recognizing their profound impact on victims’ lives, from the immediate medical emergencies they create to the long-term challenges of living with permanent bodily changes.
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The following sections explore each of these injury types, examining their causes, characteristics, and the worst-case scenarios that accident victims and their families may confront.
Traumatic Scarring
In the worst-case scenarios, severe accidents can result in traumatic scarring that covers large portions of the body, affects multiple layers of tissue, and causes permanent changes to both appearance and function. Unlike minor scars that fade with time, catastrophic traumatic scarring can involve extensive areas—sometimes covering entire limbs, the torso, or significant portions of the face. These scars form when the skin experiences significant trauma that disrupts normal healing processes, triggering an aggressive wound response that produces excess collagen and fibrous tissue.
The impact of widespread traumatic scarring extends far beyond cosmetic concerns. Severe scarring can restrict joint movement, limit range of motion, cause chronic pain, and create ongoing medical complications. When scars cross joints or cover large surface areas, they can tighten over time, pulling the skin taut and creating functional limitations that interfere with daily activities. In the most extreme cases, victims may require multiple reconstructive surgeries over years or even decades to restore some degree of function and appearance.
Types of Traumatic Scars
Traumatic scars generally fall into several distinct categories, each with unique characteristics and challenges:
Hypertrophic scars
Hypertronic Scars are raised, thickened scars that remain within the boundaries of the original wound. They develop when the body produces excessive collagen during healing, creating a firm, elevated ridge of scar tissue. These scars often appear red or pink and may feel tight or itchy. While hypertrophic scars typically improve somewhat over time—usually within one to two years—they rarely disappear completely. In accident victims, these scars commonly form along deep lacerations, surgical incisions made during emergency treatment, or areas subjected to significant tension during healing.
Keloid Scars
Keloid Scars represent an even more aggressive form of scarring where overgrown scar tissue extends well beyond the original wound borders, invading surrounding healthy skin. Unlike hypertrophic scars, keloids continue growing indefinitely and rarely improve without intervention. They can become quite large, forming thick, irregular masses of scar tissue that may be darker than surrounding skin. Keloids are notoriously difficult to treat and have high recurrence rates even after surgical removal. Certain individuals, particularly those with darker skin tones, have genetic predispositions to keloid formation, meaning even relatively minor trauma from an accident can trigger extensive scarring.
Contracture Scars
These types of scars occur when skin tightens during healing, literally contracting and pulling surrounding tissue inward. These scars are particularly common after burn injuries but can also result from any accident causing extensive skin loss. As the scar tissue tightens, it can restrict movement of underlying muscles and joints, sometimes severely limiting mobility. When contractures form across joints like the elbow, knee, or fingers, they can freeze the joint in a bent position, requiring surgical release to restore function. Facial contractures can distort features, pulling the mouth, eyes, or nose into abnormal positions. In children, contractures pose an additional challenge because they don’t grow with the body, creating increasing restrictions as the child develops.
Atrophic Scars
are depressed or sunken scars that form when underlying structures are lost or damaged. Rather than building up like hypertrophic or keloid scars, atrophic scars create indentations in the skin where tissue volume has been permanently reduced. These commonly result from accidents involving significant tissue loss, crush injuries, or complications during healing such as infection. The sunken appearance occurs because the healing process cannot fully replace the lost fat, muscle, or other tissue beneath the skin. In severe cases, atrophic scarring can create dramatic contour irregularities, particularly visible on the face or other areas without much underlying soft tissue.
Factors Influencing Traumatic Scar Formation
The severity and type of scarring that develops after an accident depend on numerous interrelated factors. The depth of injury plays a critical role—superficial wounds affecting only the top layer of skin generally heal with minimal scarring, while deep injuries that damage the dermis, fat, muscle, or bone trigger more aggressive scarring responses. The body recognizes deep trauma as a major threat and floods the area with inflammatory cells and collagen, often overshooting what’s necessary for repair.
Location on the body significantly affects scarring outcomes. Areas under constant tension—such as the chest, shoulders, back, and joints—tend to produce more prominent scars because the healing tissue is continuously pulled and stressed. The face generally heals with finer scars due to excellent blood supply and thinner skin, though facial scars remain highly visible due to their location. Areas with limited blood flow, like the lower legs, often heal more slowly and with more problematic scarring.
Individual healing characteristics create dramatic variation in how different people scar from similar injuries. Age affects scarring, with younger people typically producing more aggressive scars due to more active healing responses, while elderly individuals may heal more slowly but with less dramatic scarring. Genetics play a substantial role—some people are simply predisposed to excessive scarring or keloid formation regardless of wound care. Skin tone influences scar appearance, with darker skin often showing more visible color changes and higher keloid risk. Pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, autoimmune disorders, or nutritional deficiencies can impair healing and worsen scarring outcomes.
The nature of the wound itself matters enormously. Clean lacerations with smooth edges typically heal better than jagged, irregular wounds. Contaminated wounds that become infected almost invariably produce worse scars due to prolonged inflammation and tissue destruction. Wounds subjected to repeated trauma during healing—from continued movement, tension, or additional injury—develop more severe scarring. Finally, the timing and quality of initial medical treatment significantly impacts long-term scarring, with prompt, skilled wound closure and ongoing wound care substantially improving outcomes.
Traumatic Degloving Injuries
Degloving represents one of the most severe and traumatic forms of soft tissue injury that can result from accidents. In worst-case scenarios, large areas of skin and underlying tissue are completely torn away from the body, exposing muscle, bone, tendons, and connective tissue beneath. The term “degloving” is disturbingly literal—the skin and soft tissue are stripped away from underlying structures much like removing a glove from a hand. These injuries are catastrophic medical emergencies that require immediate surgical intervention and often result in permanent disfigurement, loss of function, or even amputation of the affected area.
The ring avulsion injury, for example, is a specific type of degloving injury that can occur in car accidents when a person’s ring catches on part of the vehicle during the violent movement of a crash. The ring essentially acts as an anchor point, and as the hand is pulled away, the ring strips the skin, soft tissue, and sometimes tendons from the finger. This can result in complete degloving of the digit or even traumatic amputation.
The severity of degloving injuries lies not only in the dramatic tissue loss but also in the disruption of blood supply to the affected area. When skin is torn away, the network of blood vessels that nourish the tissue is severed, potentially causing the remaining tissue to die even if the skin appears initially intact. Degloving can be “open,” where the skin is visibly torn away, or “closed,” where the skin remains superficially intact but has been internally separated from underlying structures—a condition that can be deceptively dangerous because the full extent of damage isn’t immediately apparent.
Degloving in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are the most common causes of degloving injuries, and the mechanism of injury is both violent and unforgiving. Motorcyclists lack the protective shell that car occupants have, leaving their bodies completely exposed to the forces of a collision and the road surface itself. When a rider is thrown from their motorcycle or slides across pavement at high speed, the friction between skin and road surface creates tremendous shearing forces.
The typical scenario involves a rider being ejected during a crash and skidding along asphalt or concrete. As the body slides, any part that catches on the road surface—whether due to clothing being torn away, the angle of impact, or irregularities in the road—can experience degloving. The limbs are particularly vulnerable: an arm or leg dragging across pavement while the body continues moving forward creates the perfect conditions for the skin to be peeled away from underlying muscle and bone.
Lower extremities are especially at risk in motorcycle accidents. A rider’s leg can become trapped between the motorcycle and the ground, or caught in the bike’s moving parts during a crash. As the motorcycle slides or tumbles, the trapped limb experiences rotational and shearing forces that literally strip the skin away. The foot and ankle are particularly vulnerable—riders wearing inadequate footwear may suffer complete degloving of the foot when it’s dragged beneath the motorcycle or catches on the pavement during a slide.
High-speed motorcycle accidents compound the risk dramatically. At speeds above 30-40 miles per hour, the energy involved in a crash and the friction generated during a slide increase exponentially. Riders who slide dozens or even hundreds of feet across pavement can suffer degloving injuries affecting multiple body parts—both legs, arms, hands, or extensive areas of the torso. Even riders wearing protective gear can experience degloving if the gear is torn away during the accident or if body parts extend beyond the protective equipment during the crash sequence.
The hands represent another common site of degloving in motorcycle accidents. Riders instinctively extend their hands during a fall, and when those hands hit pavement at speed while the body continues moving, the glove-like skin of the hand can be completely stripped away, sometimes taking tendons and other structures with it. This “handlebar injury” pattern can result in the skin of the entire hand being peeled off, leaving exposed bone and tendon that may never fully recover function even after multiple reconstructive surgeries.
Degloving in Car Accidents
While perhaps less commonly associated with degloving than motorcycle crashes, car accidents can produce equally devastating degloving injuries through different mechanisms. The enclosed nature of a vehicle creates unique injury patterns where occupants’ bodies interact violently with the vehicle’s interior, other vehicles, or the external environment if ejected.
One of the most dangerous scenarios involves ejection from the vehicle. When an occupant is thrown from a car—whether through a window, open door, or sunroof—they may strike the vehicle’s exterior surfaces or the road at high velocity. A body part that catches on the vehicle’s frame, window edge, or door during ejection can experience massive shearing forces as the person is violently pulled away. Arms and legs that hang outside windows during rollovers are particularly vulnerable, with the limb potentially being caught between the vehicle and the ground as the car rolls, creating crushing and shearing forces that deglov the extremity.
High-speed collisions create another degloving risk through the violent deformation of the vehicle itself. Modern cars are designed with crumple zones that absorb impact energy, but this means the vehicle’s structure can intrude dramatically into the passenger compartment during a severe crash. When metal components crush inward, they can trap and tear occupants’ limbs or other body parts. A leg trapped between a collapsed dashboard and seat, or an arm caught in a crushed door frame, may experience degloving as the violent forces of the crash tear tissue away from bone.
Dashboard and floorboard intrusion in frontal crashes poses particular risk to lower extremities. When the front of the vehicle crumples, the footwell can collapse, trapping the feet and ankles. The combined forces of impact and the vehicle’s continued deceleration can cause the trapped foot to rotate or be pulled violently, degloving the foot and ankle. This injury pattern is sometimes seen in severe frontal collisions where the vehicle impacts a solid object like a tree or barrier at high speed.
Pedestrian and Cycling Degloving
Pedestrians and cyclists struck by vehicles face significant degloving risk. When a car impacts a pedestrian, the person is often thrown onto the hood and then onto the road. As they’re dragged along the pavement by the vehicle’s momentum or slide across the road surface after being thrown, the friction can cause severe degloving. The pattern of injury often involves the side of the body that impacts the ground, with extensive degloving of the hip, thigh, and shoulder region. In hit-and-run scenarios where the victim is dragged beneath the vehicle, the degloving can be catastrophic, affecting large portions of the body.
Entrapment and Degloving Injuries
Entrapment scenarios following crashes can also lead to degloving when extrication is attempted or when the victim tries to free themselves. Limbs wedged in twisted metal may suffer additional degloving injury as they’re pulled free, with jagged edges of torn vehicle components acting like blades that strip away skin and tissue. First responders must carefully assess these situations to avoid worsening degloving injuries during rescue operations.
Long-Term Implications of Degloving Injuries
Regardless of whether degloving occurs in a motorcycle or car accident, the long-term consequences are often severe and life-altering. These injuries typically require multiple emergency surgeries to clean wounds, restore blood flow, and attempt reconstruction. Skin grafts are almost always necessary, often taken from other parts of the victim’s body, which creates additional scarring and complications. Even with the best surgical care, degloved areas may never regain normal appearance or function. Nerve damage frequently accompanies degloving, resulting in permanent numbness, chronic pain, or complex regional pain syndrome. In cases where tissue cannot be salvaged, amputation may be the only option to prevent life-threatening infection or to provide a more functional outcome than attempting to save a severely damaged limb.
Traumatic Disfigurement Injuries
Disfigurement refers to a permanent alteration in a person’s physical appearance that deviates significantly from what is considered normal or expected, particularly when it affects visible areas of the body such as the face, neck, hands, or other exposed regions. In the context of accident-related injuries, disfigurement most commonly results from extensive scarring, burns, degloving injuries, crush trauma, or deep lacerations that fundamentally change how a person looks. Unlike injuries hidden beneath clothing, disfigurement involves changes that are immediately apparent to others—irregular skin texture, discoloration, loss of facial symmetry, missing tissue, or dramatic scarring that draws attention. The face is especially vulnerable to disfigurement because even relatively small injuries can create disproportionate visual impact due to the complexity and prominence of facial features. Disfigurement can result from the initial trauma itself, from complications during healing such as infection or poor wound closure, from the scarring that develops over months following the injury, or from necessary surgical interventions that save lives but leave permanent marks. The psychological weight of disfigurement often equals or exceeds the physical challenges, as victims must navigate a world that places enormous value on physical appearance while living in a body that has been irrevocably changed.
The impact of disfigurement affects men and women in both shared and distinct ways, shaped by societal expectations, personal identity, and cultural standards of appearance. Both men and women commonly experience depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, and post-traumatic stress following disfiguring injuries. The sudden loss of their former appearance can trigger profound grief and identity crisis regardless of gender, as the face and body they’ve known their entire lives has been permanently altered. However, research and clinical observation suggest that women often face additional layers of psychological burden due to persistent societal pressures that more heavily emphasize female physical attractiveness and tie women’s value to their appearance. Women with facial disfigurement may experience more acute anxiety about romantic relationships, professional opportunities, and social acceptance, reporting higher rates of depression and lower self-esteem compared to similarly injured men. They may face intrusive questions, unwanted staring, or social exclusion that compounds their trauma. Men, while also suffering significantly, may experience their disfigurement through a different lens—often feeling that visible scarring undermines their masculinity, professional credibility, or ability to be seen as strong and capable. Male victims sometimes report reluctance to seek psychological support due to cultural expectations around stoicism and self-reliance, potentially leading to untreated depression or anger. Regardless of gender, disfigurement creates a lasting divide between how individuals see themselves and how they are perceived by others, forcing them to rebuild their sense of self while navigating a world that wasn’t designed to accommodate their new reality.
Psychological Trauma: The Invisible Wounds
While the physical pain of traumatic injuries is undeniable and often excruciating, the psychological toll of severe scarring, disfigurement, and degloving injuries can be equally devastating and far more enduring. These injuries don’t simply heal and fade into memory—they become permanent, visible reminders of trauma that victims confront every time they look in a mirror, interact with others, or attempt everyday activities. The psychological impact begins in the immediate aftermath of the injury and can persist or even intensify for years, fundamentally altering a person’s mental health, self-perception, and quality of life.
The Trauma of Degloving Injuries
Degloving injuries inflict psychological damage that extends far beyond the initial shock of the accident. The sheer horror of seeing one’s own skin torn away from the body creates a level of trauma that is difficult to comprehend for those who haven’t experienced it. Victims often describe the moment of injury or the first time they see the wound as psychologically shattering—the realization that their body has been so violently and completely damaged can trigger immediate psychological crisis. The extreme visibility of these wounds, with exposed muscle, bone, and tissue, creates images that become seared into the victim’s memory, fueling nightmares and intrusive thoughts for months or years afterward.
The pain associated with degloving injuries is extraordinary and unrelenting. Nerve endings are brutally exposed, creating levels of pain that are among the most severe in traumatic medicine. This isn’t pain that fades after a few days—it persists through weeks or months of initial treatment, through multiple surgeries, through wound care that requires regular cleaning and dressing changes of exposed tissue, and often continues as chronic pain long after the wound has technically healed. The psychological impact of enduring such extreme, prolonged pain cannot be overstated. It exhausts mental resources, disrupts sleep, prevents normal cognitive function, and can lead to a state of constant hypervigilance where the person lives in fear of anything that might cause additional pain.
Beyond the pain itself, degloving victims face the psychological burden of extensive, shocking disfigurement. Even after surgical reconstruction and skin grafting, the affected areas bear permanent evidence of the trauma. The grafted skin often appears different in color and texture, creating a patchwork appearance that is immediately noticeable. Areas that have been degloved may never regain normal contour, leaving depressions, irregularities, or tightness that constantly reminds the victim of their injury. When degloving affects visible areas like the hands, arms, legs, or face, victims must navigate the world knowing that their injury is on display, subject to stares, questions, and reactions from strangers that can retraumatize them with every encounter.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Accident-Related Injuries
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is extraordinarily common among survivors of accidents resulting in severe scarring, disfigurement, or degloving injuries. The traumatic event itself—the crash, the moment of injury, the sight of one’s own catastrophic wounds—creates the initial psychological trauma. But unlike some forms of PTSD where triggers can be avoided, accident survivors with visible injuries carry their trauma with them constantly. Their scars serve as permanent, unavoidable reminders of the worst moment of their lives.
PTSD symptoms in these victims often include vivid flashbacks to the accident, triggered by anything from the sound of squealing tires to the smell of antiseptic in medical settings. Nightmares are pervasive, with victims reliving the accident or dreaming about their injuries night after night, leading to chronic sleep deprivation that compounds other psychological issues. Hypervigilance is common—victims become intensely anxious in situations similar to their accident, whether that’s riding in cars, being near motorcycles, or even crossing streets. Many develop severe anxiety disorders, experiencing panic attacks when confronted with situations that remind them of their trauma.
The avoidance behaviors that characterize PTSD can become all-consuming. Victims may refuse to leave their homes to avoid being seen or having to explain their injuries. They may avoid mirrors, photographs, or any reflective surface that forces them to confront their changed appearance. Some avoid medical appointments despite needing ongoing care because hospitals and doctors’ offices trigger overwhelming anxiety. This avoidance can create a destructive cycle where isolation worsens depression, which increases avoidance, further deepening the psychological crisis.
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Body Image Disturbance and Identity Crisis
Traumatic scarring and disfigurement trigger profound disruptions to body image and personal identity. The person who looks back from the mirror is no longer the person the victim has known their entire life. This disconnect between internal self-image and external reality creates a form of psychological dissonance that many describe as feeling like they’re living in someone else’s body. The grief over losing one’s former appearance follows a pattern similar to mourning a death—because in a very real sense, the person they were has died, and they must somehow learn to inhabit this new, unwanted version of themselves.
This identity crisis extends beyond simple vanity or concern about appearance. Our faces and bodies are fundamental to how we understand ourselves and how we move through the world. When severe scarring or disfigurement alters that, victims must rebuild their entire sense of self. They struggle with questions like: Am I still attractive? Will anyone love me? Can I still do my job? Will people see me as the same person I was? These aren’t superficial concerns—they strike at the core of human identity and social existence.
The visibility of injuries creates a particular psychological burden. Victims of traumatic scarring and disfigurement become hyperaware of how others perceive them. They notice every glance, every stare, every moment when someone’s eyes linger on their scars or quickly look away. Children may point and ask questions. Strangers may offer unsolicited sympathy or, worse, recoil in discomfort. Each of these interactions reinforces the victim’s sense of being different, damaged, or permanently marked as a trauma survivor. Over time, this constant awareness of being watched and judged can lead to severe social anxiety and further isolation.
Depression and Suicidal Ideation
Depression is nearly universal among survivors of severe traumatic injuries with lasting visible effects. The combination of chronic pain, loss of function, changed appearance, social isolation, financial stress from medical bills and lost work, and the grinding reality of living with permanent disability creates a perfect storm for major depressive disorder. Victims describe feeling hopeless about their future, worthless due to their changed appearance or limitations, and exhausted by the constant effort required to manage their physical and emotional pain.
The rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts are significantly elevated among those with severe burn injuries, extensive scarring, and facial disfigurement. The psychological pain of living with severe disfigurement can become unbearable, particularly when coupled with chronic physical pain, social rejection, and the belief that their quality of life will never improve. Some victims express that the constant reminder of their trauma—literally written on their bodies—makes it impossible to move forward or heal psychologically. The permanence of their injuries means there is no escape from the daily confrontation with their trauma.
Social Isolation and Relationship Strain
The social consequences of visible traumatic injuries compound the psychological burden immensely. Many victims report that friends and even family members struggle to interact with them after their injuries, either due to discomfort with their changed appearance or inability to understand the psychological pain they’re experiencing. Social invitations dwindle. People who were once close become distant. The victim begins to feel abandoned at the time they most need support.
Romantic relationships face enormous strain. Existing relationships may crumble under the weight of the trauma, with partners unable to cope with the injured person’s changed appearance, emotional needs, or the practical demands of caregiving. For single individuals, the prospect of dating or finding a partner can feel impossibly daunting. Many victims express belief that no one will find them attractive or want to be with them given their scars or disfigurement. This belief—whether accurate or not—creates profound loneliness and reinforces feelings of worthlessness.
Professional life also suffers dramatically. Victims may be unable to return to their former work due to physical limitations or because their appearance now conflicts with job requirements or customer-facing roles. The loss of career identity adds another layer to the identity crisis, while the financial consequences create additional stress. Some victims report discrimination in employment, with their visible injuries creating barriers to being hired or advanced despite their qualifications.
The Long Road of Psychological Recovery
Unlike physical wounds that eventually heal to the extent they’re going to, psychological wounds from traumatic injury often worsen before they improve. The initial crisis phase may be followed by a period where the full reality of permanent changes sets in, triggering delayed or intensified psychological responses. Victims may require years of psychotherapy to process their trauma, develop coping strategies, and rebuild their sense of self and life purpose.
Many survivors benefit from trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps reprocess traumatic memories and develop healthier thought patterns. Some require medication to manage depression, anxiety, or PTSD symptoms. Support groups where survivors connect with others who have experienced similar injuries can provide validation and reduce the profound isolation these individuals experience. However, access to adequate psychological care is often limited by cost, availability of specialized providers, or the victim’s own avoidance of treatment due to trauma or hopelessness.
The psychological injuries from traumatic scarring, disfigurement, and degloving are not secondary to the physical injuries—they are equally serious, equally debilitating, and equally deserving of medical attention and treatment. For many survivors, the psychological scars ultimately prove more disabling than the physical ones, affecting every aspect of their lives and requiring sustained, specialized intervention to achieve any degree of healing or acceptance.
Compensation for Traumatic Scarring, Degloving and Disfigurement Injuries in Hamilton, Ontario.
In Canada, victims who have suffered traumatic scarring, degloving injuries, or disfigurement due to someone else’s negligence are entitled to seek compensation through personal injury claims. The compensation framework recognizes that these injuries create both economic and non-economic losses that deserve financial redress. Understanding what compensation is available and how it’s calculated is essential for victims navigating the legal process following catastrophic injuries.
Types of Compensation Available
Canadian personal injury law divides compensation into several distinct categories, each addressing different aspects of the harm suffered. For victims of severe scarring, degloving, and disfigurement, multiple categories of damages typically apply.
General Damages
General Damages (also called non-pecuniary damages) compensate for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and the overall impact the injury has on the victim’s quality of life. This includes compensation for physical pain, psychological trauma, emotional distress, loss of amenities, and the reduced ability to participate in activities the victim once enjoyed.
In Canada, general damages are subject to a cap established by the Supreme Court of Canada, which is adjusted annually for inflation. As of 2025, this cap sits at approximately $445,000 for the most catastrophic injuries.
Courts determine where a particular case falls on this spectrum based on the severity and permanence of injuries, the victim’s age, the impact on their daily life, and various other factors. Cases involving extensive visible scarring, particularly facial disfigurement, degloving injuries requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries, and significant psychological trauma typically command awards at the higher end of the spectrum.
Economic Damages
Loss of income damages compensate victims for wages lost. For many victims of severe degloving or disfiguring injuries, recovery involves months or even years away from work during hospitalization, multiple surgeries, and extended rehabilitation periods. This category covers all employment income lost from the date of injury through the time of trial or settlement, as well as loss of benefits, bonuses, and other employment-related compensation.
Loss of earning capacity addresses the longer-term or permanent impact on the victim’s ability to earn income in the future. This is particularly significant in disfigurement cases where visible scarring may limit career options or advancement opportunities. If injuries prevent a return to previous employment, limit the type of work the victim can perform, reduce productivity or working hours, or create barriers to career advancement, the victim is entitled to compensation for this diminished earning capacity. Courts calculate these awards by considering the victim’s age, education, work history, career trajectory before the injury, and the specific limitations imposed by their injuries. For younger victims with decades of working life ahead, loss of earning capacity awards can be substantial, sometimes reaching into the millions of dollars.
Loss of competitive advantage in the job market may also be recognized, particularly when visible disfigurement or scarring creates barriers to employment that go beyond pure functional limitations. Even if a victim can technically perform their job duties, facial scarring or visible disfigurement may impact hiring decisions, client-facing roles, or advancement in certain industries—a reality that courts acknowledge in awarding compensation.
Future care costs represent a critical component of compensation in cases involving permanent scarring and disfigurement. These injuries often require ongoing medical intervention for years or even a lifetime. In Ontario and other provinces with accident benefit systems, future care costs become particularly important when injuries do not meet the threshold for catastrophic impairment. While accident benefits provide coverage for medical and rehabilitation expenses, non-catastrophic claims face significant limitations—in Ontario, for example, non-catastrophic injuries are subject to a combined medical and rehabilitation benefit limit of $65,000, which can be exhausted relatively quickly given the extensive treatment these injuries require.
Once accident benefits are exhausted or insufficient to cover necessary care, victims must rely on tort claims against at-fault parties to recover compensation for future medical needs. For traumatic scarring, degloving injuries, and disfigurement that fall below the catastrophic threshold, this becomes essential to ensuring victims can access the ongoing care they need. Future care costs in these cases commonly include multiple revision surgeries to improve function or appearance over the years, continuous psychological treatment for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and body image issues, pain management services including medications, injections, and alternative therapies, scar care treatments such as laser therapy, steroid injections, silicone treatments, and specialized skincare products, dermatological care for scar management and monitoring, and periodic medical monitoring to address complications or deterioration. Expert medical testimony is typically required to establish the nature, frequency, and cost of future care needs, with courts awarding lump sums calculated to cover these anticipated expenses over the victim’s lifetime. These awards must account for the reality that accident benefits will not cover these costs, making the tort claim the victim’s only avenue for securing the financial resources necessary for proper long-term medical care and the best possible recovery outcomes.
Loss of housekeeping capacity compensates victims for their reduced ability to perform household tasks, yard work, home maintenance, and domestic duties they previously managed. When severe injuries limit physical capability or chronic pain makes household tasks difficult or impossible, victims may require paid assistance. Courts award compensation based on the reasonable cost of replacing these services.
Factors Influencing Compensation Amounts
Several key factors influence how much compensation a victim of traumatic scarring, degloving, or disfigurement may receive in Canada:
Severity and extent of scarring play a primary role. Extensive scarring covering large portions of the body commands higher compensation than limited scarring. The location matters significantly—facial disfigurement typically results in higher awards than scarring on areas normally covered by clothing, reflecting the greater social and psychological impact of visible injuries.
Functional impairment substantially increases compensation. Contracture scars that limit joint mobility, degloving injuries requiring amputation, or scarring that causes chronic pain all warrant additional compensation beyond the cosmetic impact alone.
Age of the victim significantly affects compensation, particularly for loss of earning capacity and future care costs. Younger victims face a lifetime of living with their injuries and potentially decades of lost earning potential, justifying higher awards. However, younger victims also may receive lower general damage awards in some cases due to greater adaptive capacity, though this consideration is balanced against the longer duration they must endure their injuries.
Impact on quality of life encompasses how the injuries affect the victim’s ability to participate in activities, maintain relationships, pursue hobbies, and enjoy life. Victims who provide compelling evidence of significant lifestyle changes, social isolation, inability to participate in previously enjoyed activities, or profound psychological suffering receive higher general damage awards.
Degree of psychological harm has become increasingly recognized in Canadian courts. PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and suicidal ideation resulting from traumatic injuries warrant substantial compensation. Expert psychiatric or psychological testimony documenting the severity and prognosis of mental health consequences strengthens claims significantly.
Number and extent of medical interventions required factor into compensation calculations. Victims who endure dozens of surgeries over many years, require ongoing specialized medical care, or face uncertain medical futures with potential additional interventions receive higher awards reflecting this medical burden.
Permanence of injuries affects awards substantially. Injuries that will never improve despite medical intervention warrant higher compensation than those with potential for significant improvement over time.
How long do I have to file a Personal Injury Claim for Traumatic Scarring, Degloving and Disfigurement in Hamilton, Ontario?
Canadian provinces impose limitation periods—strict deadlines—for filing personal injury lawsuits. These typically range from two to three years from the date of injury, though some provinces have discovery-based limitation periods that begin when the victim knows or ought to know they have a claim. Missing these deadlines generally bars victims from pursuing compensation regardless of the merit of their claims. Given the complexity of catastrophic injury cases and the time required to properly investigate, document, and prepare claims, victims should consult with personal injury lawyers as soon as possible after their injuries.
If you or a Loved one has Suffered Severe Traumatic Scarring, a Degloving Injury or Serious Disfiurement, our Hamilton Personal Injury Lawyers can Help.
Traumatic scarring, degloving injuries, and disfigurement are among the most devastating outcomes an accident victim can experience. These injuries rarely heal on their own. They demand extensive surgical intervention, long-term medical care, and deep personal strength to endure the physical pain, emotional strain, and social challenges that follow.
Recovery is often a lifelong process. Victims need access to expert medical teams, reconstructive specialists, and psychological support to rebuild their lives. While no financial award can erase the trauma or restore what has been lost, fair compensation provides the means for treatment, rehabilitation, and adaptation to a new reality.
At Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand how profoundly these injuries alter a person’s life. Our Hamilton personal injury lawyers fight to secure the compensation and care our clients need to move forward with dignity and stability.
Contact us today at 905-333-8888 or fill in a confidential contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and learn how we can help you obtain the justice and support you deserve.
Article FAQ
Why should I hire a lawyer for a scarring or disfigurement case?
A lawyer can help prove negligence, quantify damages, and ensure you receive full compensation for medical, emotional, and cosmetic impacts.
When should I contact a lawyer after a degloving injury?
Immediately—early involvement helps preserve evidence, coordinate medical documentation, and prevent missed limitation deadlines.
What experience should I look for in a disfigurement lawyer?
Choose a lawyer with proven results in catastrophic injury and visible disfigurement claims, supported by medical and psychological expertise.
Can a lawyer help me prove psychological harm from disfigurement?
Yes. Lawyers often retain psychologists or psychiatrists to document trauma, depression, and social withdrawal caused by visible injuries.
What role does expert testimony play in a scarring case?
Lawyers use plastic surgeons, vocational experts, and mental-health professionals to establish severity and long-term impact.
How do lawyers calculate future care costs in severe injury cases?
They use medical projections, life-care planners, and actuarial assessments to estimate long-term treatment and support needs.
Are consultations with personal injury lawyers confidential?
Yes. All discussions about your case and medical condition are protected by solicitor-client privilege.
Can a lawyer handle both my tort and accident benefits claims?
Yes. Most personal injury lawyers manage both aspects to ensure no gaps in recovery.
What makes Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers different in these cases?
They focus on catastrophic and visible injury claims, combining legal experience with medical and psychological insight.
What are hypertrophic scars in an accident injury?
Hypertrophic scars are raised scars that remain within the boundaries of the original wound after trauma.
How do keloid scars form following trauma?
Keloid scars develop when excess scar tissue spreads beyond the wound margins and continues to grow.
What is a contracture scar and how does it affect movement?
A contracture scar tightens as it heals, pulling surrounding tissue and possibly restricting joint mobility.
What is a degloving injury?
A degloving injury occurs when skin and underlying tissues are forcibly torn away from muscles or bone.
How can degloving injuries occur in motorcycle accidents?
They can occur when a rider slides across pavement or is ejected, causing shearing forces that strip skin from underlying tissue.
Can degloving happen in car accidents as well?
Yes—degloving can result from ejection, limb entrapment, or crushing mechanisms inside a vehicle.
What is closed degloving and why is it dangerous?
Closed degloving involves skin that appears intact but has separated from underlying tissues, masking serious internal injury.
What are the long-term impacts of degloving injuries?
Long-term effects include chronic pain, nerve damage, loss of function, disfigurement, and sometimes amputation.
Why is facial disfigurement particularly significant in legal claims?
Because facial injuries are always visible, they carry greater psychological and social impact, which can increase compensation value.
What psychological harms follow severe scarring or disfigurement?
Victims may suffer PTSD, depression, anxiety, identity disruption, social withdrawal, and body‐image disturbance.
What are future care costs in disfigurement cases?
These are projected costs for medical treatment, surgeries, psychological care, therapies, and assistive devices over a lifetime.
