A dog bite can leave marks that last a lifetime. Not just physical scars, but changes to how a person looks, how they feel about themselves, and how they move through the world. For many victims, especially children and people whose injuries are on their face, neck, or hands, the visible aftermath of an attack can be just as significant as the initial pain.
Washington law recognizes this. Scarring and disfigurement are compensable damages in a dog bite case, and understanding how they’re valued matters if you want a settlement that actually reflects what you’ve been through.
What Qualifies as Compensable Scarring and Disfigurement
Any permanent alteration to a person’s appearance caused by a dog bite can support a damages claim. That includes:
- Raised or discolored scar tissue at the bite site
- Skin grafts and the altered appearance they produce
- Loss of tissue or structural changes to facial features
- Nerve damage that causes visible changes in muscle function or expression
- Permanent hair loss in areas affected by the bite
The injury doesn’t have to be severe by medical standards to be significant legally. A visible scar on the face, neck, or hand, even if it doesn’t impair function, can carry substantial value in a Washington personal injury case because of the emotional and social impact it creates.
How Washington Courts and Insurers Value These Injuries
Scarring and disfigurement fall into the category of non-economic damages. There’s no precise formula. Value gets determined by weighing several factors together:
- The location of the scarring on the body, with facial and hand scarring generally valued higher than scarring in less visible areas
- The severity and permanence of the scarring, including whether it’s expected to improve over time with treatment
- The victim’s age, since younger victims live with the consequences for longer
- How the scarring has affected the victim’s daily life, employment, relationships, and psychological wellbeing
- Whether the victim has required or will require reconstructive surgery
Insurance adjusters will typically minimize these factors when making initial offers. They may argue that scarring is cosmetic, that it will fade, or that the victim’s distress is exaggerated. Countering those arguments requires well-documented evidence and, in many cases, expert medical opinion.
The Role of Reconstructive Surgery in a Washington Dog Bite Claim
Many dog bite victims require multiple procedures to address scarring. Scar revision surgery, dermabrasion, laser treatment, and other interventions can improve appearance over time, but they’re expensive, they take time, and they don’t always produce the results victims hope for.
All past and reasonably anticipated future costs for reconstructive procedures are recoverable as economic damages in Washington. That means a settlement or verdict needs to account not just for what’s already been spent, but for what future treatment will cost, which requires input from a plastic surgeon or reconstructive specialist who can project that timeline and those costs.
An Everett dog bite lawyer works with medical professionals to document both the current state of scarring and what future treatment is anticipated, so the full picture of economic damages is captured before any settlement is reached.
The Psychological Dimension of Disfigurement
Visible scarring from a dog bite frequently produces psychological consequences that deserve their own attention in a claim. Body image concerns, social anxiety, depression, and avoidance of situations that draw attention to the injury are all well-documented responses to traumatic disfigurement.
These psychological impacts are part of what makes scarring claims worth pursuing fully rather than settling quickly. They often require evaluation by a mental health professional whose documentation can support the non-economic portion of a claim.
Why Settling Too Early Is a Particular Risk in Scarring Cases
Scar tissue changes over time. Some scarring improves significantly within the first year. Some worsens. The long-term appearance isn’t always predictable in the immediate aftermath of an attack. Settling a claim before the scar has stabilized, and before the full course of treatment has been determined, means accepting compensation based on an incomplete picture.
Deno Millikan Law Firm, PLLC handles dog bite cases throughout the Everett area and understands how to build and time these claims for the best possible outcome. If you or a family member suffered scarring or disfigurement in a dog attack, reach out to an Everett dog bite lawyer to discuss what happened and find out what full compensation for your injuries should actually look like.