Catastrophic Facial Trauma & Disfigurement Lawsuits
Facial injuries are uniquely personal. They can affect breathing, vision, speech, eating, and expression—while also changing how the world perceives you and how you perceive yourself. High-energy impacts, burns, explosions, defective products, assaults, and medical errors can cause fractures, lacerations, nerve damage, dental and ocular injuries, and permanent scarring.
From day one, we assemble the right team for catastrophic facial cases: trauma and reconstructive surgeons, maxillofacial specialists, ophthalmology and ENT experts, burn and scar-care clinicians, dental/occlusal experts, life-care planners, and vocational and economic specialists. We build liability and damages in parallel, so nothing is left to chance.
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Our Results
McEldrew Purtell has a proven track record of maximizing recovery for our clients.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Ways We Can Help
Below are common causes and contexts for severe facial trauma and disfigurement. For each, we develop the evidence and pursue every responsible party to seek full compensation under the law.
Trucking & Commercial Vehicle Crashes
Superheated gases, particulate, hydrogen cyanide, and other combustion byproducts can cause airway burns, chemical pneumonitis, and long-term lung damage. Potentially liable parties: property owners/landlords (code/maintenance), contractors, alarm/ sprinkler vendors, utilities, and product manufacturers (e.g., lithium-ion devices).
Unsafe Premises & Negligent Security (Assaults, Falls, Dog Bites)
Poor lighting, inadequate security, dangerous conditions, or uncontrolled animals can lead to facial fractures, lacerations, and scarring. Potentially liable parties may include property owners/managers, tenants/occupiers with control, security contractors, and animal owners/insurers.
Fire, Explosions & Chemical Burns
Thermal and chemical burns can damage skin, eyelids, lips, nose, and airway; smoke or caustic exposure can injure eyes and lungs. Potentially liable parties may include property owners, gas/utilities and contractors, product manufacturers (appliances/batteries/aerosols), and event operators/pyrotechnic vendors.
Defective Products (Airbags, Helmets, Tools, Consumer Goods)
Exploding components, shattering materials, or inadequate protection can cause facial trauma and scarring. Potentially liable parties may include manufacturers, component suppliers, designers, distributors, and retailers (design/manufacturing defect or failure-to-warn theories).
Public Transit & Railroad Incidents
Sudden decelerations, collisions, or debris can cause complex facial injuries. Potentially liable parties may include carriers, maintenance contractors, component manufacturers, and third-party operators.
Workplace & Industrial Incidents
Unshielded machinery, projectiles, chemical splashes, and blast events can injure eyes, teeth, jaws, and facial structures. Potentially liable parties may include equipment manufacturers, site GCs/subcontractors, premises owners, maintenance vendors, and safety staffing firms (third-party claims; workers’ comp may limit suits against a direct employer).
Sports, Recreation & E-Mobility (ATVs, E-Scooters, Cycling)
Helmet failures, unsafe rentals, negligent supervision, or defective components can lead to facial fractures and dental injuries. Potentially liable parties may include event organizers, rental companies, landowners, and product manufacturers.
Medical Negligence (Surgical & Anesthesia)
Derailments or cargo releases expose workers and communities to toxic plumes; diesel exhaust exposures affect railroad workers.
Potentially liable parties: carriers, shippers, brokers, and equipment manufacturers.
Construction & Work-at-Heights Events
Falls and struck-by incidents often cause complex midface and mandibular fractures. Potentially liable parties may include site owners, GCs/subcontractors, scaffold/lift vendors, PPE providers, and product manufacturers if a defect or lack of guarding contributed.
Child Injuries (Daycare, School, Youth Sports)
Inadequate supervision, unsafe equipment, or premises defects can cause facial trauma and scars with lifelong impact. Potentially liable parties may include facility operators, coaches, equipment providers, and property owners.
Boating & Watercraft
Propeller strikes, collisions, and onboard explosions can cause facial fractures and lacerations. Potentially liable parties may include operators, rental companies, and product manufacturers.
Toxic/Corrosive Product Exposure at Home
Mislabeling or inadequate warnings on household cleaners and cosmetics can cause chemical burns to the face and eyes. Potentially liable parties may include product manufacturers and retailers.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
Hear From Our Clients
At McEldrew Purtell, results matter and so does the way we achieve them. While our case outcomes reflect our tenacity in court and at the negotiation table, it’s the voices of our clients that truly capture who we are and why we do this work.
We represent people at the worst moments of their lives: after catastrophic injuries, workplace tragedies, and preventable losses. Through every case, we aim to deliver not just compensation but clarity, confidence, and care.
If you’re considering working with a Philadelphia trial lawyer, we invite you to read what our clients have said about their experiences with McEldrew Purtell. Their words are the most powerful testament to our values, our dedication, and our results.
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FAQs
Get answers to commonly asked questions regarding severe facial trauma & disfigurement and learn how we can help with your case.
What counts as severe facial trauma?
Injuries that permanently impair function (vision, breathing, chewing, speech), require major surgery (ORIF, grafts, flaps, revisions), or cause lasting scarring/disfigurement that affects appearance or expression.
What are common facial injuries after a crash or fall?
Midface (Le Fort) and zygomatic fractures, orbital blowouts, mandibular fractures, nasal fractures, dental avulsions/fractures, facial nerve injuries, eyelid/lip lacerations, ocular trauma, and significant scarring or contractures.
Who can be held responsible?
Depending on the facts: drivers and motor carriers, property owners/managers, product manufacturers and retailers, employers/third parties on worksites, security contractors, medical and dental providers, and event or rental operators.
How do you value the psychological impact of facial disfigurement?
Through expert evaluation (psychology/psychiatry), counseling records, and client/lay witness testimony about anxiety, avoidance, depression, or career effects, paired with visuals that show the real-world change over time.