Scars and disfigurement after an accident: what a claim is really worth
No government source publishes an average settlement for a scar. Value depends on where the scar is, how it looks and feels, your age and work, and what revision can and cannot fix. Do not rush. One NIH-hosted review says scars take around 12 to 18 months to mature. Take dated photos from the start.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (35)
How much is a scar worth in a settlement?
There is no official answer. Settlement terms are often private, and scar claims depend on what a real person sees in the mirror. Be skeptical of a chart that assigns dollars by inches. Length alone says little.
| What matters | Why it can move the value |
|---|---|
| Location | A face or neck scar is seen every day. A scar under clothing can still matter, but it is usually viewed differently |
| How it looks | Raised, sunken, discolored or shiny scars draw more attention. Scars are often thicker, pinker or shinier than nearby skin |
| Function | A scar that tightens over a joint or limits movement is more than a matter of appearance |
| Permanence | Scars usually fade but never go away completely |
| Age | A younger person will live with it longer |
| Work | Jobs built on appearance or public contact can be affected, and that has to be shown with proof |
| Fault and insurance | A strong scar claim still depends on who was responsible and what coverage exists |
Should I settle before my scar has healed?
Usually not. One review on the NIH's PubMed Central says it takes around 12 to 18 months for a scar to mature. The same review warns that immature scars are prone to thickening and give poor results after revision. In other words, the scar you have at month three may not be the scar you end up with. A settlement signed then is a guess.
Your deadline to sue does not wait for the scar, though. In both Arizona and Texas, the general limit is 2 years. That leaves room for a scar to mature, but not much slack if you start late.
- Take photos the first week, then about once a month, in the same light and from the same distance.
- Include a coin or ruler in some photos to show size.
- Ask your doctor to describe the scar in the chart: length, color, texture and any tightness or numbness.
- Get a plastic surgeon or dermatologist's opinion on what can be done, when, and what it will cost.
- Save receipts for gels, sunscreen, silicone sheets and any treatments.
- Write down what has changed: how you dress, avoiding photos, comments at work.
What should I know about scars and keloids?
This is background, not medical advice. A scar is a permanent patch of skin that grows over a wound. Treatments that can reduce its appearance include surgical revision, dermabrasion, laser treatments, injections, chemical peels and creams. Review articles caution that revision improves a scar and does not erase it. Ask your own doctor what fits your skin and your scar.
Keloids deserve their own mention. A keloid is a growth of extra scar tissue, and MedlinePlus says Black people, Asians and Hispanics are more prone to them. Treatment, especially surgery, sometimes makes a keloid larger. A keloid exposed to the sun in its first year can darken, and that color may not go away. That matters in a claim. If your skin type carries a higher risk, a good estimate of future care accounts for it, including the chance that a treatment will not work.
What can a scarring claim cover?
- Treatment you already had, including wound care and surgery.
- Future revision, laser sessions and injections that are reasonably probable, usually supported by a surgeon's estimate.
- The disfigurement itself, past and likely future.
- Lost pay during treatment and reduced earning power, if the scar affects your work.
- Counseling for anxiety or depression tied to the injury.
Example only, not a prediction: a surgeon estimates two revision procedures at $6,000 each. A claim might include $12,000 for that care, plus an amount for the part of the scar that will remain. If the estimate leaves out the second procedure, that money is usually gone once you sign a release.
How do insurers try to minimize a scar claim?
| What the insurer says | What can answer it |
|---|---|
| "It's only cosmetic." | Disfigurement is a recognized form of damages. If it limits movement, your doctor should say so |
| "It will fade." | Fading is not disappearing. Monthly photos show the real course |
| "Clothing covers it." | Your summer, swimming and intimate life count. Written examples help |
| "Revision will fix it." | Revision improves and does not erase, and it has its own costs and risks |
| "You had scars already." | Earlier photos that show the skin before the accident |
| "You never had the revision." | A surgeon's note on why it should wait, or why you could not afford it |
Who pays for a scar from an accident?
It follows the cause. A car crash points to auto liability coverage. A dog bite often points to a homeowner's or renter's policy. A store or apartment injury points to the property's insurer. A surgical scar from a medical mistake points to malpractice coverage, and in Texas noneconomic damages against physicians are capped at $250,000 per claimant. A settlement for a physical injury is generally non-taxable if you did not deduct those medical costs earlier.
How do Arizona and Texas treat disfigurement?
| Issue | Arizona | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Is disfigurement recognized? | Yes, in the standard jury instruction | Yes, listed separately in the damages statute |
| Limit on the amount | Constitution bars caps | Exemplary damages are capped, and health care claims against physicians have their own limit |
| Overlap with other damages | Elements can overlap, so jury instructions may be adjusted | Physical impairment must go beyond pain, anguish and lost earnings, with no double recovery |
| Future scar care | Reasonably probable future care counts | Recovery of expenses limited to amounts paid or incurred |
| Scarring at work | Comp allows up to 18 months for head or face disfigurement | Comp rules differ, and some employers do not carry it |
| Children | Time under 18 is not counted | A minor's years are left out of the count |
| Scar from a government-caused accident | Notice in 180 days, lawsuit in 1 year | Notice in 6 months, or a city's charter period |
| Shared blame | Reduces the amount | Bars recovery above 50 percent |
One honest limit: we could not find a state rule that sets a value for any particular scar in either state. Juries and adjusters decide case by case.
How long does a scarring claim take?
Often about as long as the scar takes to declare itself, which can be a year or more. If the case is filed and goes to a jury, 2005 federal data showed an average of 27 months from filing, across all civil cases. Waiting has a cost, so talk with someone about whether to file to protect the deadline while the scar matures.
Common mistakes:
- Signing a release in the first few months.
- Taking only one photo, or none in good light.
- Leaving out the second or third revision from the estimate.
- Exposing a healing scar to the sun without your doctor's guidance.
Questions
How much compensation do you get for a scar on your face?
No official figure exists. Facial scars are often valued more because they are visible, but the amount depends on appearance, age, work, fault and insurance.
Can I claim for a scar if I did not have surgery?
Yes, a scar itself can be part of the damages. A surgeon's opinion on available treatment can also support future costs.
Can I sue for a scar from a dog bite?
Often yes, usually through the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance. Report the bite and take photos as it heals.
What if my child was scarred?
Both states pause the general deadline for minors. A child's scar can change as they grow, which is one more reason not to rush. Government claims can have different deadlines.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (35)
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it takes around 12-18 months for the scar to mature”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “scar revision will improve and not erase the scar”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.001(12), checked 2026-11-09. “physical pain and suffering, mental or emotional pain or anguish, loss of consortium, disfigurement, physical impairment”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “The pain, discomfort, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and anxiety already experienced, and reasonably probable to be experienced in the future.”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “The terms of settlement agreements and other key information for civil cases resolved prior to trial may not be reported to the court or may not be publicly available.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars are often thicker, as well as pinker, redder, or shinier, than the rest of your skin.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars usually fade over time but never go away completely.”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Immature scars are prone to hypertrophy and give poor results after scar revision.”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-09. “there shall be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “A scar is a permanent patch of skin that grows over a wound”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These include surgical revision, dermabrasion, laser treatments, injections, chemical peels, and creams.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Black people, Asians, and Hispanics are more prone to developing keloids.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These treatments, especially surgery, sometimes cause the keloid scar to become larger.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “A keloid will tan darker than the skin around it if exposed to the sun during the first year after it forms.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Reasonable expenses for necessary medical care, treatment, and services already incurred and reasonably probable to be incurred in the future.”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Lost earnings to date, and any decrease in earning power or capacity in the future.”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be limited to an amount not to exceed $250,000 for each claimant”
- IRS Publication 4345, checked 2026-11-09. “did not take an itemized deduction for medical expenses related to the injury or sickness in prior years, the full amount is non-taxable”
- Arizona Constitution, art. 2, § 31, checked 2026-11-09. “No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.008, checked 2026-11-09. “Exemplary damages awarded against a defendant may not exceed an amount equal to the greater of”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages, checked 2026-11-09. “in some instances can be redundant”
- Golden Eagle Archery, Inc. v. Jackson, 116 S.W.3d 757 (Tex. 2003), checked 2026-11-09. “the effect of any physical impairment must be substantial and extend beyond any pain, suffering, mental anguish, lost wages or diminished earning capacity”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.0105, checked 2026-11-09. “recovery of medical or health care expenses incurred is limited to the amount actually paid or incurred by or on behalf of the claimant”
- A.R.S. § 23-1044, checked 2026-11-09. “For permanent disfigurement about the head or face, including injury to or loss of teeth”
- Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation, checked 2026-11-09. “Not all Texas employers provide workers' compensation insurance, but most do.”
- A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-09. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-09. “All actions against any public entity or public employee shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward.”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “A city's charter and ordinance provisions requiring notice within a charter period permitted by law are ratified”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-09. “the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-09. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “the processing of a case required an additional half year for a jury trial (27 months), compared to a bench trial (21 months)”