Scarring and disfigurement claims in Phoenix: when to photograph, when to file
A scar takes around 12 to 18 months to mature, but Arizona gives you 2 years to sue. That means you may need to file before you know how the scar will look. Start dated photos now. An Arizona jury is told to weigh disfigurement and anxiety, past and future.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (30)
How long before a scar can be judged in Phoenix?
Around 12 to 18 months for it to mature. Until then, color, thickness and shine keep changing. Compared with nearby skin, a scar is often thicker, pinker, redder or shinier.
That timing creates a squeeze. The 2-year deadline to sue starts when you are hurt. Immature scars give poor results after revision, so doctors may tell you to wait. Plan the legal date and the medical date side by side.
- Ask your doctor how long until the scar is mature, and write the date.
- Put your own deadline on a calendar: two years from the injury.
- Ask a lawyer how to protect your claim if treatment is still going on.
What injuries leave scars in Phoenix, and who do I call first?
| Cause | First local step | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Burn from pavement, scald or fire | Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise treats more than 8,000 burn patients a year | Burn care records show depth and grafts |
| Dog bite | Report to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control at 602-506-7387 | The county quarantines the dog for 10 days and cites the owner if a leash violation is shown |
| Crash with cuts or glass | Order the crash report: DPS on freeways, Phoenix Police on city streets | The report ties the injury to the date and cause |
| Child injured | Phoenix Children's Hospital is a state-designated Level I pediatric trauma center | Hospital records show the first photos |
A leash rule often matters in bite cases. Off the owner's property, a Phoenix dog must be on a leash of no more than six feet and under direct control.
What photos and records prove a scar?
- Photos on the day of the injury, before bandages, if you can.
- A new photo every few weeks, same light, same angle, with a ruler or coin for size.
- Every doctor visit, referral and treatment, such as laser, injections, peels or creams.
- A short note on what it changes: work, sleep, clothes, activities, how you feel in public.
Sun matters here. A keloid will tan darker than the skin around it if it gets sun in the first year after it forms. Ask your provider how to cover a new scar outdoors.
Is a scar covered by workers' comp in Arizona?
Sometimes. For permanent disfigurement about the head or face, including injury to or loss of teeth, the comp schedule allows up to 18 months. The written claim goes to the Industrial Commission within one year of the injury. Its Claims Division is at 800 W. Washington St., (602) 542-4661.
Comp pays no matter who was at fault. A separate claim against an outside party may also be possible.
How long do I have to file a scar or disfigurement claim in Phoenix?
A suit over a scar against a private party generally has a 2-year limit. For a child, time under 18 does not count toward that deadline. If a city, county or school district is involved, file a notice of claim within 180 days, then sue within one year.
What a jury weighs: past and future pain, discomfort, disability, disfigurement and anxiety, plus the cost of care and lost earning power. Arizona's constitution bars a cap on injury damages, so a jury weighs these items without a state ceiling.
Questions
Will surgery remove my scar?
No. Revision can improve how a scar looks, but it cannot erase it.
Does it matter where the scar is?
It can. A jury hears how the scar affects you, including disfigurement and anxiety. Location, size and what you cannot do because of it are part of that story.
Does the dog owner's citation decide my claim?
No. If no citation is issued, the county ends its investigation, but a victim can still seek money in civil court.
What if the scar is hurting how I feel about myself?
That is common after trauma. Arizona's crisis line is open any hour: dial 988 or 1-844-534-HOPE.
Scars and disfigurement in Phoenix? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (30)
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it takes around 12-18 months for the scar to mature”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- 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.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars usually fade over time but never go away completely.”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “scar revision will improve and not erase the scar”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Immature scars are prone to hypertrophy and give poor results after scar revision.”
- 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.”
- Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, Victims' Rights, checked 2026-11-08. “Seek medical attention if necessary, and take photos of any injuries.”
- 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”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars are often thicker, as well as pinker, redder, or shinier, than the rest of your skin.”
- Valleywise Health, Burn Center, checked 2026-11-09. “cares for more than 8,000 burn patients and admits more than 1,600 adult and pediatric patients”
- Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, Our Field Team, checked 2026-11-08. “You or your pet are the victim(s) of a dog bite or attack?”
- Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, Victims' Rights, checked 2026-11-08. “Dog is quarantined (home or other) for 10 days. If dog at-large violation is established, citation is issued to dog owner.”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
- Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-09. “| Phoenix Children’s Hospital | 1919 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, | AZ 85016 08/31/25 | 08/31/28 |”
- Phoenix City Code 8-14, checked 2026-11-08. “on a leash not to exceed six feet in length and directly under the owner’s or custodian’s control”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These include surgical revision, dermabrasion, laser treatments, injections, chemical peels, and creams.”
- A.R.S. § 23-1044, checked 2026-11-09. “For permanent disfigurement about the head or face, including injury to or loss of teeth”
- Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “An injured worker must file a claim in writing with the Commission within one year after the injury occurred.”
- Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Phoenix: 800 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007 - Phone: (602) 542-4661”
- Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “you receive medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job-related accident.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “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.”
- 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.”
- 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”
- Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, Victims' Rights, checked 2026-11-08. “MCACC ends the investigation and the victim can choose to seek restitution as a civil matter.”
- Solari Crisis Response Network, Arizona crisis line, checked 2026-11-09. “Dial 988 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year”
- Solari Crisis Response Network, Arizona crisis line, checked 2026-11-09. “Arizona Statewide 1-844-534-HOPE”