Scarring and disfigurement claims in Houston: why timing and photos matter

A scar takes around 12 to 18 months to mature, so its true look is not clear at first. In Houston, scars often start with a dog bite, which must be reported by calling 311, or a burn. In Texas, disfigurement is a separate item of damages. A scar claim generally must be filed within 2 years.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (25)

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Road map of Houston showing the city limits within Harris County, which decide whether Houston's BARC or the county handles a dog bite report
A scar needs 12 to 18 months to mature. Photograph it all along. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How long should I wait before settling a scar claim in Houston?

Until the scar has matured, which takes around 12 to 18 months. Immature scars give poor results if revised. A settlement signed at month three prices a scar nobody has seen yet.

A scar softens with time, yet some mark always remains. Revision, laser, injections and creams can improve how a scar looks. They do not erase it.

Raised scars called keloids are more common under 30 and in some groups. Treating one can make it larger. Ask a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about the risk before you choose treatment.

How do I document a scar for a Houston injury claim?

  1. Take photos the first week, in daylight, with a coin or ruler for size.
  2. Repeat every month for the first year, and again at 12 to 18 months.
  3. Keep treatment records and receipts for each cream, laser or surgery visit.
  4. Write down how the scar affects work, clothing, sleep or confidence.
  5. Ask your doctor to describe the scar and any limits in the chart.

For a scar, Texas lets you claim mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment as three separate items. Impairment must be substantial and go beyond other damages. Photos and notes support each one.

What should I do after a dog bite scar in Houston?

Every animal bite in Houston must be reported. Call 311. BARC's direct line for bite reports is 713-229-7300. For a bite outside Houston's city limits, the Harris County animal control line is 281-999-3191. Houston's Chapter 6 applies within city limits.

BARC asks for owner information, witness statements, injury photos and medical reports. Houston code makes it unlawful to let a dog be at large without direct physical control. Texas also says a dog that bites a person must be quarantined or euthanized, and the 10-day watch starts at the time of the bite.

To start a dangerous dog case, a person must give BARC a sworn statement.

Where do people with burn scars get care in Houston?

For burn scars, Memorial Hermann points to its John S. Dunn Burn Center, which it says is the city's only comprehensive one. Its care includes burn reconstruction and scar management and rehabilitation.

For a child, Texas Children's calls itself the only freestanding Level I pediatric trauma center in the region. Time does not count while a person is a minor, so a child's deadline starts later.

Is scar compensation taxed, and how long do I have?

Payments for a physical injury are generally not taxable, unless medical costs were deducted earlier. Ask a tax professional about your case.

The usual limit for filing is 2 years. If a City of Houston vehicle or property was involved, written notice is due in 90 days.

Questions

Does a scar on my face count more than one on my arm?

Texas does not say that. It lists disfigurement as its own kind of damage, and a jury weighs how the scar affects you.

Can I get scar revision paid for in Houston?

A claim can include the cost of treatment, but Texas limits medical recovery to amounts paid or owed.

Who decides if a dog is dangerous in Houston?

A person starts the case with a sworn statement to BARC.

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Sources (25)

  1. PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it takes around 12-18 months for the scar to mature”
  2. BARC, Report an Animal Bite, checked 2026-11-08. “To report an animal bite of any kind, please call 311.”
  3. 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”
  4. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  5. PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Immature scars are prone to hypertrophy and give poor results after scar revision.”
  6. PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “scar revision will improve and not erase the scar”
  7. BARC, Declaring a Dog as Dangerous, checked 2026-11-08. “photographs of bodily injuries caused by the animal, medical reports related to the injuries”
  8. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Scars usually fade over time but never go away completely.”
  9. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Black people, Asians, and Hispanics are more prone to developing keloids.”
  10. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “These treatments, especially surgery, sometimes cause the keloid scar to become larger.”
  11. 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”
  12. Houston Fire Department FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “Call BARC at 713.229.7300 or dial 311 to report the bite.”
  13. Harris County Veterinary Public Health, Local Animal Control Agencies, checked 2026-11-08. “Harris Co (281) 999-3191 Animal Control”
  14. BARC, Chapter 6 FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “applies to animals or property found or located within the corporate limits of the city”
  15. Houston Code of Ordinances, Sec. 6-101, checked 2026-11-08. “It is unlawful for any person owning or having in his possession any dog to allow the dog to be at large without the owner or person in charge having direct physical control over the dog.”
  16. Texas DSHS, Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “Regardless of vaccination status, the dog, cat, or ferret must be quarantined or euthanized”
  17. Texas DSHS, Animal Bites, checked 2026-11-08. “the 10-day observation period begins at the time the bite”
  18. BARC, Declaring a Dog as Dangerous, checked 2026-11-08. “a person must make a complaint to BARC, in the form of a sworn statement”
  19. Memorial Hermann, John S. Dunn Burn Center, checked 2026-11-09. “The John S. Dunn Burn Center is the only comprehensive burn center in Houston.”
  20. Memorial Hermann, John S. Dunn Burn Center, checked 2026-11-09. “including critical care, acute inpatient care, burn reconstruction and scar management and rehabilitation”
  21. Texas Children's, Trauma System, checked 2026-11-09. “the only freestanding Level I pediatric trauma center in the region”
  22. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.001, checked 2026-11-09. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  23. 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”
  24. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”
  25. Tex. 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”

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