Abdominoplasty Negligence Compensation Claims Solicitors

Abdominoplasty, sometimes known as a tummy tuck, is a cosmetic procedure designed to alter the shape of the patient’s abdomen.

It may involve strengthening the abdominal muscles as well as eliminating any extra loose skin, fat, and stretch marks.

The goal of a tummy tuck is to remove extra skin from the stomach that cannot be removed through exercise, such as extra skin brought on by pregnancy or significant weight loss.

Unfortunately, despite the procedure regularly being cited as one of the top 5 most common cosmetic procedures in the UK, accidents can still occur. 

While all surgeries have different risks, if avoidable harm is caused prior to, during or after your tummy tuck (because your medical professionals did not follow correct procedures) then this can be considered negligent.

When abdominoplasty negligence occurs, it is essential that those affected seek the right legal advice. 

Why trust Sheldon Davidson Solicitors with your claim?

Our specialist team of expert solicitors at SDS have years of expertise addressing instances involving negligent tummy tuck surgeries. 

We understand how traumatising it can be to go through this kind of negligence, and we have been advocating for our clients' best interests since 1997.

Despite the fact that we are situated in Manchester, we assist victims of abdominoplasty negligence from all over England and Wales.

If you believe that you, or someone you know, have suffered unnecessary harm due to improper care, then you could have a claim.

To find out for sure, simply call us for free using the number at the top of this page, or fill out our online contact form. A member of our expert team will get back to you as soon as possible.

What are the causes of abdominoplasty negligence?

During a partial abdominoplasty, a large incision across the lower tummy separating the skin from the abdominal wall below the belly button will be made. From here, the excess fat will be removed and the skin will be pulled together and stitched in place. 

In a complete abdominoplasty however, a larger incision across the lower tummy is made, followed by a second smaller incision from the surrounding tissue of the belly button. Then, the abdominal muscles are realigned after separating the skin from the abdominal wall, removing any excess fat and skin and creating a new hole for the belly button. Afterwards, the remaining skin is brought together and stitched in place.

Depending on the kind of abdominoplasty you had, you may be left with a scar around your belly button area and another running across your lower abdomen, or only scarring on your lower abdomen. 

After an abdominoplasty surgery, it is common to experience pain, bruising, numbness and/or difficulty standing up straight 

However, these symptoms will typically be mild and will improve over time. 

Common examples of instances where patients have experienced abdominoplasty negligence, and have been able to claim compensation as a result, include:

Haematoma

During an abdominoplasty, the surgeon will be working around the abdomen. Because so many vital organs are located in this region, an abdominoplasty comes with a large amount of risks. 

A haematoma is a solid swelling of clotted blood beneath the skin or within the tissues. It can resemble a bruise or a raised skin surface with blood trapped inside. Any type of injury, including an abdominoplasty, carries the risk of haematoma. The most common place that haematomas may form after a tummy tuck is in the abdomen area.

Your blood vessels, nerves, capillaries, and skin are all injured or damaged during an abdominoplasty. The surgical trauma of this may cause your body to expel blood, which may accumulate under the skin or within other tissues and disrupt the blood vessel wall's arrangement.

Even minor damage to a small blood vessel can result in a haematoma.

Certain factors raise the risk of haematomas. The first is the use of blood thinners. If you take aspirin or certain anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, you are more likely to develop haematoma after your tummy tuck. A few weeks before the surgery, the surgeon may ask you to stop taking your blood thinners. This is done to reduce the chances of developing a haematoma, excessive bleeding, or poor wound healing.

Some other medical conditions may increase the likelihood of haematomas developing following your abdominoplasty. Patients with liver disease, blood disorders, and low platelet count, for example, are more likely to develop haematomas. Additionally, regular, excessive alcohol consumption can also increase your likelihood of developing haematomas after plastic surgery.

Because of the correlation between certain health conditions, medications and environmental factors and developing a haematoma after your abdominoplasty, the surgeon and medical team handling your surgery should have carried out a thorough check of your medical history and current lifestyle.

It is your healthcare professional's responsibility to analyse whether you are a suitable candidate for tummy tuck surgery before carrying out the procedure. This way, they (and you) can fully understand the level of potential risks that the surgery might pose for your overall health. 

Failure to do this prior to your abdominoplasty is considered negligent. 

Blood clots

Blood clots are the second most common complication that can arise after your abdominoplasty. Just like with hematomas, they can form as an unavoidable consequence of the surgery or can occur because of medical negligence. 

Blood clots or DVT can occur after any operation. This usually happens in the legs right after anaesthesia is administered or surgery begins. The clots are in the deep veins rather than the superficial veins on the surface of the legs. If these blood clots form, they may break off in the veins and travel to the lungs with the blood. This is known as a pulmonary embolism, or PE. It can be a serious health issue, so prevention is essential.

Your surgeon should do a thorough check of your medical history prior to giving you any treatment. 

Failure to do so is considered negligent. To get expert advice about your next steps, call us at the number at the top of this page.

It is also important that post-surgery, any symptoms related to DVT that you might experience, such as throbbing or cramping pain in one leg, swollen veins that are hard or painful when touched, or warm or red skin surrounding the painful area should be treated seriously. Your doctor should tell you which symptoms to look out for and should act accordingly (test for DVT and other post-op complications) if they occur. 

If your doctor suspects you have DVT, you should be referred to the hospital for an ultrasound scan within 24 hours. The scan determines whether or not blood flows normally through the vein.

You could also have a vein X-ray (genogram), during which you will be injected with a dye to show the location of the blood clot.

Failure to properly address your symptoms of DVT, or any existing medical conditions that might increase your chances of developing a blood clot, is negligent. If you, or someone close to you, have suffered because of insufficient care prior to, during or after your tummy tuck, then you could be entitled to compensation. 

To find out what your next steps might be and get the closure you deserve, get in touch with one of our abdominoplasty negligence experts today through the number at the top of this page or by filling out our contact form.

Less common complications

Some other ways that an abdominoplasty may go wrong include:

• thick, visible scars forming bulges beneath the skin
• "dog ears" (extra skin) at the edges of scar wounds failing to heal 
• Nerve damage, resulting in numbness or pain in the tummy or down the leg 
• cramps or abdomen pain
• breathing problems
• Infection after surgery 

As a serious procedure, an abdominoplasty may result in a number of unwanted complications. Unfortunately, this cannot always be helped. 

But if avoidable complications occur because your doctor did not follow the correct procedures, then you could have a claim. 

Nobody deserves to receive substandard care from their healthcare professionals. But the good news is that there is help available. 

A successful compensation claim can have a profound impact on your healing journey. Whether you have gone through physical, emotional, financial or psychological hardships after experiencing abdominoplasty negligence, you could be entitled to financial support.

What am I entitled to?

As with all cases of medical carelessness, every instance of abdominoplasty negligence is different - and the amount of physical, emotional and financial stress that you may have experienced as a result will be unique to you. 

Because of this, there is no standard amount of compensation for successful abdominoplasty negligence claims. Instead, every claim made must take into account the full extent of the damage that has been caused. 

That’s why it is essential for victims of abdominoplasty negligence to seek out the right legal advice. 

If you, or someone close to you, have experienced avoidable harm caused by improper action (or lack thereof) by medical professionals prior to, during, or after your tummy tuck, then you could have a claim.

The only way to find out for sure is by getting in touch with a solicitor who is experienced in handling similar cases to yours. That’s where we come in.

At SDS Solicitors, we understand the extreme toll that tummy tuck negligence can inflict on the lives of those affected, and we have helped many clients with cases similar to yours get the compensation they deserve.

To find out whether you have a claim, how much you could be entitled to and what your next steps should be, get in touch with us today for your free consultation. 

Contact Us

Established in Manchester in 1997, we are a leading specialist personal injury, accident and medical negligence law firm acting for victims of non-fault incidents, such as negligent cosmetic surgery.

Our Medical Negligence Solicitors, act regularly for clients across Greater Manchester including Ashton, Bury, Bolton, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Middleton, Failsworth, Rochdale, Oldham and Whitefield.

The team of Abdominoplasty Injury Claims Solicitors at Sheldon Davidson Solicitors can support your needs wherever you live in Northern Ireland or England and Wales.

We specialise in no win no fee injury claims, which means if you don't win, you won't have to pay.

Call us for free now using the number at the top of the page or complete the online contact form and a member of our team will get back to you.

Sheldon Davidson Solicitors are a Lexcel accredited law firm. The Lexcel standard is only awarded by the Law Society to firms who meet the highest standards of practice management and customer service.

With Sheldon Davidson Solicitors in Whitefield, Manchester you can be confident that your Abdominoplasty Compensation Claim is in safe hands.​​​​​​​