Legal Definitions - disfigure

Disfigure

In legal contexts, disfigurement refers to a permanent alteration to a person's body, particularly through visible marks like scars, that noticeably changes their physical appearance. If such an injury is caused by another party's negligence or intentional actions, the resulting disfigurement can significantly increase the amount of compensation awarded in a legal claim or lawsuit.

• Example 1: A construction worker is injured when a faulty piece of equipment collapses, causing a heavy beam to fall and strike their face. Despite extensive reconstructive surgery, the worker is left with deep, visible scars across their cheek and forehead that permanently alter their facial features.

  Explanation: The lasting and prominent scars on the worker's face constitute disfigurement because they create a permanent and noticeable change to their physical appearance, specifically impacting how their face looks.

• Example 2: During a house fire caused by a defective appliance, a resident suffers severe burns to their arm and hand. After medical treatment and skin grafts, the affected areas heal with extensive, tight, and shiny scar tissue that significantly changes the texture, color, and overall appearance of their limb.

  Explanation: The severe burns and subsequent scar tissue have created a permanent and visible alteration to the resident's arm and hand, affecting its appearance and thus fitting the definition of disfigurement.