Compensation for Negligent Abdominoplasty

Making a tummy tuck claim

An abdominoplasty - more popularly known as ‘tummy tuck’ surgery - is one of the UK’s top ten cosmetic procedures for both men and women. Nearly one in seventeen of all operations carried out to alter a person’s physical appearance involve the straightening or firming up of the stomach.

A significant amount of cosmetic work is carried out by consultants in private practice rather than through the NHS. Most treatments and procedures are carried out by competent and professional surgeons without complications.

A doctor who practices cosmetic surgery should have undertaken qualified training and is required to be on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery at the General Medical Council. These rules do not apply to doctors who registered with the Council before 2002.

A cosmetic clinic registered with the independent Care Quality Commission (CQC) must carefully assess if tummy-tuck surgery is suitable in each case as well as fully explain the risks involved.

Poor cosmetic work can cause patients to suffer more than ongoing pain and distress. The long term consequences of negligent treatment cannot only leave permanent physical and psychological scars but also have a considerable impact upon the patient’s quality of life and their ability to interact socially.

Your Legal Friend has many years of clinical negligence experience, helping clients who have suffered disfiguring injuries caused by cosmetic procedures that have gone wrong.

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Our medical negligence team has years of experience working on a wide variety of medical malpractice cases so we understand just how difficult a decision it can be to bring a medical neg Medical Negligence Team.jpg ligence case.

That’s why we are committed to guiding you through every step of the process. We ensure that your claim is handled carefully and professionally by our specialist solicitors, while working alongside medical experts, to guarantee the best results for you.

Our medical negligence team is headed by Laura Morgan who has a wealth of experience in leading complicated, high value medical negligence cases.

Laura is recognised within the legal profession as a leader in the field of medical negligence and serious injury compensation. Laura has acted in a wide range of cases over her 17 years of practice and has particular expertise in acting for children who have suffered brain injury due to mismanaged birth or surgical errors, and in managing claims that have resulted in the death of a loved one. Laura has achieved a number of large settlements including £5.4 million for a 7 year old and £4 million for an 11 year old child.

Laura’s expertise and dedication to her clients is recognised in the Chambers guide to the Legal Profession in which she was praised for the efficiency of her approach to case handling and described as “tenacious and detail-oriented”.

Laura has been a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel since 2005 and accredited as a Senior Litigator in the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) since 2006. Laura is also a member of the specialist lawyers panel for Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA), the UK’s leading charity committed to patient safety and justice.

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For an informal, confidential chat with one of our specialist medical negligence solicitors, call us now on 0808 115 9269(calls free from landlines and mobiles). Or just complete the 'Start a new claim’ option on the right and we'll call you straight back.

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The effects of medical negligence can be devastating for the individual and their families, so securing appropriate compensation for them as quickly as possible is our top priority.

Laura Morgan

Director of Medical Negligence

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Your questions... answered

What complications are associated with tummy tuck surgery? Do cosmetic surgeons have a duty of care? What are the statistics on tummy tuck surgery? What are the different types of tummy tuck?

What complications are associated with tummy tuck surgery?

Bruising, swelling and pain naturally occur after invasive surgery and scarring will often take several months to heal properly. As with all surgical procedures, there are risks involved. Some may be minor while others are more serious and life-threatening.

Complications can include:

Excessive scarring
Tissue death
Nerve damage
Build up of fluid
Infection

Do cosmetic surgeons have a duty of care?

A surgeon has a duty to:

Carefully explain the risks and limitations of tummy tuck surgery.
Enquire into your medical history and any conditions or circumstances that may present a risk or lead to complications.

Where a procedure falls below the expected standard, a surgeon may be found to be in breach of the ‘duty of care’ that you are owed.

What are the statistics on tummy tuck surgery?

Tummy tuck surgery is one of the top ten cosmetic procedures in the UK.
2,713 of the 45,406 cosmetic procedures carried out on both men and women in 2014 were for tummy-tuck surgery.
2,608 female cosmetic procedures in 2014 were for tummy-tuck surgery. (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons – BAAPS)
Nearly 8,000 tummy-tuck procedures were carried out on the NHS between 2008 and 2013.
On average, 10 tummy-tuck procedures were carried out by each English Health Authority in 2013.
The highest number of tummy-tuck procedures in 2013 were carried out in:

58 - Darlington, County Durham

52 - south Birmingham

44 - Camden, north London

What are the different types of tummy tuck?

There are three different types of tummy-tuck surgery, depending on how much skin and fat is to be removed:

Standard Tummy-Tuck: Excess skin and fat is removed (sometimes using liposuction techniques where fat removed by vacuum), stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched.

Procedure (up to 3 hours under general anaesthetic) – A cut is made along the lower abdomen, from hipbone to hipbone. The belly button is also removed and later repositioned.

Mini Tummy-Tuck: Only a small amount of surplus skin or fat is removed. Stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched.

Procedure (under local or general anaesthetic) – A small incision is made just above the pubic area so the excess skin can be removed. Belly button does not have to be removed. A scar will be left on the abdomen above the pubic area.

Extended Tummy-Tuck: Skin and fat are removed from the abdomen and from the lower back, waist and upper thighs to reshape the abdominal area.

Procedure (up to 3 hours under general anaesthetic) – A cut is made along the lower abdomen, extending the opening around the sides and lower back, and removing the naval. Stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched. The same process is repeated with the upper thighs. A scar is left not only above the pubic area and around the belly button, but also along the lower back.

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Bruising, swelling and pain naturally occur after invasive surgery and scarring will often take several months to heal properly. As with all surgical procedures, there are risks involved. Some may be minor while others are more serious and life-threatening.

Complications can include:

Excessive scarring
Tissue death
Nerve damage
Build up of fluid
Infection

A surgeon has a duty to:

Carefully explain the risks and limitations of tummy tuck surgery.
Enquire into your medical history and any conditions or circumstances that may present a risk or lead to complications.

Where a procedure falls below the expected standard, a surgeon may be found to be in breach of the ‘duty of care’ that you are owed.

Tummy tuck surgery is one of the top ten cosmetic procedures in the UK.
2,713 of the 45,406 cosmetic procedures carried out on both men and women in 2014 were for tummy-tuck surgery.
2,608 female cosmetic procedures in 2014 were for tummy-tuck surgery. (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons – BAAPS)
Nearly 8,000 tummy-tuck procedures were carried out on the NHS between 2008 and 2013.
On average, 10 tummy-tuck procedures were carried out by each English Health Authority in 2013.
The highest number of tummy-tuck procedures in 2013 were carried out in:

58 - Darlington, County Durham

52 - south Birmingham

44 - Camden, north London

There are three different types of tummy-tuck surgery, depending on how much skin and fat is to be removed:

Standard Tummy-Tuck: Excess skin and fat is removed (sometimes using liposuction techniques where fat removed by vacuum), stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched.

Procedure (up to 3 hours under general anaesthetic) – A cut is made along the lower abdomen, from hipbone to hipbone. The belly button is also removed and later repositioned.

Mini Tummy-Tuck: Only a small amount of surplus skin or fat is removed. Stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched.

Procedure (under local or general anaesthetic) – A small incision is made just above the pubic area so the excess skin can be removed. Belly button does not have to be removed. A scar will be left on the abdomen above the pubic area.

Extended Tummy-Tuck: Skin and fat are removed from the abdomen and from the lower back, waist and upper thighs to reshape the abdominal area.

Procedure (up to 3 hours under general anaesthetic) – A cut is made along the lower abdomen, extending the opening around the sides and lower back, and removing the naval. Stomach muscles are tightened and the remaining skin is stretched. The same process is repeated with the upper thighs. A scar is left not only above the pubic area and around the belly button, but also along the lower back.

Read less