Yes, actually it is quite valid. Not necessarily a question of better off but what would have happened had she been wearing a mask. Yes a mask would have prevented much of the facial trauma but to where would that energy have been dissipated? Based on the her account even with a mask she would not have walked away from this.
That's kind of like asking if someone not wearing a seat belt and thrown through a windshield in a car crash would have been better off had they been wearing a seat belt. Sure they still would have had injuries but I'm 99% certain they would not have been nearly as severe.