Dental Malpractice
Dentistry is a complicated, intricate field of medicine. Depending on their areas of specialty, dentists may be responsible for diagnosing, preventing and treating various conditions or disorders affecting the teeth, gums and mouth. Whether it is a routine cleaning or a complicated oral surgical procedure, a dentist or dental surgeon has an obligation to provide a patient with proper treatment and care. This includes properly diagnosing oral diseases or conditions as well as recommending and administering the most beneficial form of treatment.
When a dentist, dental surgeon, dental therapist, dental hygienist or dental assistant fails to provide proper treatment to a patient, this may provide the injured patient with reasonable grounds for a malpractice claim or lawsuit. In taking legal action, the patient may be able to seek and recover financial compensation that will cover necessary medical treatment, future medical care, any lost earnings from missed work and even non-economic damages that you may have experienced, such as emotional trauma and pain and suffering.
Filing a Claim for Dental Malpractice
Dental malpractice claims are a way patients who have suffered injury due to negligence can seek and obtain compensation for their losses. Dental malpractice claims may involve any medical malpractice claims against a dentist or dental office. Dentistry often involves surgical procedures of the mouth, as well as the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of oral diseases. Therefore,
surgical errors,
misdiagnosis and anesthesia malpractice may all be associated with dental malpractice. At times,
wrongful death claims may also be filed due to a death caused by the negligence or wrongdoing of a dentist or dental surgeon.
The following are examples of scenarios that may be considered dental malpractice and therefore lead a patient to taking legal action against the at-fault dentist or dental office:
- Failure to diagnose gum disease or oral cancer.
- Nerve damage caused by oral surgery, affecting the jaw, lips or tongue.
- Infection after oral surgery or the use of unclean dental instruments.
- Anesthesia errors leading to brain damage or the wrongful death of a patient.
- Improperly performed cosmetic procedure, such as veneers or braces.
Depending on the extent of injury caused and the financial and emotional repercussions of this injury, a patient who has suffered from dental malpractice may be entitled to significant financial compensation. This can make all the difference as the patient attempts to rebuild and move on with his or her life.
Find out about filing a dental malpractice claim by searching for a medical malpractice attorneynear you.