Dental Malpractice
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Most medical malpractice lawsuits are brought against doctors, nurses and hospitals as that is where most treatments are performed and where more of them can go wrong. But there are other health care professionals who are not excluded from medical malpractice.
You may not have thought about dentists but there are any number of things that can go wrong that will have a big affect on the rest of your life. As in any medical malpractice case you must be able to prove negligence and have suffered from damages due to this negligence. Some cases are much easier to prove than others.
There is a case of a woman who went in to get dental implants to improve her smile. The doctor who performed the surgery actually was recording the procedure as part of a training film. The patient was not adequately anesthetized and felt the procedure. In addition, her sinus cavity was invaded, the implants were never put in correctly and even though the patient let them know that she could feel the surgery nothing was done about it. This patient was traumatized and as a result ended up with dentures, years of misery and anxiety attacks.
When you sit in a dentist’s chair for any type of procedure you should know everything you can about him or her before you have any major procedure done. Word of mouth is the best way to find a good dentist as so many people are already apprehensive about going to a dentist.
If you have experienced anything other than what you went to the dentist to have done, you may want to speak to a professional. Sometimes the effects of procedures that are performed on your teeth, gums and even jaw can have further effects down the road.
Make sure that your dentist has the right credentials. And you can always tell a good dentist by the way he treats his patients when performing simple procedures. Dental work is always uncomfortable and with extensive work you can sometimes experience the anesthesia wearing off. Make sure that you have a good rapport with your dentist and he is aware if you are in pain.
If you have become a victim of any type of negligence at the hands of a dentist or any other dental hygienist or assistant you may want to document your side effects and speak with an attorney to see if there is cause to pursue legal action. While medical malpractice is more common that dental, dental can be just as damaging and could include emotional trauma as well.
At Napoli Bern Ripka we have a legal team of experts who can offer you advice if you are considering a malpractice suit against your dentist. Keep in mind that you must be able to prove negligence and have had to experience damaging side effects as a result. The case listed above is a perfect example of all the elements needed to pursue a malpractice case. Give us a call at 1-888-LAW-IN-NY for a free consultation