We get it. Going to the dentist is not fun. Not even the prospect of the Treasure Box at the end of a childhood visit made it more tolerable. But good dental hygiene is important and regular cleanings and checkups should be part of your yearly routine.
But what happens when a dentist fails to ensure your experience is as painless as possible and you end up getting hurt or experiencing side affects and other health issues related to dental procedures that went wrong? This is dental malpractice, and yes, you can file a claim if there is proof of wrongdoing.
Dental malpractice can manifest itself in many different forms and refers specifically to a dentist whose patient suffered an injury due to the dentist’s negligence. This can mean that a dentist did not provide the right treatment or failed to uphold a standard level of care. However, a treatment that is not working or causes pain does not, by itself, mean that your dentist acted negligently. Similar to medical malpractice, dental malpractice requires the expertise of personal injury attorney that can help prove your injuries were the direct result of your dentist’s carelessness.
Common Dental Malpractice Claims
If you’re lucky, you are only seeing your dentist twice a year for regular cleanings and check-ups. However, sometimes you have more serious issues that can require oral surgery, extractions and root canals, among other treatments. More often than not, dental malpractice occurs when the treatment is more serious and often includes:
- Injuries during root canals
- Faulty crowns, braces or other devices placed into the mouth
- Complications following the insertion of a crown or filling of a cavity
- Problems with anesthesia or medications administered prior to surgery
- Nerve damage
- Failure to detect oral cancers
- Infections following a surgery
- Even death
Proving Dental Malpractice
The first step in proving any sort of dental malpractice is to hire an experienced South Florida or Southwest Florida personal injury attorney. Your attorney will work with you to determine if there was negligence and if the negligence caused you harm.
Weinstein & Cohen has been handling medical and dental malpractice cases across Florida for over 30 years. We understand how insurance companies work. If you or someone you care about has been injured by dental negligence in South Florida or Southwest Florida, contact the Miami Lakes and Naples medical and dental malpractice attorneys at Weinstein & Cohen at 305-374-1011 or 239-793-3331, or visit fairnessforall.com for an absolutely free and confidential legal consultation to learn more about your options.
