Atlanta Injury Lawyers BlogEight is Enough for Dental Malpractice Claim
An injured dental patient has filed a dental malpractice suit against his former dentist over eight teeth that were extracted by mistake. The lawsuit is seeking $250,000 in damages as the defendant was also unable to properly fit the claimant with dentures.
According to the dental malpractice complaint on file with the court, the plaintiff originally went to the dentist to have one of his teeth pulled and root canal therapy. After pulling the teeth and performing a root canal, the plaintiff alleges that the defendant dentist couldn’t properly fit the claimant with dentures.
According to the suit, for two years the plaintiff “just gummed it” until two other dentists were able to fit him with dentures. The plaintiff also alleged in the complaint that he had another dentist examine the extracted teeth and it was determined that they were healthy despite a little plaque.
I cannot comment on the merits of the above case. However, as a general rule, the dentist must be absolutely certain which tooth needs to be extracted and it is dental malpractice under almost any circumstance to extract the wrong tooth or teeth. As an Atlanta dental malpractice attorney, I have successfully represented individuals who have been injured by the negligence of dentists, including attempting to extract the wrong tooth, negligent extraction of molars, breaking the jaw during extraction, negligent root canals and the negligent installation of dental implants in the mandible. Most dental malpractice cases that we handle involve injuries to the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves and result in permanent numbness to the mouth, teeth, gums, chins and lips. If you have been seriously injured by a dentist, please contact me for a confidential and free evaluation of your case.
The types of dental treatments that lead to the most common dental malpractice claims are negligent extractions which lead to infections requiring hospitalization or severed nerves, root canal therapy resulting in nerve damage, dental implants resulting in nerve damage or fractured jaw, failure to diagnose periodontal disease, and dental anesthesia complications leading to hospitalizations and/or death. While each case is different and should be evaluated thoroughly by a dental expert to determine if the bad outcome was due to negligence, these are the procedures which I see time and again resulting in potential dental malpractice claims. Whether they ultimately are, simply depends on the facts of the case and the quality of the care and treatment provided.
Attorney Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, automobile accident cases, personal injury cases, dental malpractice and medical malpractice lawsuits for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years in and around Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas, including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.
