Root canal treatment, implants and tooth extractions — mistakes can happen during dental treatments that can lead to dental negligence claims. Dentists owe their patients a duty of care; so, if you have suffered pain or injury as a result of failure to provide this care, the effects can be traumatic and you may be entitled to make a dental negligence claim.
When Does Dental Care Become a Medical Negligence Claim?
If your dentist makes an error during the diagnosis or treatment of your dental problem and this has led to an illness or injury, you may be able to make a compensation claim for dental negligence. However, this does not mean that anyone who suffers pain after a dental treatment can make a dental negligence claim. Proving dental negligence can be a very complex process and the UK medical negligence law awards compensation only if the claimant can prove beyond reasonable doubt that the dental treatment they received was negligent and that it directly contributed to their injury.
Do I Have a Dental Negligence Claim?
Determining what constitutes dental negligence is not exactly straightforward, as each case has unique circumstances that must be considered before judgement. Generally, you can make a dental negligence claim if you have suffered:
Prompt and accurate diagnosis is a crucial component of medical care. Failing to correctly diagnose a condition could worsen an existing problem or cause further damage.
- Inadequate treatment Claims
This could happen when a dentist fails to employ the right techniques when treating your dental issue. Inadequate dental treatment could be either a one-time dental treatment or a dental procedure that spans a long period of time, resulting in serious injuries.
- Careless Dental Work
This refers to a wide range of situations, from cutting a patient’s lip or gum to extracting the wrong tooth during a dental procedure.
What Can I Claim for Dental Negligence?
If you have been a victim of dental negligence, you can make claims for:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of earnings/estimate future earning potential
- Cost of further medical care
- Cosmetic procedures (for instance, if you lost a tooth)
How Much Compensation Can I Expect for Dental Negligence?
Every dental negligence claim is unique, so the compensation award you may receive will depend on a range of factors, including nature and severity of injury, and cost of treatment required. To establish how much you can expect for your claim, call us today on 0800 644 4240. Our friendly dental negligence solicitors will advise you on the best steps to take so you can make an informed decision from the word go.
How Much Does a Dental Negligence Claim Cost?
The vast majority of dental negligence claims handled by Medical Negligence Direct are funded by a No Win No Fee agreement, otherwise known as a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means that if your case is unsuccessful, there will be no financial risk to you, as you won’t have to pay any legal fees.
Why Choose Medical Negligence Direct?
Not only do we work with specialist dental negligence solicitors with experience in handling complex medical negligence claims, we also handle cases with utmost sensitivity and great care. Get in touch with us today to help you understand whether you have a valid claim.
