Implants Causing Nerve Injuries

Modern dentistry can alleviate many problems. Pain from a cavity can be eliminated through a filling, impacted wisdom teeth can be removed, and even a broken or diseased tooth can be replaced by an implant. However, just because these procedures are now possible, this does not mean that they are always performed properly with no harm to the patient. In fact, many dental procedures, including dental implants, have the potential to cause permanent injury to the patient if the dentist’s conduct does not conform to the standard of care for such a procedure. If you or a loved one has been hurt by a dental implant causing nerve injuries or other permanent physical harm, you may be entitled to financial compensation if your dentist acted negligently or failed to inform you of the risk of complications. At the Law Firm of Valerie J. Crown, Attorney at Law, P.C., our Rockland County dental malpractice attorneys offer a free case evaluation to those who believe that they may have suffered a nerve injury due to negligence.

Most professional (medical and dental) malpractice actions, in which one person alleges that the negligence of a professional has caused them to suffer injury, involve four basic elements. First, the plaintiff must prove that the there was a patient-doctor/dentist relationship. Next, the plaintiff has to show the standard of care applicable under the specific circumstances of the case, that the doctor or dentist departed from good and accepted medical or dental practice, and that his or her client was “damaged,” that is, injured or harmed by the defendant’s action (or failure to act, in some cases). Finally, the malpractice attorney must then be able to show that the defendant’s departure from good and accepted medical or dental practice was a substantial factor in causing his or her client’s damages. This must be proven through the opinion of a competent expert. A seasoned malpractice attorney, such as Valerie J. Crown and her associates, can help you identify an appropriate expert in your case.

This means that, in a dental malpractice action, including a case arising from an implant causing nerve injuries, the plaintiff must show that a dentist-patient relationship existed, that the defendant breached the appropriate standard of care, and that the dentist’s negligence was the proximate cause of harm to the plaintiff. Thus, a dental malpractice case usually begins with the patient (or his or her attorney) securing a copy of his or her dental records, including the patient’s history and treatment plan. A qualified professional must then review these records and, if negligence is believed to have caused nerve damage or other injuries to the plaintiff, testify in court as to the standard of care, the alleged breach, and the harm proximately caused to the plaintiff.

There are both statutes of limitation and statutes of repose that limit the time for filing suit in dental malpractice cases, including cases arising from implants causing nerve injuries. If you believe that your dentist has harmed you during the dental implant process or another procedure such as full mouth restoration, it is advisable to seek legal counsel as soon as possible so that a timely claim can be filed. At the Law Firm of Valerie J. Crown, Attorney at Law, P.C., our lawyers handle dental malpractice and other injury cases throughout the Rockland County, New York City, and the Greater New York area, including cases by patients in Westchester, Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange Counties. To get started on a free review of your case, call us at 845-708-5900, call Valerie 24/7 on her cell phone at 845-598-8253, or contact us online. Our office also handles workers’ compensation cases, automobile accidents, and other accident cases.