Dental Malpractice

The Central Florida Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Dean Burnetti Law provide professional Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, and Dental Malpractice Attorney Legal Services in Polk County, including: Lakeland, Auburndale, Bartow, Haines City, Lake Wales, Mulberry, Polk City, and Winter Haven; in Hillsborough County, including: Brandon, Tampa, Riverview, Valrico, and Plant City; in Pinellas County, including: Clearwater, St. Pete, Gulfport, Treasure Island, Largo, Oldsmar, Treasure Island; as well as in all of the surrounding Greater Central Florida Areas.

In Florida, Dental Malpractice laws and regulations are the same as the state’s medical malpractice and negligence laws.

In a Dental Malpractice claim, your attorney must find what is known as an expert witness.  This expert witness is another dentist, oral or maxillofacial surgeon, orthodontist, periodontist, endodontist, etc. with similar credentials and experience as your provider who committed the alleged dental malpractice.  This expert will review your dental and medical records and examine any accompanying evidence (x-rays, etc.) that substantiates your claim. Afterward, this expert must testify that the dentist you used actually did something wrong or negligent that caused your long-term problems.

Next, your lawyer must also prove that your dentist did not act with the same degree of skill and care that another dentist would have used.

Finally, Florida law states that to win your dental malpractice case, your lawyer must prove the following four elements:

• Your dentist owed you a duty of care.
• Your dentist breached that duty of care.
• You were injured because your dentist breached that duty of care.
• You suffered damages due to injury caused by your dentist’s *breach of duty of care.
  • (*This breach occurs when the dentist fails to provide care that aligns with basic standards of competent dental care.)

Dental Malpractice lawsuits often arise due to:

• Lack of Dental Employee Training
• Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
• Failure to Inform the Patient of Risks Associated with Procedure
• Improper Use of Dental Equipment or Tools
• Using Unsterile Dental Equipment
• Failure to Diagnose Oral Cancer or Periodontal Disease
• Delayed or Incorrect Diagnoses of Oral Diseases
• Failure to Obtain the Patient’s Complete Medical History or to Review the Patient’s Prior Medical History or Conditions
  
• Neglecting to Inform the Patient of Existing Dental Problems
• Anesthesia or Novocain Complications
• Complications Installing Bridges and Crowns
• Perforating the Sinus Cavity
• Root Canal Injuries
• Unnecessary Tooth Extraction
• Extraction Complications
• Extracting the Wrong Tooth
• Post-Work Infections
• Prescription Errors
• Molesting a Sedated Patient
• Accidental Death

Dental Malpractice Injuries often include:

• Broken Teeth
• Loss of a Healthy Tooth
• Fractured or Broken Jaw Bones
• Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders
• Complications Exacerbated by a Different Health Problem
• Ill-Fitted Bridges, Crowns, and Dentures
• Delayed Cancer Treatment
• Infections
• Nerve Injuries
• Sinus Injuries
• Chronic Pain
• Permanent Numbness to the Lips, Chin, Tongue, or Jaw
• Permanent Speech Impediment
• Facial Paralysis
• Loss of Taste
• Structural Injuries to the Lips, Chin, Tongue, or Jaw
• Structural Changes to Appearance
• Need for Additional Dental Treatment
• Need for Additional Medical Surgery
• Injuries Associated with Rape or Molestation
• Other Injuries
• Death

You Must Act Fast

Florida law allows two years from the date of a Dental Malpractice occurrence to file a claim. This means you have two years from the date the malpractice occurred to file your lawsuit. Otherwise, your right to make a claim expires. This is why it's so important to contact an attorney as soon as you suspect that your dentist committed malpractice. 

If you were injured or if a loved one was killed by Dental Malpractice, you have the right to a qualified attorney who is skilled in Florida's complex malpractice law and is knowledgeable about your type of injuries. Call (863) 287-6388 in Polk County or (813) 287-6388 in Hillsborough County or Pinellas County today to schedule a free confidential consultation with an experienced Dental Malpractice lawyer at Dean Burnetti Law.