He was stunned and prolific with apologies. Fine. But I now have a missing tooth that was perfectly healthy!!! HELP with advice, please.
2007-12-29 05:23:11 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Dental
You might want to ask the dentist to do a free dental implant to replace the missing tooth.
If you feel strongly that you have a case, you can speak with a lawyer.
The standard of care applies here: if the dentist was careless and didn't provide quality care, you may have a malpractice claim. However, you say he was stunned and apologetic. Sounds like an honest mistake.
2007-12-29 05:28:27 · answer #1 · answered by Stuart 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi! I've been in dentistry for over 20 years and Yes you can sue. But this could take years and the jury or judge may find that it was an honest mistake with no intent. The key word is intent for malpractice or to harm you. Ask him to replace the tooth with an implant and a crown. This will out live you until a nulcear war and will look better than an acutal tooth as you age. Give him the chance to make amends, an average implant is 3K or better. However, I'm sure his ins. company will agree to settle at a later time and you have an option to take that as well. There is no set dollar amount on this and if you have other teeth that have decay and have had to removed, then that will factor as well. Also if this was a wisdom tooth, don't expect too much. I would speak to your dentist and then an attorney. If he will replace the tooth and abviously for free, then you can still have the attorney contact his Ins. compnay for punitive damages. Don't expect alot, teeth are VERY low in Insurance standards of payment. I have had other patients have teeth broken in horrible car crashes and got very little. Teeth have little value in comparison to eyes, hands, face, neck, back etc. Some Ins. companies won't even consider them much at all. So factor that in when you speak to an attorney. ~M
2007-12-29 06:05:50 · answer #2 · answered by Marie D 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Of course, everyones 1st thought is gonna be to sue him, but I would probably think bout how it was an honest mistake....I know I wouldnt sue my dentist for that. He's been my dentist my whole life (im 19) and has been so good and helped me so much...If you sue him he may get his license taken away and what'ya know He cant support his family cuz some kid couldnt be a big boy and take the fact that a tooth was pulled on accident. You should have been the one to know what tooth he was working on and u should have said something. He's human, He apologized, What more can u do? If u were in his shoes im sure you would be shi tting bricks...Give him a chance, So wut if he took out a perfectly healthy tooth, u have a millon more in ur mouth...Its ur fault u couldnt keep that 1 tooth healthy anyway, not his. all he was doing was trying to help u. lol. Be a man!
2007-12-29 05:31:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Here's a question or two for you.
Wouldn't you rather he fix the mistake, for free of course, than be a gold-digging sue-monkey?
Have you even taken the simple step of speaking with him about how he can resolve the problem, or are you merely seeing dollar bills in front of your eyes?
Mistakes happen, the important thing is how the problem is resolved. If he had no interest in helping you out, then fine, sue him. But if he willing to work with you, then why should he be sued? I absolutely detest the "Can I sue????" mentality of people nowadays.
2007-12-29 05:29:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 3⤋
asked the dentist fixed the problem for free
2016-01-21 23:02:02 · answer #5 · answered by Phil21 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to a lawyer. I'm in law school and I've seen some bad answers here. You could get a lot of money, I would think at least $10,000.
2007-12-29 18:01:14 · answer #6 · answered by Sam P 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Tell him to replace it with a gold tooth for free.
2007-12-29 05:35:35 · answer #7 · answered by Albert S 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
did he suggest a solution? discuss this with him before you start thinking about how much money you will get...
if you do sue, how easy do you think it will be to find another dentist? you will be avoided like you have the plague.......
think before you act!!!
2007-12-29 14:27:13 · answer #8 · answered by dental asst 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Don't sue it was just an axcident but I would make them fix your mouth for free.
2007-12-29 05:30:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
So have him put in a tooth. It's lawsuit happy people that drive up medical and insurance costs.
2007-12-29 05:26:33 · answer #10 · answered by Terry Legendary 4 · 4⤊ 3⤋