Lawsuits For Dental Malpractice
It is reported that each year about 25,000 incidents of dental malpractice occur each year in the United States. Of these many thousands of cases, fewer than half are ever officially reported because most victims of dental malpractice do not claim compensation for their injuries.
A medical malpractice lawsuit may be warranted when a patient has suffered severe injuries resulting in irreversible, permanent impairment. Some examples of dental malpractice cases where compensation has been successfully claimed include cases where the patient's tongue has been damaged, the wrong tooth has been extracted, or the dentists has failed to diagnose a serious preexisting condition such as cancer. Claims for dental malpractice damages in the United States should be filed before the expiry of time limits set out in the Statute of Limitations.
Studies carried out over recent years have shown that there is a general lack of awareness of patients' rights. People often tend to assume that because of exorbitant fees are charged by lawyers the cost of a malpractice lawsuit against a dental practitioner is beyond their means.
A little research into lawyers' procedures will reveal that it may not be necessary for a victim to pay any upfront fees when consulting a dental malpractice lawyer about your situation. Firstly, it is a common practice for lawyers to offer a free initial consultation where they will examine the victim's situation, the nature of the injuries and how and when they occurred, to assess whether there are grounds for taking the dental practitioner to court and whether a compensation claim is likely to be successful. Secondly, an attorney who considers that a client has a good case for a dental malpractice compensation claim may enter into a contingency agreement with the client. Under a contingency agreement, the lawyer's fee is related to the amount of compensation awarded by the court. Because the attorney receives a contingency fee only if the lawsuit is successful, this arrangement shifts the financial risk of litigation away from the client to the attorney.