For many people, a visit to the dentist is never going to be fun. While the fear of dental treatment is often unfounded, there are occasions when mistakes are made that can cause all sorts of problems. Dental negligence causing nerve damage is something that could result in a dental nerve damage claim for compensation if your injuries were avoidable.

If a claim for dental negligence is something you want to pursue, our team can help. Initially, we provide a free claims review service. We’ll discuss what happened, how your treatment went wrong, and how you’ve suffered. Then you’ll be given free advice about making a claim. If we believe that your claim has the chance of being won, we could refer you to one of our medical negligence solicitors. They are proud to offer a No Win No Fee service which means you won’t need to pay anything unless you are awarded compensation.

We’re here to help right away if you’d like to start a dental nerve damage compensation claim now. Please get in touch when you’re ready to begin by calling us on 0800 6524 881. Alternatively, carry on reading to learn more about claiming compensation for nerve damage caused by a negligent dentist.

Am I Eligible To Claim Dental Nerve Damage Compensation?

As much as our solicitors would like to take on every dental nerve damage claim that was presented to them, it’s just not possible. That’s because their No Win No Fee service puts them at risk of not being paid if a claim is unsuccessful. Therefore, before accepting a claim, they will check whether:

• Your dentist failed to provide an adequate level of care; and
• As a direct result, you suffered nerve damage.

If both can be proven, it’s likely you’d be eligible to proceed with making a claim for compensation.

Dental Negligence That Can Cause Nerve Damage

There are two main types of dental negligence that could lead to nerve damage we look at here. However, to reiterate the point made above, you can only claim dental negligence if it has caused you to suffer in some way.

Dental Misdiagnosis

During your dental appointment, it is important that the dentist assesses any symptoms properly. Where a condition is misdiagnosed, it could lead to infections or other conditions spreading.

Careless Dental Treatment

Even after diagnosing a condition correctly, carelessness could cause problems for the patient. For example, if the dentist extracted the wrong tooth it could cause issues. Similarly, if they drill through the wrong tooth to perform root canal treatment, they could cause damage to that tooth’s roots and nerves.

If you believe you’ve suffered nerve damage because of dental negligence, please call our team for free claims advice.

The Symptoms Of Dental Nerve Damage

Let’s now look at some of the symptoms you might experience if you have sustained dental nerve damage. They include:

• Loss of feeling (or numbness) in the face, jaw, tongue, gums or cheeks. This is called anaesthesia.
• A pulling sensation or tingling – also called paraesthesia.
• Loss of taste.
• Burning or pain – also called dysesthesia.
• Difficulty eating.
• Difficulty speaking.

The amount of time you suffer these symptoms is likely to vary depending on the severity of the nerve damage. In minor cases, they could reside within a few hours after the procedure. However, in more severe cases, the damage might be permanent and result in life-changing injuries.

Regardless of how long your symptoms last, if they were avoidable and the result of negligent dental treatment, you could be entitled to claim compensation.

What Types Of Dental Procedures Could Result In Nerve Damage?

It’s important to point out that normal dental treatment can result in nerve damage. Where it is unavoidable, a compensation claim is unlikely. Our solicitors will use medical experts to prove if your injury was avoidable if they take on your case. Some of the more common treatments that could result in dental nerve damage include:

• Tooth extractions. While some extractions, like those involving wisdom teeth, will have an inherent risk of nerve damage, it is vital that those risks are discussed prior to treatment. Furthermore, your dentist should have used a scan to assess how close any nerves were to the tooth so that the risks could be better assessed.
• Root canal procedures. This is an invasive procedure designed to save badly decayed teeth. It involves the removal of some of the tooth and then sealing it after it has been cleaned. Nerve damage can sometimes occur when the irrigant used to clean the tooth is injected (negligently) into the jaw and damages other nerves such as the inferior alveolar nerve and lingual nerve.
• Implant procedures. There are a couple of ways that an implant could result in dental nerve damage. In the first instance, the practitioner could drill too deeply into the jaw and damage nerves. In the second, where the implant is too long, it can apply pressure to the nerves.

We can help with dental nerve damage compensation claims regardless of the type of negligence that caused you to suffer. Please call today and we’ll review your options with you.

How Much Compensation For Dental Nerve Damage Could I Claim?

Unfortunately, it’s simply not possible to advise how much compensation you could claim for dental nerve damage without knowing what you’ve actually gone through and how you’ve suffered. When starting a dental nerve damage compensation claim, your solicitor will need to understand how you have suffered so they can then begin to compile your claim based on two different elements:

• General damages. Here you can claim for any pain or suffering caused by physical or psychological injuries. Additionally, loss of amenity compensation might be claimed if your injuries prevent you from doing something you previously enjoyed (even temporarily).
• Special damages. If your injuries have led to expenses, losses or costs, they might be claimed back. For example, you could request that the defendant pays for private remedial treatment. You may also be able to claim back any lost income or travel costs.

To help evaluate the extent of your injuries, you will need a medical assessment as part of any dental negligence claim. Our solicitors are usually able to book these locally so you won’t need to travel too far.

Time Limits For Claiming Dental Nerve Damage Compensation

Dental nerve damage claims are time-limited. That means that you’ll have 3-years to claim from:

• The date you sustained your injury following dental negligence; or
• From when your injuries were diagnosed and linked to your previous treatment.

Our advice is always to begin a claim at the earliest opportunity. That’s because proving dental negligence caused your suffering can be tricky. Your solicitor will require reports from expert medical witnesses as well as other evidence. Therefore, starting your claim promptly will enable them to gather such evidence.

One exception to the 3-year rule is injury claims for children. If your child has suffered dental nerve damage and you’d like to claim on their behalf, you can start the claims process at any point before their 18^th birthday. If you don’t, and they wish to claim themselves, the 3-year limitation period begins on their 18^th birthday.

If you have any questions or would like to find out how long you have to make your claim, please call today.

Using A Solicitor For Making A Dental Nerve Damage Compensation Claim

As we have mentioned, to win a compensation claim based on dental negligence, you’ll need to prove that the dentist caused avoidable injuries. That’s not the easiest thing in the world to do. If you’re unable to clearly show that their actions led to your suffering, you could lose out on any settlement you might be entitled to.

In our opinion, the chances of being compensated improve if you use a specialist solicitor who understands how the claims process works. Our team of solicitors have been supporting clients for many years. They know what evidence is needed, and what’s not, to make a successful claim.

If your case is taken on, you can rest assured that your solicitor will do all they can to achieve the highest compensation payout possible to cover your suffering.

Starting The Dental Nerve Damage Claims Process

If you’d like to enquire about the dental nerve damage claims process and your chances of being paid compensation, please call us today on 0800 6524 881. Remember, you’ll only have to pay for your solicitor’s work if they win your dental nerve damage compensation claim for you because of our No Win No Fee service.