Dental Negligence Claims

How we work

Whether you sustained a dental injury while attending an appointment with an NHS dentist or a private provider, you are entitled to claim dental negligence compensation if they have been negligent in their care.

Our friendly and knowledgeable solicitors are happy to provide a free trial consultation in which we can work out if your case can be pursued.

We have handled cases involving the following:

• Poorly fitted crowns
• Improper fillings
• Tooth/nerve damage
• Extraction of the wrong tooth
• Damage caused to jaw/mouth/tongue
• Careless dental work
• Misdiagnosis of dental problem
• Unnecessary root canal work
• Facial laceration and laceration of gums, requiring stitches
• Mistakes during wisdom teeth removal
• Orthodontist negligence (errors during orthodontic treatment, including careless fitting of braces and retainers)
• Endodontist negligence (specialist root canal procedures)
• Inadequate sterilisation of dental instruments, leading to infection
• Dental Hygienist Negligence

What is dental negligence?

Dental negligence is the term used to cover any type of injury that has been caused, worsened by or overlooked by a dental health professional.

You can make a dental negligence claim for any dentistry-related accident that has caused you to suffer an injury, affected your overall well being or resulted in financial loss.

If you think that you may have a valid claim, you should speak to a solicitor as soon as possible as claiming compensation can provide the finance you need to pay for any necessary dental treatment following your injury.

Graham Coffey & Co. Solicitors can make an assessment of your claim. Complete an online enquiry form and we will be in touch at a time that is convenient for you for a free initial discussion about your circumstances.

Is there a time limit to make a dental negligence claim?

It is helpful to start a compensation claim as early as possible, as there are time limits in place for dental negligence claims.

In most cases, you need to make a dental negligence claim within three years from the point at which you became aware that you had received negligent dental treatment.

After this three-year period has passed, you will be unable to make a dental compensation claim. However, there are some exceptions to this timeframe, such as:

• Cases where you are claiming compensation on behalf of a child

In this scenario, there is no time limit until your child turns 18, after this point, the three-year rule applies.

Similarly, the rule applies if you are claiming on behalf of someone who does not have the mental capacity to claim for themselves. In such instances, there is no time limit to claim compensation.

Why choose us?

Working with an experienced dental negligence solicitor at Graham Coffey & Co. will make the claims process as simple as possible for you. We offer:

• No win, no fee legal representation
• Emergency dental treatment
• A private medical examination
• Private medical treatment where appropriate
• Loss of earnings recovery

We also promise that you will have the direct-dial number for the injury specialist who is representing you.

You will not have to speak to a secretary or assistant. When your case handler is unavailable, you can speak to another member of our team who will deal with your enquiry.

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, meaning that you can trust us to uphold the highest professional standards.

When dental negligence occurs, this can have a devastating effect on your life. We ensure the highest level of professionalism is offered to all our personal injury claims clients and work tirelessly on your behalf.

Speak to a specialist dental negligence solicitor today for assistance with your dental malpractice case.

Our one-call promise

We promise that with just one phone call, we will ascertain if you have a viable case and will start working for you immediately.

Within 24 hours of notifying us of your non-fault accident, we will arrange a free consultation with one of our dental injury specialists, and the initial documentation confirming your details will be sent to you for your agreement.

That same day, providing you have defendant details, we will make contact with the defendant or insurer to start the claims process.

What happens when I start my dental negligence claim?

The process for making a dental claim can take time, but rest-assured, we will do our best to move things along and to keep you informed at every step.

Once you have instructed us to handle your claim the first step is for your solicitor to understand the extent of your injuries, how they happened and to determine how much compensation you should be eligible to pursue.

We would then begin the process of notifying the guilty party’s insurance company.

If they admit liability your solicitor would begin the process of negotiating a settlement, and if they refuse to admit liability we would then begin gathering evidence which would likely include assessment by an independent third-party medical professional.

If we cannot persuade the guilty party to agree to a settlement we would then prepare to take your claim to court, although typically we are able to settle claims before they reach this stage.

Once we either reach a settlement we would expect the other party’s insurance company to pay your compensation.

If you want more information on the medical negligence claims process or about making a dental negligence claim, call us on 0161 200 2999 or complete an online enquiry form.

Dental negligence case study

We represented Mr M who, having seen his dentist, was sent to see the hygienist. The hygienist applied an excessive amount of force and, as a result, snapped Mr M's dental bridge, causing him injury and lasting damage.

We have also handled cases involving tooth extraction procedures that resulted in broken jaws, as well as cases where clients sustained damage to existing bridges, crowns and fillings during new dental procedures.

Frequently asked questions

How to prove dental negligence?

There are several things that must be proved in order to succeed with a dental negligence claim. These are:

• Breach of care: It must be proved that the dental professional has breached his or her duty by falling below the acceptable standard of care.
• Causation: Demonstrating the dental professional’s breach of duty.
• Damages: Proving that you have suffered harm as a result of the dentist’s breach of care. If you did not come to any harm, it is not feasible to sue your dentist, even if you believe they were careless.

Our solicitors can help you to prove that the dental professional who administered your dental treatment was negligent.

We will aid you in creating a strong case that gives you the best possible chance of securing compensation.

How much compensation can I claim for dental negligence?

The amount of compensation you are awarded after making a dental negligence claim will depend on the severity of your injuries and the seriousness of the negligence.

However, if you have suffered only a minor injury as a result of negligence, you may still be eligible to claim.

Speaking to an experienced solicitor will help you to determine the likelihood of making a successful claim.

If you have suffered due to the negligence of a dental professional, we are ready to fight your corner.

Can I sue my dentist for nerve damage?

Nerve damage can have a significant impact on your life and wellbeing. If you suspect your dentist is to blame for nerve damage in your mouth, you may be eligible to claim compensation.

Nerve damage can lead to a wide range of long-term health problems, such as the loss of feeling in the tongue or constant pain.

Graham Coffey & Co. Solicitors are ready to help if you have suffered from nerve damage caused by dental negligence.

If you need support with any medical negligence claim, speak to our experts for an immediate discussion about your situation.