Dental Implants And Trigeminal Neuralgia: Getting Compensated When A Beauty Procedure Becomes A Medical Beast
When people get dental implants, they expect to leave the dentist's office with a lovelier smile not a serious medical condition. Unfortunately, one dental implant complication is the development of trigeminal neuralgia. This is a nerve disorder characterized by persistent stabbing electric-like spasms that occur on one side of the face. If you begin suffering from this condition after getting dental implants, you may be able to collect compensation for your pain. Here's what you need to know about the process.
The Elements of Dental Malpractice
Like doctors and medical professionals, dentists must provide care to patients that align with legal and industry standards. Failure to do so can be grounds for malpractice lawsuits. However, there are four elements you must show the court to win your case:
- The dentist had a duty to the patient
- The dentist breached his or her duty
- The breach resulted in damages and losses for the patient
- The dentist's failure was the approximate cause of the patient's damages
For instance, trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by the dentist damaging the trigeminal nerve while removing a tooth or inserting the titanium post for the implant. You'll have to show the dentist didn't take the proper precautions while working near the nerve and, as a result, injured it. You would also have to show you had damages and losses (e.g. medical bills) and that those losses are the direct result of the incident.
Correlation is Not Causation
The major challenge you'll have with your case is showing your condition is the result of the dental implant procedure and not anything else. Trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by a variety of things including:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Compression from a blood vessel pressing against the trigeminal nerve
- Compression from a brain tumor
- Damage from a stroke
- Facial or head trauma (e.g. a punch in the face)
- Other surgical procedures such as sinus surgery
- TMJ disorders
- Age (the majority of people affected are over 50)
Another issue is symptoms from the disease may not show up right away or may be misdiagnosed as something else at first. You'll need to provide detailed medical records to the court showing a direct correlation between the development of this condition and your dental implant surgery and ruling out other possible causes of the condition.
If you win your case, you could get money for your medical bills, treatments, and pain and suffering. It's best to consult with a personal injury attorney or law firm like Shaw Leslie Law Office who can help you put together a viable case that results in the outcome you want.
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