Dental Negligence Claim Solicitors Manchester

By their nature, dentist malpractice claims in Manchester can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to settle. This timeframe is affected by the severity and complexity of the injury or consequences in question. With our decades of experience and wealth of specialist expertise, we’re well-practised at efficiently resolving smaller claims relatively quickly here at Farleys. However, the bigger and more complex the case, typically the longer it will take to fully resolve.

Compensation amounts can vary dramatically from case to case, to the extent that it’s very difficult to provide you with even a rough estimate of how much you can expect to receive, without knowing the specifics of your case. Once we’ve had an opportunity to have a more detailed discussion with you about your circumstances, one of our friendly dental negligence claims solicitors will be able to give you a much clearer idea of what to expect.

During your diagnosis or treatment, if your dentist has made a mistake or misjudgement that’s directly caused or worsened an injury or illness for you, then you may have a claim for dental negligence compensation. Wherever possible, our dental negligence solicitors at Farleys will pursue your case on a No Win, No Fee basis, giving you complete peace of mind.

Dental negligence generally occurs at the point of your diagnosis or treatment. If your physical wellbeing or quality of life has been compromised by any of the following factors, you may well have a claim for dental negligence.

• Periodontitis (gum disease) which has developed as a result of your dentist’s failure to correctly diagnose and treat it within an acceptable timeframe.
• Incorrect or inadequate fitting of implants, where your dentist has made a serious mistake or oversight during the procedure.
• Poorly-performed cosmetic procedures, such as veneers, crowns, bridges and teeth whitening.
• Complications arising from tooth extraction procedures, which may have led to damage of the nerves and gums. (In particularly rare cases, the wrong tooth may even have been extracted.)

It’s worth noting at this stage that not every failed dental treatment necessarily means that your dentist was negligent.

When you contact us with more specific details of your case, one of our dental negligence solicitors will be able to give you a more informed answer as to whether or not you have a strong claim. In order for this claim to be successful, it will need to be backed up by tangible evidence, so this will be one of our first priorities.

At the outset of your case, we’ll work with you to collect key pieces of evidence to support your claim. This includes medical records, independent medical assessments, and impartial witness testimony.

Obtaining your medical records is not always a particularly speedy process, and it can take anywhere between a few weeks to a few months. However, it’s a vital prerequisite for us to establish whether or not the treatment you received was negligent, as well as for helping us to assess the subsequent impact on your physical health, mental wellbeing, and overall quality of life.

For your claim to be successful, your evidence must prove the following:

• Breach. Your evidence must show that your dentist breached his or her duty by falling short of the widely accepted standard of care.
• Causation. A conclusive link must be established between the dentist’s breach of duty, and the harm you suffered as a direct result. If your evidence is insufficient to prove this direct link, you won’t be able to proceed with your claim.
• Damages. You’ll need to be able to prove (beyond reasonable doubt) the existence, nature and extent of the harm you suffered as a result of your dentist’s breach of care. If the negligence in question didn’t cause you direct harm, your case will almost certainly be dismissed.

The consequences of dental negligence can take a severe toll on your physical and mental health, and it’s not unusual for the effects to continue over the long term, over months or possibly over years. (Some consequences, sadly, can even be permanent.) In light of this, depending on the background and specifics of your case, you may be able to claim for the following:

• Pain and suffering you’ve endured as a result of this negligence
• Loss of earnings if you’ve had to take time off work
  Travel and living expenses, including the costs of adapting your car or home
• Ongoing illness and recovery time
• Costs of care, including compensation for any care and support you’ve been provided by family or friends
• Certain medical expenses you may have incurred, such as physiotherapy, prescription charge and painkillers, or costs arising from necessary corrective treatment or further procedures you’ve undergone