Dental Negligence Claim Solicitors Preston

The timescale varies depending on the specifics of each case, but generally dental malpractice claims in Preston can take anywhere between a few months and a few years to settle. The severity or complexity of the injury or negative effects in question are one of the biggest factors which can influence this timescale.

With our decades of experience and wealth of expertise here at Farleys Solicitors, we’re well-practised at efficiently resolving most cases. However, as you’d expect, the bigger and more complex the case, the longer it will take to resolve.

It’s very difficult to provide even a rough estimate of how much compensation you could expect to receive for your own case, as it’s so heavily dependent on the specifics of your circumstances. Once you’ve had a more detailed discussion with one of our friendly dental negligence claims solicitors, we’ll be able to provide you with a much clearer idea of what to expect.

Over the course of 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 dental negligence compensation claim. Wherever possible, we’ll pursue your case on a No Win, No Fee basis, saving you from any unnecessary financial risk.

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

• Periodontitis (gum disease) which has developed because your dentist has failed to correctly diagnose and treat it in a timely fashion.
• Incorrect or inadequate fitting of implants, where a serious mistake or oversight has occurred during the procedure.
• Poorly-executed cosmetic procedures, including veneers, crowns, bridges and teeth whitening.
• Complications that may have arisen from a tooth extraction procedure, especially if it’s resulted in damage to your nerves and gums. (In rare cases, the wrong tooth may even have been extracted.

It’s important to note that not every failed dental treatment necessarily involves means that your dentist has been negligent.

When you contact us with the full details of your case, one of our dental negligence solicitors will be able to give you a more accurate assessment of the strength of your claim.

Crucially, for your claim to be successful, you’ll need to present tangible evidence which proves that the negligence occurred, and outlines the harm you suffered as a result. At the outset of your case, one of our top priorities will be to gather this evidence, including medical records, independent medical assessments, and impartial witness testimony.

Obtaining your medical records is not an overnight task, and typically takes anywhere between a few weeks to a few months. However, they’re invaluable for helping us to establish the details of the treatment you received, so that we can determine whether or not negligence occurred. We’ll also need them to accurately assess the effect that your treatment has had on your overall health, wellbeing, and quality of life.

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

• Breach. You must be able to show that your dentist breached his or her duty of care by falling short of the legally acceptable standard.
• Causation. You’ll need to be able to establish a conclusive link between the dentist’s breach of duty, and the harm you suffered as a direct result. If your evidence is insufficient to prove this link, your case is very unlikely to succeed.
• Damages. Your evidence must demonstrate the existence, nature and extent of the harm that you’ve suffered as a result of your dentist’s breach of care. If you didn’t suffer direct harm due to this negligence, you will not be able to proceed with your claim.

The consequences of dental negligence can take a severe toll on your physical and mental health, and it’s not unusual for them to last well into the long-term – months or possibly years. Some effects of dental negligence may even be permanent. Depending on the background and specifics of your case, you may be able to claim for the following:

• The pain and suffering you’ve endured as a result of this negligence
• Any loss of earnings due to being forced to take time off work
• Travel and living expenses, such as any costs incurred by adapting your car or home
• Ongoing illness and recovery time
• Costs of past or ongoing care, including compensation for any care and support provided to you by family or friends
• Certain medical expenses you may have incurred, such as physiotherapy, prescription charge and painkillers, or those arising from corrective treatment or further procedures you’ve needed as a result