Personal Injury Law

Lawsuit Filed Against Dentist for Medical Malpractice

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

A West Virginia woman has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against her dentist for the substandard and harmful care he provided two years ago. The West Virginia Record reported yesterday on the suit that Linda Johnson filed against the Charleston Dental Association.

In January 2008, Dr. Ernest N. Pennington (a member of the dental group named in the suit) took impressions of Mrs. Johnson?s mouth. The impressions were preparatory work for a bridge which Mrs. Johnson intended to have placed in her mouth.

However, the material used for the impressions caused severe complications in Mrs. Johnson?s mouth. Her gums were eventually infected because of the material. The infection in turn had negative effects on the newly installed bridge. The bridge did not fit properly, which lead to exposed tooth roots and extreme pain.

The dental malpractice has required Mrs. Johnson to have several teeth removed, painful procedures performed, and other costly work completed. The dentist who performed these corrective measures, Dr. Richard Smith, indicated that the problems he fixed in Mrs. Johnson?s mouth were likely caused by substandard dental care in the bridge procedure.

Many dental patients do not often consider whether the complications from their dental procedures may have been the result of substandard medical care. However, just like any other form of medical malpractice, inadequate, harmful, and negligent dental work is a violation of patients? expected level of care. Our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti fight for victims of all types of medical malpractice, including those suffering at the hands of negligent dentists. If you may have been one of those victims, please contact representation to ensure you are compensated for your pain.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on July 14, 2010 (boomark / email).