It is unfortunate to feel the effects of a poorly inserted dental implant, wrongly administered anesthesia, or misdiagnosed oral cancer on a physical level. Most dental malpractice cases focus on the pain and physical damage patients have endured after a botched dental procedure. However, it is often overlooked how damaging dental malpractice injuries can be to a patient’s mental and emotional well-being.
According to one study, patients living with chronic pain from nerve injuries tended to develop psychiatric disorders such as anxiety neurosis and depression. Nerve damage from dental injuries might also result in loss of taste and difficulty eating. Other studies have shown that losing the sense of taste is strongly associated with depression. Difficulty eating can also result in dietary issues, which will be harmful to the patient in the long-run if they are unable to ingest the right nutrients. No one should have to endure the physical and mental effects of dental malpractice injuries without proper compensation.
It is generally easier to sue your dentist for physical pain and damages, but if you have suffered mental trauma or psychological disorders as a result of improper dental care, you may still be able to bring a successful dental malpractice case against your dentist. It might also prove helpful to add information about mental trauma to your evidence for physical trauma in an ongoing dental malpractice case.
If you live in Southern California and require the services of an OC dental malpractice lawyer, contact Attorney Dane Levy at the Levy Law Firm. He has a history of success in several high-profile dental malpractice cases and a strong knowledge of the dental field because of his time studying at the USC School of Dentistry.