If you are the unfortunate victim of a dental malpractice mishap, you may be entitled to monetary damages. It is important to contact a licensed and qualified attorney to help you ascertain whether of not you have a viable claim.
In the United States, “dental malpractice” attorney simply denotes an attorney who has completed a four-year undergraduate course of study leading to a Bachelor’s degree and has received his or her Juris Doctor from a law school. What distinguishes a general practitioner from an attorney who handles dental malpractice lawsuits is the fact that the dental malpractice attorney usually has experience in handling cases involving dental malpractice.
Many dental malpractice lawyers handle not only dental malpractice cases, but also lawsuits involving other types of malpractice such as medical malpractice. Moreover, in many cases, a dental malpractice lawyer may practice other areas of law that are unrelated to dental malpractice.
In the majority of cases, a dental malpractice case is a civil matter. What this means for the victim of the malpractice is that he or she is generally entitled to money damages, should the victim prevail in court. Most civil dental malpractice cases are settled out of court. Essentially, the plaintiff’s attorney negotiates with the defendant dentist’s attorney. The negotiations typically result in a monetary settlement that both parties are satisfied with. Obviously, it is in the best interest of the dentist to achieve a lower settlement, whereas it is in the victim’s best interest to reach a higher monetary settlement. As such, the need for an intelligent, ethical and experienced attorney becomes especially important.
Many victim’s of dental malpractice fear the difficulty and financial costs associated with bringing a dental malpractice suit, and the almost inevitable requirement of hiring an attorney. However, finding and hiring the right dental malpractice attorney is hardly a difficult task. In the age of the internet, a simple search using your favorite search engine will turn up a vast number of listings for dental malpractice attorneys. Even the concern regarding the financial cost to the patient can typically be circumvented. In many dental malpractice cases, qualified and licensed attorneys will take the case on a contingency fee basis. As a result, the dental malpractice attorney will collect a portion of the proceeds only in the event that the patient is successful in his or her lawsuit against a negligent dental practitioner.
Given the virtual omnipresence of qualified and licensed attorneys on the internet, there is no reason to avoid discussing the viability of your dental malpractice case with a dental malpractice lawyer. In many cases, dental malpractice attorneys offer free consultations to new clients.