Dental Anesthesia Errors
Visits to the dentist are often a cause for anxiety because the treatments that they administer frequently cause pain and discomfort. Fortunately, dental anesthesia can help to control the pain involved in numerous dental procedures, helping to make the process at least somewhat easier. While some procedures can be performed with local anesthesia, others may require general anesthesia, or “going under”. Determination of the proper dosage and type of anesthesia is the responsibility of an anesthesiologist, dentist, or surgeon, and any errors can have a dire effect upon a patient.
If you or your loved one has suffered complications due to errors in the administration of anesthesia for a dental procedure, a lawsuit may be in order. Contact a Pennsylvania dental malpractice attorney of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 610-667-7511 to discuss potentially recoverable compensation.
Causes and Consequences of Anesthesia Errors
In order to document and verify that a patient has been adequately advised about the nature and potential complications of a dental procedure, a dentist must obtain what is known as informed consent. A dentist who fails to listen to a patient’s desires or administers anesthesia against a patient’s wishes may be found negligent. The following are legally required components of informed consent:
- Signed consent form
- Operative records
- Advising of alternative treatments
- Warnings of side effects
A dental patient who is harmed by anesthesia mistakes might be subject to wrongful death, brain damage, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Contact Us
To learn more about your legal rights and the potential merits of legal action if you have been harmed by anesthesia-related mistakes, contact a Pennsylvania dental malpractice lawyer of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 610-667-7511 to schedule a free initial consultation.