Root Canal Nightmare

[MRSFUSSY]

Along these lines....I recently heard about a Grandma lady that went into the hospital for open heart surgery. When they opened her up she didn't need it.

 

[Laurie]

I know someone who lost 2 fingers on his right/dominant hand at work and got lawyers involved. He ended up with only $20k for his injury but the lawyer collected another $10k. If he had just worked with his employer he would have done better- as soon as the lawyer got involved they circled the wagons and any offers of settlement disappeared. A jury agreed that the employer was wrong but that the injury didn't have that much value. Most of us would probably disagree with that I would think. If you go this route then you may even end up with nothing if the jury finds for the defendant. I think if you handle this diplomatically then you can reach a good conclusion for all involved. You can even get a mediator if you want to ensure that it is all done on the up and up. Just keep away from lawyers- it will spiral out of control and you will not benefit as a result. They are looking out for easy money for themselves and don't care about you.

There are good lawyers and bad lawyers. Just like there are good doctors and bad doctors. Many bad doctors are kept from continuing to practice medicine in a negligent fashion, and many harmful products are off the shelves, because there are lawyers to file lawsuits that *should* be filed. Not all cases go to a jury, in fact most don't - many times, no lawsuit is even filed, attorneys settle many cases without filing.

Since the OP has been offered no compensation, other than no charge for the second root canal, the question is what course of action will get her compensated for the future dental care she may need - even if you don't agree that she is entitled to anything for the pain and inconvenience.

If someone is injured on my property, I have insurance to cover them. It wouldn't destroy me financially if they were to pursue and claim and to collect - that's why I carry insurance. Medical cases can be complex because people often develop future problems, as many have pointed out here. It's a disservice to paint all lawyers with the same brush.

It's certainly your right to never use one and to negotiate for yourself no matter the circumstances. But each case is different. Giving anecdotal information on one case as evidence to support your advice to stay away from all lawyers - because you believe they are all out for easy money, don't care about their clients, and don't get their clients funds to pay for additional future care as a result - is misleading.

 

[DeniseM]

but why enrich some shyster lawyer in the process? ....... They are looking out for easy money for themselves and don't care about you.

There are a number of lawyers who post on TUG and very generously share their wisdom with us. I don't think it's fair, or courteous to paint all lawyers as "shysters looking out for easy money."

 

[hibbeln]

Hello....I'm a dentist so let me chime in from "the other side".

Believe me, that endodontist is feeling BAD! No one likes to make a mistake like that, but it does happen occassionally. Luckily only VERY occassionally. Often the mistake happens if a rubber dam is being used and the assistant puts it on the wrong tooth, but whatever, it happened and can't be undone now no matter how much everyone involved wishes there was a "rewind" button on life. He will do whatever is necessary to make things right for your wife.

First, enjoy the rest of your vacation. Don't stress. You can take care of this when you get home. Once the tooth (#14) is crowned, your wife should have no further problems with it.

Once you get home, get a quote from your dentist on the work that will be needed on #14 (the one that didn't need the root canal and got it done anyway). Simply send a copy of that with a note asking that the endodontist to forward you a check for that amount. He will do it, guaranteed. I would also just ask if he would agree to take care of the financial end of any further treatment that might be needed on #14 (he will also agree to this, but I think it's HIGHLY unlikely anything more will be needed).

All will be well. Enjoy your vacation.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Dentists & Lawyers.

Much as I respect the law & the legal profession, I would much prefer a world without attorneys, advocates, barristers, lawyers & solicitors than a world without endodentists, oral surgeons, periodentists, & general dentists.

All of my grandparents had to bite & chew using Store Teeth by age 50.

Now at age 65, I've still got all but 4 of my permanent teeth, thanks to the endodentists, oral surgeons, periodentists, & general dentists.

Hats off to the DDSs & the DMDs -- also to the DMD-MDs. Long may they keep on drilling & filling & root-canaling & gold-crowing & titanium-implanting & all those wonderfully remedial miracles that they consider all in a day's work.

Here's to electric toothbrushes & generic Listerine & mint-flavored high-tech dental floss & fluoride toothpaste, & I don't know what-all.

Here's to Oral Hygiene 365 days a year.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[tlwmkw]

To those who were offended by my earlier post- I am not talking about all lawyers, I am referring to the malpractice lawyers who make a living by suing doctors and dentists. They are largely responsible for the high cost of our health care- these practitioners have to pay thousands ( sometimes hundreds of thousands) of dollars a year in insurance because of these people. Those costs get passed on to us the consumers. Yes, the practitioners have the insurance but every time someone sues them, or even threatens to do so, then the cost of their insurance goes up, or may even be denied. They can lose their career if no one will insure them (which has happened in some states). So flippantly suggesting that someone should sue and get a lawyer involved makes no sense to me.

As Debi in Michigan suggests the best thing is to contact the dentist and he will probably make things right for the OP and his wife without having to involve lawyers at all. Obviously if he is a quack he should be reprimanded and therefore you should check with the state board to see if he has had other issues, but if not then I think the best move is to take care of yourself and not enrich a lawyer in the process.

 

[Bonnie_Raitt]

I want to thank all the Tuggers who replied to my request for comments. It's great hearing the different viewpoints and learning what others think. My wife is feeling her old self now. We went driving up the Dry Creek Valley yesterday in Sonoma County and hit six wineries. Ended up with a case of wine, a large Visa bill, and a happy wife.

For the dentist who responded, the endodontist did use a rubber bridge and mentioned that it was very difficult to see.

We are at Windsor for the rest of this week then off to Ventura next.

Again, thanks for all your comments and may all your vacations have sun or snow as needed.

BR