Start Your Claim

Dental Negligence Claims Solicitors in Manchester

Our expert dental negligence solicitors in Manchester can help you claim compensation

We handle dental negligence claims for people who have been treated badly when visiting a dentist. Dental negligence involves treatment which falls below the desired standard of care and causes injury to the patient, and claims can be made against NHS or private dental practices.

A mistake made during dental treatment can have a traumatic impact, causing physical and psychological distress and leading to expense when further treatment is needed to put things right. While compensation won’t truly make-up for being mistreated in this manner, it could aid the recovery process as well as making sure that you aren’t left financially worse off.

If you’ve received dental treatment which caused avoidable harm then you may be able to claim compensation. Contact TJL to discuss your case and find out how the dental claims process works.

What are examples of dental negligence?

Dental negligence claims can be based on any dental treatment during which the dentist doesn’t take appropriate care.

Some of the more common examples of dental negligence we deal with at TJL include the following:

The wrong tooth being extracted
Incorrectly diagnosing a condition, or failing to diagnose a problem which should have been spotted
An infection setting in because the dentist didn’t take the steps to prevent it happening, or failed to identify an existing infection
Pain which is more severe and long-lasting than you were warned to expect, and for which the dentist failed to provide effective pain relief
Negligence when removing a wisdom tooth, which can cause nerve damage, damage to adjacent teeth and dry socket
A dentist failing to spot the signs of oral cancer which they would reasonably have been expected to notice, leading to the cancer developing further
A dentist failing to spot and treat gingivitis, also known as gum disease, at an early enough stage to stop it developing into a serious condition
Careless dental treatment which causes damage to dental or facial nerves
Negligent cosmetic treatments such as crowns, bridges, and veneers can cause physical and psychological distress and cost significant amounts to put right
A dentist failing to obtain informed consent for the treatment they are going to carry out by not telling you everything you need to know about the risks and possible side effects involved and the reasons why the treatment is needed

Speaking generally, any failure to diagnose a dental problem, misdiagnosis of a problem leading to inappropriate treatment, treatment being unnecessarily delayed or treatment being delivered incorrectly due to a breach in the dentist’s duty of care could form the basis of a dental negligence claim.

Our Dental Negligence Services

Our case specialisms include…

Jaw Fracture Claims

Dental Filling Claims

Dental Infection Claims

Suing Your Dentist

Personal Injury Claims

— Russell Sutton, Serious Injury Solicitor, and Senior Partner

What do I need to prove for a successful dental negligence claim?

In order to make a successful dental negligence claim you need to prove the following:

The dentist treating you failed in their duty of care toward you as a patient. This can be established by comparing the treatment they delivered to the treatment delivered by other dentists in similar circumstances.
The failure to deliver care to a reasonable expected standard caused harm to you. This harm could be physical or psychological, and in most cases of dental negligence it will be a combination of both.

When we make a dental negligence claim for you we will also gather evidence to highlight any expenses arising from the negligent treatment, such as earnings lost because you had to take time off work, or money spent on corrective dental treatment.

How long does a dental negligence claim take?

Depending on the complexity of the case a dental negligence claim could take between six months and more than three years to conclude.

While we always work as quickly as possible to build a compelling argument on your behalf the speed with which other parties respond is something over which we have little if any control.

In more complex cases in which liability has been admitted but a final compensation settlement is taking longer to agree we will apply for interim payments. These will help by covering costs such as dental bills and medical expenses until a final settlement is agreed.

Are there any time limits on a dental negligence claim?

There is a time limit of 3 years from the date of the negligent dental treatment, after which you can no longer start a claim for compensation. The exceptions to this 3 year limit include the following:

You didn’t have the ‘mental capacity’ to start a dental negligence claim during the 3 years. If this happens then the 3 year limit will run from the date on which you regain the capacity.
You were under 18 at the time you received negligent dental treatment. In this case the 3 year limit will run from your 18th birthday to your 21st birthday.

Even though the 3 year limit is in place, we always recommend starting a dental negligence claim as soon as possible after the treatment in question. Your memory of the treatment itself will still be fresh, and the impact any negligence had on your dental health will still be readily apparent.

Question 1 of 5

Do you think your dental surgeon was negligent?

What is the process of making a dental negligence claim?

We understand how traumatic dental negligence can be, and how daunting it must seem to think about starting legal action when you’re experiencing pain and trauma.

If you make a dental negligence claim with TJL we keep things as simple as possible by breaking the process down into a series of individual steps:

When you first contact us we offer a free, no obligation consultation. You can tell us about the dental treatment you received and, based on our experience, we’ll decide whether it sounds like you could be eligible for compensation.
If we think you could make a claim for compensation we’ll set about building the strongest possible case. The first thing we’ll do is take a detailed statement from you, setting out the treatment you received, what you were told to expect against what actually happened and the impact that the negligent treatment has had on you.
We’ll arrange an examination with a dental expert. They will be able to gauge the degree to which you have been injured, deliver a prognosis for recovery and explain what treatment you might need to put things right.
We’ll pull together the evidence needed for your claim. This will include but not be limited to:
- Witness statements from people such as friends and family able to describe your physical and psychological state immediately following the treatment and in the time since
- A copy of your dental records enabling us to put together a timeline of the condition of your teeth before and after the negligent dental treatment
- Your medical records in general, as these might detail painkillers and/or antibiotics which needed to be prescribed as a result of your negligent treatment, and any therapy or counselling required to deal with the psychological impact
With the evidence in place we will contact the other party – generally a private or NHS dental practice – to inform them of your intention to claim compensation
The majority of dental negligence claims are settled at this stage, with the other party admitting liability. We pride ourselves on settling claims quickly via our expert grasp of dispute resolution techniques.
Once liability has been established we will negotiate a fair compensation settlement. Although we like to settle claims as quickly as possible so you can move on with the rest of your life, we never settle for anything less than 100% of the compensation we think you are entitled to.
In a small number of cases the other party denies liability or refuses to offer fair compensation and the dental negligence claim has to be settled in court. If this happens we will be by your side to argue your case clearly and calmly throughout.

Through the whole of the dental negligence claims process we will be on hand to offer support and provide access to any additional services you require. As far as possible we take the stress out of the claims process and leave you to concentrate on your recovery, while we set about claiming the compensation we think you deserve.

How much compensation could I receive for a dental negligence claim?

The exact amount of compensation you could receive for a successful dental negligence claim could range from a few thousand pounds up to many tens of thousand. The final amount will depend on the type and severity of the injury you sustained and the impact it has had on your life.

The compensation paid for a period of excess pain following negligent dental work, for example, is likely to be less than the amount paid if a substandard crown leads to you having to have an otherwise healthy tooth extracted. The total will be made up of the following:

An amount intended to reflect the physical and psychological pain and suffering your negligent dental treatment has caused. This amount will also take into account wider impacts such as changes in your eating and sleeping habits, general inconvenience and social effects such as embarrassment regarding the visual impact of the negligent dental treatment.
An amount to cover the costs of any future treatment required. This could cover dental costs such as an implant, or non-dental treatment such as therapy to deal with the trauma of your negligent treatment. In some cases the amount will also take into account future specialist appointments likely to be needed to maintain the treatment required.
An amount to cover costs directly linked to the negligent dental treatment. This might include dental and medical bills, the cost of travel to and from dental appointments, and any earnings lost because the dental negligence impacted your ability to do your job.

In part the compensation will be calculated with reference to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), a specialist publication setting out a range of possible payments for specific injuries, including dental injuries.

Once we understand the nature and severity of your injuries we will be able to come up with an estimate of the amount of compensation we think you could be entitled to. We’ll keep you fully informed if this estimate changes at any time during the claims process, and will negotiate for 100% of the amount we think you deserve.

Amounts listed in the latest edition include:

Loss of two front teeth - £5,310 to £9,310
Loss or serious damage to several front teeth - £10,660 to £13,930
Loss or severe damage to one front tooth - £2,690 to £4,820

Start your claim

Can I make a no win no fee dental negligence claim?

Yes, when you come to TJL your dental negligence claim will be handled on a no win no fee basis. In simple terms, this means the following:

We won’t take any payment while we progress your claim, gather evidence and negotiate with the other party
We’ll only take a fee at all if the claim is successful
If you lose your dental negligence claim then the costs of the other party will be covered by insurance which we take out on your behalf

We work in this way because we think that compensation for negligent dental treatment and the trauma it causes should be available to anyone impacted, not just those who can afford to take legal action. With TJL on your side you can seek the compensation you’re entitled to without worrying about spiralling fees, hidden costs or charges in the small print.

Failure to offer all available treatment options

Over £40,000 secured for a woman who had bridge work done to her upper teeth

We acted for a lady who brought a claim against her dentist for negligent treatment surrounding a bridge she had placed, which she hoped would improve the appearance of her upper front teeth.
Our client had healthy upper teeth and opted to have the bridge because she was unaware that in preparing the teeth for the bridge, her healthy teeth would be exposed to an increased risk of gum disease and decay and a significant amount of healthy tooth structure would have to be destroyed to bring about an acceptable cosmetic result.

Extensive restorative treatment was required to correct the substandard treatment and we argued that further expensive treatment would be required in the future.

Legal proceedings were issued and the matter settled, without trial, for over £40,000. The settlement included compensation for wasted past treatment, pain and suffering and future treatment costs.

Industry experts

View our recent case studies

12

Oct

How to Make a Personal Injury Claim

Most personal injury claims follow a similar process, whether you were hurt at work, in a road traffic accident, while cycling, or in a public place. But no two claims are exactly the same.

Oct

What Counts as a Personal Injury Claim?

A personal injury claim can arise when someone else’s negligence causes your injury. This could be a careless driver, an employer, or a business that failed to fix a dangerous condition. But whether you have grounds to make a claim depends on how the accident happened and who is responsible. Not every accident necessarily leads to a valid personal injury claim.

Sep

Dental Negligence Claims: The Complete Guide

Poor dental care can leave you in pain, facing further treatment, and with substantial unexpected costs. If that’s happened to you, you may have the right to make a dental negligence claim.

Sep

Do I Have A Dental Negligence Claim

Your dentist was supposed to fix a problem. Instead, you’re dealing with the consequences of dental treatment that left you worse off, like suffering constant pain or needing further procedures. You want to know: do I have a dental negligence claim?

Can you claim compensation from a retired dentist?

Yes, you can claim compensation from a dentist who has retired in the period since the negligent treatment. Dentists in the UK have to register with the General Dental Council and have insurance in place to deal with potential compensation, and a retired dentist will still be responsible for the treatment they carried out.

Can you claim compensation from an NHS dentist?

Yes, you can claim compensation from an NHS dentist and the process will be the same as when claiming from a private dentist.

Will my dental negligence claim go to court?

95% of the compensation claims we handle are settled without having to go to court, so it’s highly unlikely that your dental negligence claim will need to go to court. If your claim is one of the few to be settled in court then we will be by your side throughout, making sure you are fully prepared for everything that happens and arguing your case.

Why should I choose TJL for my dental negligence claim?

You should choose TJL for your dental negligence claim because we have a track record of winning on behalf of our clients. Our expertise and specialist knowledge means that we win more than 95% of the personal injury cases we take on, including dental negligence claims, and over the last 25 years we’ve won an amazing £43 million for our clients.

The other reason for coming to TJL is that we pride ourselves on the client care we offer. That means one to one support, clear, jargon free communication and access to any additional services you need in the aftermath of your negligent treatment.

We give you the time, space and support you need to start recovering from your dental negligence while we handle the hard work and stress of building the strongest possible compensation claim. That means never settling for anything less than all of the compensation we think you deserve, and pushing for interim payments to help out wherever possible.

We do all of this on a no win no fee basis, so the only question you need to ask yourself is whether you’ve been let down by a dental professional providing sub-standard and negligent care. If the answer is yes, then contact TJL today and we’ll get to work claiming the compensation you could be entitled to.

You won’t speak to call centres

Our team of solicitors will handle your case personally.

Manchester solicitors; nothing is outsourced

We are based in Manchester and all our work is done in-house.

Fully trained and qualified solicitors

Our solicitors are fully trained and qualified to handle your case.

Dedicated solicitors at your service with no hidden fees

We are dedicated to winning your case and there are no hidden fees.

Washbrook House, Lancastrian Office Centre, Talbot Road, Manchester, England, M32 0FP
0161 877 1066

TJL Solicitors LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (registered number: OC367616) and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number: 564906). Registered office: Washbrook House, Lancastrian Office Centre, Talbot Road, Manchester, England, M32 0FP. A list of our partners can be found here. We use the word partner to refer to a member of the LLP.