A visit to the dentist is rarely a cheap affair, but is likely to be very expensive indeed if you have had an accident which has damaged your teeth or jaw. If the accident was caused by someone else’s careless or negligent behavior you may be able to claim the full cost of dental treatment or repair.
You will need to be able to prove that someone else’s actions led to the injuries or damage to your teeth and show how much it is going to cost or has cost you.
You may find it is hard to reach a satisfactory settlement unless you get some help from a personal injury attorney.
What are Dental Injuries Like After an Accident?
It’s not hard to imagine how your teeth can be damaged in any sort of accident where your face receives a blow. You could have fallen over a hazard on the sidewalk or in a shopping mall.
You may have been struck in the face by a falling object or had a car crash and your face struck the windscreen.
Your teeth may be just chipped or scratched. They could be fractured or torn out of the jaw completely.
You may be facing minor cosmetic repair or full mouth reconstruction. The possibilities are varied, so it is impossible to give an exact idea of how you should respond to dental injuries.
It may be that you suffered damage to other parts of your mouth or face at the same time as your teeth. These may include any or all of the following:
- lacerations on your lips;
- broken or dislocated jawbone and;
- facial cuts and bruises.
Why a Dental Injury May Lead to a Claim For Damages
You may decide to make a claim for compensation for the cost of dental treatment if your mouth has been damaged after an accident and you think that you can prove who was responsible. Dental treatment is costly and you may also want to claim for lost wages or other sources of income if the dental injuries have been so significant that you could not go to work as usual.
You should get a thorough examination by a dentist and get a realistic quote for all dental work, especially if there are likely to be any complications in the future. It's important to know how much to claim in damages when you file your claim.
Personal injury claims will fail unless there is sufficient evidence to show who was at fault. If you can possibly do so, collect witness statements or contact details in the event of an accident in which your teeth are damaged.
Photos of the accident scene and careful documentation of all costs are also useful evidence when presenting your case.
Have You Considered Getting Professional Legal Help?
If you have suffered dental injuries caused by someone else’s negligence don’t imagine that whoever was to blame will admit responsibility and pay you what the accident has cost you quickly.
The at-fault party may even try to avoid a compensation settlement by disputing. This is where an experienced personal injury attorney can help you with a claim.
The attorney will be able to assess the circumstances from a point of view of previous experience and advise you whether it is sensible to go ahead with a claim. The attorney can also help to pursue your claim and negotiate with the defendant and insurer more skillfully than you could by yourself.
