Dental Implants
When you were in an accident because of someone else’s negligence that caused you to get tooth damage, you may not realize that you can work with your dentist to submit the documentation and procedure information in your personal injury claim. When it comes to personal injury claims, sometimes dental injuries can get lost in the shuffle, especially if there are other obvious injuries, like broken bones or fractures. However, your dental health is just as important, and if left untreated, can end up affecting the health of the rest of your body. It is imperative that you seek help from your dentist when you have been a victim in a personal injury accident, and when you speak with them about your injuries, you should talk candidly about how you got them. Dentists understand how traumatic it can be to get dental injuries, and would like to help you with your claim.
How are personal injury claims valued?
This is incredibly important to your personal injury claim, and your attorney can walk you through this in more detail. However, it is essentially what a jury would award the plaintiff (the person who has the tooth damage) and what they would make the defendant (the person who caused the tooth damage) pay. Thus, when you bring forth a personal injury claim regarding your tooth damage, you will want to show how badly your mouth was injured and show evidence that the person you are accusing is the one who caused the damage.
How can dentists help?
Your dentist can help you with your claim by assessing the damage done to your mouth, taking great care to detail any medical records of your injury—how this type of injury occurred, what the damage is specifically, and what the best treatment option is. When your dentist is aware that this is for your claim, it can help show the jury the extent of your damages, the dollar amount for treatment options, and even how the injury can affect your daily living. Some questions to consider are:
- How much pain are you in?
- Are you able to eat and drink normally after your injury?
- Can your treatment repair any physical deformities the damage caused?
Your dentist can also work with your attorney to provide them any supporting evidence they need, as well as x-rays of your injuries and your recovery and act as an expert witness for the trial.
What else is needed?
It is also important that your attorney provides evidence that shows the defendant is liable for your injuries and that without their actions, the resulting dental damage never would have happened
When you were the victim in a personal injury accident and suffered from painful dental injuries, do not feel that you must accept these injuries and pay for your dental implants out of pocket. You can work with a dentist as well as your attorney to ensure you have the evidence you need and get representation for your case.
Resources:
Wikipedia, Dental Care