Oral Surgeon Malpractice

People suffering from complicated oral issues that require care beyond the capabilities of a dentist will often seek treatment from oral surgeons. Doctors that perform oral surgery can provide their patients with relief for many conditions. Unfortunately, though, mistakes made before, during, and after surgical procedures can cause, rather than alleviate, harm and may be grounds for pursuing oral malpractice claims. If you suffered damages due to the recklessness of an oral surgeon, it is wise to talk to an attorney to discuss your options for seeking redress. The skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group are proficient at proving negligent healthcare providers should be deemed accountable for the losses they cause, and if you engage our services, we will tirelessly pursue the best legal result possible in your case.

Oral surgeons are doctors that perform surgical procedures on the mouth. For example, they may extract teeth or insert dental implants, remove facial bones, resect tumors, fixate fractures, remove cancer, and perform bone grafts. Typically, before performing a surgical procedure, an oral surgeon will order imaging studies of a patient’s head and neck. If the surgeon fails to observe signs of a critical condition, like an abscess or cancer, or neglects to escalate treatment for such concerns, it can lead to rapid progression of the condition, which may ultimately prove fatal. In some instances, an oral surgeon will fail to perform a procedure properly, which can lead to tooth loss, bone decay, infection, and other complications. Issues can also arise due to improper administration of anesthesia and inadequate pre-operative and post-operative care.

When oral surgeons fail to perform procedures with adequate care, it can lead to critical harm. People hurt by such carelessness, therefore, will often pursue medical malpractice claims against the surgeons responsible for their harm. A plaintiff in a medical malpractice case typically must demonstrate the defendant’s negligence in order to recover damages.

In Maryland, to demonstrate the negligence of the defendant, the plaintiff must show that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty. If the defendant is a doctor, the duty owed is to provide care that meets the applicable standard, which is the care that a competent doctor working in the same specialty would offer in the same situation. The plaintiff then has to prove that the defendant breached the duty by providing care that fell below the standard.

In the majority of cases, the plaintiff will need to hire a medical expert to testify regarding the standard of care and how the defendant failed to uphold the standard. Expert testimony is also usually required to establish the last two elements of negligence, which are causation and damages. In other words, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant’s failure to uphold the standard of care caused the plaintiff to suffer actual harm. The defendant’s acts or omissions do not have to be the sole cause of the plaintiff’s losses, but they must be a significant factor in bringing them about. The defendant will most likely present expert testimony stating that they did not deviate from the standard of care or that, to the extent that they did, their behavior did not lead to the plaintiff’s harm. If the plaintiff successfully proves the defendant’s liability, they may be awarded compensation for the cost of their medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Oral surgeons treat a variety of issues, but if they do not use due care when treating patients, they can cause significant harm. If you were injured by the oversights or errors of an oral surgeon, you might be able to recover damages in an oral surgeon malpractice lawsuit, and you should speak to an attorney. The assertive Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group can evaluate the circumstances surrounding your harm and offer you advice regarding what compensation you may be owed. We regularly represent injured parties pursue medical malpractice claims in Baltimore, where our office is located. You can contact us by calling us at (410) 889-1850 or through our form online to set up a confidential consultation.