Severe patient burns due to defective electric dental headpieces are a growing concern amongst dental patients undergoing oral surgery, fillings, tooth cleaning, root canal and tooth extraction, as well as the dental community at large.  According to a recent warning issues by the United States Food and Drug Administration

• Serious patient burns can occur when electric dental handpieces overheat during dental procedures. Burns may not be apparent to the operator or the patient until after the tissue damage has occurred, because the anesthetized patient cannot feel the tissue burning and the hand piece housing insulates the operator from the heated attachment.

Over the past decade hundreds dental patients undergoing root canals, dental extraction, cavity work, or plaque removal have experienced second and third degree burn arising from the use of electric dental instruments. Individuals who have suffered severe injuries resulting from dental malpractice or the misuse of defective electric dental instruments are entitled to compensation for the injuries they suffered including money damages arising from

• Hospitalization and medical treatment costs
• Rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery costs
• Lost wages and loss of income
• Pain and Suffering including emotional trauma and metal anguish arising from the physical injuries suffered
• Other forms of non-economic damages including punitive damages

Defective Product Lawsuits: Filing a product liability lawsuits against manufacturers of dental instruments is a viable legal course of action for victims of severe injuries our of a dentist use of such products. Generally there are three distinct causes of action possible in a product defect lawsuit.

• Defect in the design of the Product
• Defect in the Manufacturing Process of the Product
• Failure to warn defect – Also referred to as a labeling defect

In a recent report concerning Factors that May Contribute to the Adverse Events of burn injuries the FDA wrote, that a factor may be that “the labeling may not establish or adequately communicate a proper maintenance schedule.”

Contacting an Attorney to represent your case in the Court of Law:

If you or a loved one have sustained injuries due to the improper use of a medical device or a defectively designed on manufactured dental headpiece contact the Attorneys at the Downtown LA Law Firm. All consultations with our Dental Malpractice Attorneys is Free of Charge. (855) 339-8879