Inglewood Dental Malpractice Lawyer

Schedule a free case review with a dental malpractice lawyer who handles serious-injury matters.

If you were harmed by a dentist’s negligence in Inglewood, a dental malpractice attorney can help you hold the provider accountable and pursue compensation for the pain, corrective procedures, and lost income that resulted from substandard care. These cases are subject to shorter filing deadlines than standard personal injury claims, so acting promptly protects your right to recover.

Cohen Injury Law Group represents dental malpractice victims as your Inglewood, CA dental malpractice lawyer and builds cases that document how the provider’s conduct fell below the accepted standard of care. Our founding attorney has handled personal injury cases since 1991. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.

Dental Malpractice Lawyer Inglewood, CA

A dental malpractice lawyer represents patients who sustained injuries caused by a dentist’s negligent treatment, misdiagnosis, or failure to meet the accepted standard of care. These cases fall under the broader category of medical malpractice, which means they carry specific procedural and evidentiary requirements that general personal injury claims do not.

Dental malpractice can range from a procedural error during a routine extraction to a pattern of negligent treatment that causes permanent nerve damage or disfigurement. Patients in Inglewood who receive dental care from local providers or at nearby facilities have the right to pursue a civil claim when their dentist’s conduct falls below what a reasonably competent practitioner would have done under the same circumstances.

Types of Dental Malpractice Cases We Handle in Inglewood

Dental malpractice takes many forms, and the type of negligence determines both the nature of the injuries and the liable parties. We handle dental malpractice cases throughout Inglewood involving the following.

• Surgical extraction errors. Dentists who use excessive force during extractions, fracture the jawbone, or leave root fragments behind cause injuries that require additional surgery. Impacted wisdom tooth removals carry a particularly high risk when performed without proper imaging.
• Nerve damage. The inferior alveolar nerve and lingual nerve run close to the lower teeth and jaw. Negligent extraction techniques, poorly placed implants, and improperly administered injections can sever or compress these nerves, resulting in permanent numbness, tingling, or loss of taste.
• Failed dental implants. Implants placed without adequate bone assessment, proper imaging, or sterile technique can fail, migrate, or cause infection. Patients are often left with bone loss and the need for corrective surgery.
• Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose. A dentist who fails to identify oral cancer, periodontal disease, abscesses, or jaw fractures on imaging delays treatment that could have prevented the condition from worsening. Late diagnosis of oral cancer, in particular, dramatically reduces survival rates.
• Anesthesia complications. Improper dosing, failure to review the patient’s medical history, and inadequate monitoring during sedation cause adverse reactions that range from allergic responses to oxygen deprivation. Severe anesthesia errors can result in brain injuries from prolonged loss of oxygen.
• Infection from improper sterilization. Dental instruments that are not properly sterilized between patients transmit bacterial infections and bloodborne diseases. These infections can spread to the jaw, sinuses, and bloodstream, requiring hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.
• Wrong tooth extraction. Removing the wrong tooth is a preventable error that results from failure to verify the treatment plan or confirm imaging. The patient loses a healthy tooth and still requires the originally planned procedure.
• Failure to obtain informed consent. Dentists are required to explain the risks, alternatives, and potential complications of a proposed procedure before performing it. Patients who were not adequately informed may have grounds for a claim if the undisclosed risk materializes.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as My Dental Malpractice Lawyer in Inglewood, CA?

Attorneys Who Understand Medical Negligence Claims

Dental malpractice cases require the same evidentiary framework as other medical negligence claims. The patient must prove that the dentist owed a duty of care, breached the applicable standard, and caused a specific injury as a result. That proof typically depends on the testimony of a qualified dental professional who can explain what a competent practitioner would have done differently, and an attorney experienced in medical negligence understands how to coordinate that testimony effectively.

With more than 35 years in personal injury law, Wayne R. Cohen established Cohen Injury Law Group and has represented injured clients since 1991. Wayne completed his undergraduate studies with distinction at the University of Michigan and graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. His legal analysis has been featured by the LA Times, CNBC, Fortune, and the ABA Journal, and he serves as a Professorial Lecturer at GW Law School. Nicholas E. Cohen, the firm’s Managing Partner, brings his legal education from USC and Loyola Law School Los Angeles to the firm’s case management and litigation preparation.

Our attorney has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients. As your personal injury lawyer in Inglewood, CA, Cohen Injury Law Group takes dental malpractice cases on contingency. You pay nothing unless we recover.

What Is Important to Understand About a Dental Malpractice Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dental Malpractice Cases

Dental malpractice injuries range from correctable procedural complications to permanent nerve damage and disfigurement. The damages in these cases must account for both what has already occurred and what the patient will need going forward.

Economic damages include the cost of corrective dental procedures, oral surgery, hospitalization if the injury led to infection or systemic complications, and prescription medications. Lost wages during treatment and recovery are also recoverable. Patients who require ongoing care from oral surgeons should have those costs projected before any settlement is considered.

Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, permanent numbness or altered sensation, difficulty eating or speaking, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. California’s MICRA framework places caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, though those caps have been increasing since 2023. When dental malpractice results in death, the victim’s family may bring a wrongful death claim.

Liability requires proving that the dentist failed to meet the standard of care that a reasonably competent dental professional would have provided under the same circumstances. Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the duty of ordinary care, and in malpractice cases that duty is measured against what is accepted in the dental profession.

What Are Important Aspects of a Dental Malpractice Case?

Dental malpractice claims carry procedural and evidentiary requirements beyond what standard personal injury cases involve. Standard of care. The central question in every dental malpractice case is whether the treatment met the accepted standard within the profession. Proving a breach requires testimony from a qualified dental professional who can explain what a competent practitioner would have done differently.

• Shorter filing deadlines. Dental malpractice claims are governed by CCP Section 340.5, which requires filing within one year of discovering the injury or within three years of the date the injury occurred, whichever comes first. This timeline is shorter than the standard two-year personal injury deadline, and missing it can permanently bar the claim.
• Pre-litigation notice. California law requires dental malpractice plaintiffs to serve a 90-day notice of intent to sue before filing the lawsuit. This procedural step is mandatory and affects the overall litigation timeline.
• Damage caps. Non-economic damages in dental malpractice cases are subject to statutory caps under California’s medical malpractice reform laws. While those caps have been increasing since 2023, they still limit the recovery available for pain and suffering, and they affect the valuation of the case from the outset.

What Is the Dental Malpractice Case Timeline?

Dental malpractice cases in Inglewood follow a general sequence, though timelines vary based on injury severity and the procedural requirements involved.

• Investigation and records review. Your dental malpractice attorney obtains your dental records, imaging, and treatment history, and has them reviewed by a qualified dental professional to determine whether the standard of care was breached. Your attorney also gathers the provider’s licensing and disciplinary history through the Dental Board of California, prior complaints, and any additional evidence.
• Pre-litigation notice. A 90-day notice of intent to sue is served on the dental provider before the lawsuit is filed. This is a mandatory step under California law.
• Demand. Once the case is fully documented, a formal demand is sent to the provider and their malpractice insurer.
• Negotiation. Many Inglewood dental malpractice claims settle during this phase. Your attorney evaluates each offer against the full scope of documented and projected damages before advising whether to accept.
• Litigation. If settlement discussions do not produce a fair result, a lawsuit is filed. Dental malpractice cases involving disputed causation or contested standard-of-care issues can take 18 months or longer to reach trial.

What Should You Bring to Your Dental Malpractice Consultation?

Bring whatever documentation you have available:

• Dental records from the provider who performed the treatment at issue
• X-rays, CT scans, or other imaging taken before and after the procedure
• Records from any corrective treatment by a second dentist or oral surgeon
• Photographs of visible injuries, swelling, or disfigurement
• A written timeline of symptoms as they developed after the procedure

If you believe your dentist caused an injury but you are not certain whether it rises to the level of malpractice, the consultation is designed to answer that question. An attorney can review the records and advise you on whether the case has merit.

What Are Important California Legal Resources for Dental Malpractice Cases?

Dental malpractice cases in California are subject to specific statutes and procedural requirements that differ from general personal injury claims. The resources below cover the key laws applicable to these cases.

• CCP Section 340.5 sets the statute of limitations for medical and dental malpractice claims at one year from discovery of the injury or three years from the date of injury, whichever comes first. This filing deadline is shorter than the general personal injury period and requires early legal consultation.
• Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the duty of ordinary care that applies to all dental providers in California.
• Civil Code Section 3333 permits recovery for all harm proximately caused by the defendant’s wrongful conduct, including economic and non-economic damages.
• The California Courts self-help guide outlines the process for filing a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles County, including court forms and procedures.
• The Dental Board of California maintains licensing records and disciplinary histories for dental professionals practicing in the state.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Dental malpractice claims involve filing deadlines that are shorter than what most patients expect. If you were harmed by negligent dental care in Inglewood, CA, Cohen Injury Law Group takes these cases on contingency and works to hold the responsible provider accountable. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.