Long Beach Dental Malpractice Lawyer

Dental malpractice lawyers holding negligent practitioners accountable for the harm they cause.

If a dentist, oral surgeon, or dental professional in Long Beach caused you harm through careless or substandard treatment, you may have a malpractice claim. Dental errors cause nerve damage, chronic pain, infections, disfigurement, and in some cases permanent loss of function. These injuries affect eating, speaking, and daily life in ways that patients should not have to absorb because a provider failed to meet the standard of care.

Dental malpractice claims carry a shorter filing deadline than most injury cases and are subject to damage caps that require careful strategy. Our founding attorney has represented injury victims since 1991, and as your Long Beach, CA dental malpractice lawyer, Cohen Injury Law Group understands how to build these cases within California’s procedural framework. Reach out to schedule a case review.

Dental Malpractice Lawyer Long Beach, CA

A dental malpractice lawyer represents patients injured by a dentist, oral surgeon, orthodontist, or other dental professional whose treatment fell below the accepted standard of care. These cases require evidence that the provider made an error, that the error caused harm the patient would not have otherwise suffered, and that the harm resulted in measurable damages. Testimony from qualified dental professionals is almost always required to establish what the standard of care was and how the defendant failed to meet it.

Long Beach has a large number of dental practices, oral surgery centers, and orthodontic offices serving the city and surrounding communities. Patients trust these providers to perform procedures safely, and when that trust is broken by negligent treatment, the resulting injuries can be permanent. A dental malpractice attorney in Long Beach understands the medical and legal elements these cases demand..

Types of Dental Malpractice Cases We Handle in Long Beach

Dental malpractice takes many forms, and the type of error determines what evidence is needed and how the claim is structured. We handle dental malpractice cases throughout Long Beach involving the following.

• Nerve damage. Inferior alveolar nerve and lingual nerve injuries from extractions, implant placement, or improperly administered injections cause numbness, tingling, chronic pain, and loss of taste that may be permanent.
• Extraction errors. Pulling the wrong tooth, fracturing the jaw during extraction, and leaving root fragments behind are preventable mistakes that cause additional pain, infection, and the need for corrective procedures.
• Implant failures. Implants placed at the wrong angle, at incorrect depth, or without adequate bone support fail prematurely and can damage surrounding teeth, nerves, and sinus cavities.
• Root canal errors. Perforated roots, missed canals, broken instruments left inside the tooth, and failure to fully remove infected tissue lead to persistent pain, reinfection, and tooth loss.
• Failure to diagnose oral cancer. A dentist who ignores suspicious lesions or fails to refer a patient for biopsy delays treatment and allows the cancer to progress to a more advanced and less treatable stage.
• Anesthesia injuries. Overdoses, allergic reactions, and improper sedation monitoring during dental procedures cause brain injuries from oxygen deprivation, cardiac events, and in the most severe cases death.
• Infections from unsanitary conditions. Failure to sterilize instruments and inadequate infection control protocols expose patients to bacterial infections that can spread and require hospitalization.
• Orthodontic injuries. Excessive force, improper bracket placement, and failure to monitor progress cause root resorption, tooth loss, and temporomandibular joint damage.

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

Attorneys With the Resources to Challenge Dental Providers

Dental malpractice cases are harder to win than most injury claims because the defendant is a licensed professional with malpractice insurance and legal representation. Proving the standard of care was breached requires testimony from qualified dental professionals, detailed record analysis, and the ability to present technical evidence clearly.

Wayne R. Cohen founded Cohen Injury Law Group and has practiced personal injury law since 1991. He graduated from the University of Michigan and Miami Law School cum laude, lectures at GW Law School, and has been cited in the LA Times, CNBC, Fortune, and the ABA Journal. Nicholas E. Cohen, Managing Partner and graduate of USC and Loyola Law School, directs case operations and litigation strategy.

Wayne Cohen has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients, and Cohen Injury Law Group brings that same preparation to every dental malpractice case in Long Beach. As your personal injury lawyer in Long Beach, CA, we handle these claims on contingency.

What Is Important to Understand About a Dental Malpractice Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Dental Malpractice Cases

Dental malpractice claims compensate the patient for every loss the provider’s negligence caused.

Economic damages include corrective dental procedures, oral surgery, hospitalization, medications, and any future treatment needed to address the injury. Lost wages from missed work during recovery are recoverable. Cases involving surgical errors that cause permanent injury carry the highest economic damages because of the ongoing cost of care.

Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. California’s MICRA law caps non-economic damages in dental malpractice cases, which makes it important to maximize the economic portion of the claim. When dental malpractice results in death, the family may file a wrongful death claim.

Liability requires proving the provider failed to meet the standard of care and that the failure caused the patient’s injury. This is established through testimony from a qualified dental professional who can explain what should have been done differently.

What Are Important Aspects of a Dental Malpractice Case?

Dental malpractice claims carry procedural and evidentiary requirements that standard injury cases do not. Addressing them early is what separates viable claims from ones that fail.

• Standard of care testimony. Every dental malpractice case requires testimony from a qualified dental professional who practices in the same area of dentistry as the defendant. Without it, the case cannot proceed.
• Shorter filing deadline. Dental malpractice claims must be filed within one year of the date the patient discovered the injury, with an outer limit of three years from the date of the negligent treatment. This deadline is shorter than the two-year window for standard injury cases.
• MICRA damage caps. California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act caps non-economic damages in dental malpractice cases. Understanding how the cap applies to your case affects settlement strategy.
• Records preservation. Dental records, imaging, and treatment notes are the primary evidence. Adjusters for dental malpractice insurers scrutinize these records for any basis to argue the injury was pre-existing or caused by something other than the defendant’s treatment.

What Is the Dental Malpractice Case Timeline?

Dental malpractice cases move through a defined sequence, though timelines vary based on the severity of the injury and the willingness of the provider’s insurer to negotiate.

• Record collection and review. Your attorney obtains all dental records, imaging, and treatment notes. These are reviewed with a qualified dental professional to determine whether malpractice occurred.
• Corrective treatment. The patient undergoes whatever corrective procedures are necessary. The cost of this treatment forms a significant part of the economic damages.
• Demand. A formal demand is sent to the provider’s malpractice insurer once treatment is complete and damages are documented.
• Negotiation. Settlement discussions follow. Dental malpractice insurers are often willing to negotiate but rarely offer fair value without sustained pressure.
• Litigation. If the insurer will not pay what the case is worth, a lawsuit is filed. Trial may take 12 to 18 months after filing.

What Should You Bring to Your Dental Malpractice Consultation?

If you have any of the following, bring it to the first meeting:

• Dental records from the provider who caused the injury
• Imaging, including X-rays, CT scans, and panoramic films
• Records from any corrective treatment by a different provider
• Photos of the injury or affected area
• A written timeline of symptoms and how they developed

You do not need every record before reaching out. We can help obtain what is missing.

What Are Important California Legal Resources for Dental Malpractice Cases?

Dental malpractice claims are subject to specific statutes that differ from standard personal injury cases. The following resources apply.

• Dental malpractice claims must be filed within one year of discovery or three years of injury under CCP Section 340.5.
• Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the negligence standard that applies to dental providers.
• Civil Code Section 3333.2 sets the MICRA cap on non-economic damages in dental malpractice cases.
• Economic damages are measured under Civil Code Section 3333.
• The California Courts website covers civil filing procedures in Los Angeles County.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Dental providers who cause harm through careless treatment should be held accountable. If you were injured by a negligent dentist or oral surgeon in Long Beach, CA, Cohen Injury Law Group takes these claims on contingency with no fees unless we recover. Contact us to schedule a consultation.