What all does informed consent include when a patient asks for “worst case scenario” and the dentist blows it off, leading to the loss of a tooth?
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What all does informed consent include when a patient asks for “worst case scenario” and the dentist blows it off, leading to the loss of a tooth?
I was not given informed consent when I had an ‘open and med” procedure done on a tooth. I was told it would be OK to wait a few months to finish a root canal with the temporary and then do the crown. During that time the tooth broke in half, leading to thousands of dollars more dental work. I then lost work from my business, and other stressors related to tooth. The dentist blatantly lied and even back-peddled his story several times. Is there anything I can do? I will have issues with this tooth now indefinitely.
Asked on August 15, 2012 under Malpractice Law, Idaho
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Assuming you did not sign the typical informed consent waiver with respect to the dental procedure that you have written about where you ended up with problems as to your tooth, you need to consult with an attorney that practices in the area of medical/dental malpractice.
Informed consent essentially means that the party having the dental work done is advised of all the pros and cons about the precedure before it begins by the person doing it. In your case, the dentist.
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