Parents sue dentist for wrongful death; dentist sues others

Parents sue dentist for wrongful death; dentist sues others

On Behalf of | Jul 20, 2017 | Wrongful Death |

Not every person who is licensed to practice dentistry in Texas is experienced in pediatric dentistry, per se. It’s a specialized field that requires additional education particular to the nature of the practice. This issue is a significant factor in an ongoing possible wrongful death situation regarding a pediatric dentist who performed surgery on a toddler.

Sadly, the procedure did not go well, and the young child died. Her parents filed a lawsuit against the dentist, saying the surgery their daughter underwent was not necessary, and had the dentist acted appropriately according to accepted standards in his field, she might still be alive. An independent forensic odontologist reviewed the pediatric dentist’s records and substantiated the parents’ claim that there was not enough evidence of tooth decay in the child’s mouth at the time to warrant surgery.

The situation was broadcast on various televised programs, which resulted in the dentist himself filing several lawsuits for defamation against TV show hosts, Turner Broadcasting System and CBS Television Distribution. He said the information was not portrayed correctly, and it caused him irreparable damage to his reputation. He also said he believes the false claims influenced the dental center for whom he worked in their decision to suspend him.

The parents of the child say their daughter was given unnecessary anesthesia for a surgery she could have done without. It’s a complicated situation that is yet unresolved. When filing a wrongful death claim as the parents in this case did, it is often best to rely on experienced representation from a Texas personal injury attorney since litigation can be an extremely daunting process.

Source: courthousenews.com, “Dentist Calls Media Stories on Toddler’s Death Defamatory“, Ryan Kocian, July 19, 2017