Dental malpractice is nothing to smile at (pun intended). Back in 2017, there was a dental malpractice case that caught the attention of the local news and news outlets in Boston, Massachusetts. This story happened near Augusta, Maine.

What Happened

This is how the story goes. Steven Darnell Jr. went in to Dr. Kippax's office to have two molars removed. The extraction itself went fine; it was the aftermath that got the public's attention. Two days after the extraction took place, Darnell went back to Kippax's office to complain of extreme pain in the lower, left side of his jaw. Kippax claims that there was no sign of infection and that Darnell would be fine after a few days. That, however, was not the case. Darnell was admitted to the emergency room at Central Maine Medical Center. His jaw had become so infected that it had swollen to twice the normal size the tissue around the jaw should be. They drained Darnell's jaw.

The claim made by Darnell was that Kippax did not fulfill his duty as a dentist to him in making sure he did not get an infection. Of course, Kippax's attorney argued that Darnell did not head the instructions that Kippax had given him. It was up to a jury to decide whether Darnell deserved compensation for his medical and emotional damages.

The Verdict

It stood that Darnell had $48,266.82 in medical bills to pay. His attorney asked that the jury grant Darnell $295,000 in pain and suffering during the length of the whole ordeal plus the medical bills. The jury deliberated. They came back with an 8-1 verdict of awarding Darnell $300,000! Not as much as the lawyer had asked for but enough to compensate Darnell for the medical costs he accrued and for the pain and suffering he endured.

Dental malpractice is a very serious matter. There are many times that people think that their dental malpractice case is less important than a medical malpractice case but it's not! Call us at George Tait Law to see where to go with your dental malpractice case.

George Tait Law and its lawyers are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted.  Our information source is cited in the article.