My mom went to a dentist on 4/28/10 for a checkup because she knew she had bad teeth and wanted to see what could be done about it, if anything. We chose a local dentist and she went there for a checkup. They did an x-ray of her mouth and said she needed to have 11 teeth extracted due to having periodontitis (gum disease). Absolutely no antibiotic was given to my mom to even try to begin treatment for this at all. They wanted to extract all 11 teeth right then and there, but of course that's an immediately random thing to do and most people can't instantly get a week off from work to get well from such a thing.
So my mom requested a week off from work via a note/excuse from the dentist to her job. My mom came back on 5/4/10 at 8:30 am and had 11 teeth extracted. I'm attaching a diagram of the teeth she had extracted, which after a recount, seems to actually have been 12 instead. But that isn't the issue itself. I went with her that morning, and she came out at about 9:30am. It took about an hour to perform those extractions. They sent my mom out with a prescription for Lortab (Hydrocodone) and with gauze packed in the front of her mouth and on both sides of the back of her mouth, and her mouth was bleeding pretty badly. They gave her this lame paper that talks about packing the gauze into the teeth for stopping the bleeding, which wasn't helping. The trouble was, my mom couldn't pack the gauze into each spot quick enough before the first piece was literally soaked with blood. Later on in the day around 4pm or so, my mom was laying down and basically gagged on a huge bloodclot hanging down. She had these all in her mouth, and using gauze was in vain. Her mouth was bleeding from all extraction points so heavily that i'd have to estimate about 2 tablespoons or more of blood every 30 seconds or so. I called and said it was an emergency and told her about my mom's bleeding. The dental coordinator transferred me to the dentist's voicemail. I hung up and called back - she told me to hold because the dentist was with a patient. She took my phone number and said she'd have the dentist call me back.
Meanwhile, my mom passed out in the floor and I barely caught her before she cracked her head on a nearby metal bed rail. She had clearly passed out from blood loss. The dentist calls back and I told her what happened. She said, "How do you know she passed out from blood loss? Has she eaten anything?" I'll let that ignorance speak for itself, considering the procedure she had.
I called 911 for an ambulance. The only available ambulance in Atlanta, GA (we live in Decatur, GA) was in downtown traffic, 30+ minutes away from us. My mom came to again and was extremely weak. A firetruck came and they checked her blood pressure. 170/80. Because the ambulance was so far away, they suggested I drive my mom to the ER. I was going to do that anyway, but feared that I couldn't get her to the car. She was able to get to the car herself. I drove her to the ER and the staff changed her gauze that was filling up with blood 3 different times while waiting to be seen.
They took her into the ER and nurses and doctors took turns using teabags to attempt to stop the bleeding. The teabags were only mentioned to me by the dentist via phone, shortly before driving my mom to the ER. I doubt they would have helped because it was so bad and some of the bleeding (probably 3 to 3.5 pints) had subsided by the time she actually got seen in the ER. She spent 27 hours in the ER and I stayed with her. They checked her blood frequently and said it wasn't showing low counts. Yet we've found that Lortab (Hydrocodone) says in it's "contradictions" explanation that it can alter medical test results. So her blood may have been dangerously low (she had very pale lips and skin, and was extremely weak) but showed up as high (still 170/80) in the hospital. She had no previous blood pressure issues, wasn't taking any blood thinners, etc. She woke up the next morning with her entire lips/mouth number and stopped up ears. Discharged from the hospital after 24 hours of tons of blood tests, etc.
She's still weak, and it's 5/8/10 now. She saw an emergency dentist this morning. They immediately gave her an antibiotic - what the first dentist knew to do on 4/28 during the initial visit when she diagnosed her with periodontitis - but didn't. It is apparently known in the dental world that gum disease can exacerbate the bleeding massively. Yet this dentist chose to pull all of those teeth at once, and the consequences were horrible. Had my mom went to sleep, she literally could have bled to death.
I called the Area Manager of the dental place where she went, and also have spoken with the regional manager. They aren't wanting to do much, and want us to go through their "malpractice insurance" place, stating that they would appoint a lawyer. We ha
We have this new dentist paperwork that shows she immediately gave my mom an antibiotic for her gums as soon as she had the first visit. We have ER and hospital paperwork which we'll pick up in the morning, which shows she came to the ER that same afternoon with massive bleeding. The dentist didn't seem to care when I had her on the phone, and she said all of that was "normal" for having that many teeth extracted at once.
We've called some local malpractice/negligence lawyers, simply wanting to sue this dentist to get the hospital bill money (Probably $ 5,000+) and some for negligence (if possible) because my mom could have been critically injured or could have died had I not been at home to drive her to the ER. All of the lawyers seem ignorant so far. They want a "letter from another dentist stating that the former dentist did something wrong." The new dentist said she "could only state facts and can't say for sure what happened in the former dentists' office or what they could have done wrong." No dentist will write this letter, fearing retaliation and legal issues. How do we deal with this? Clearly it's wrong and they've done her wrong. They shouldn't have pulled that many teeth with her gum condition, and didn't even bother to give her antibiotics to start treating it, though they knew about it a week before the extractions. Also, they billed her $ 500+ to her credit card BEFORE the extractions.
Quite odd. Even the ER and hospital bills take a few weeks to get in the mail usually.
The new dentist was shocked to learn of this massive bleeding as a result of the simple extraction of these teeth, with the former dentist clearly being aware a week ahead of time that she diagnosed my mom with a periodontal disease. No antibiotics were prescribed to my mom for this, and the infection in the gums apparently may have caused the bleeding to be much worse when the teeth were extracted later on. In this case, the dentist should not have pulled that many teeth at once, knowing that this could happen. Other facts: The lack of concern for my mother's well-being by those at the dental office. They wanted my mom to come in at 8:30am the NEXT morning, when I said she was bleeding heavily. Ridiculous. When my mom was in the hospital and about to be discharged, they called her at the hospital harrassing her about an 8:30am appointment the next day. She was taken out in a wheelchair because
she was so weak. They had no concern for her at all. The Regional Manager said the dentist office should have given my mom an instruction sheet regarding the use of teabags to stop the bleeding; this discharge paper only mentions using gauze and in no way or form mentions any other method to stop the bleeding. The failure to give an antibiotic to my mother ahead of time before even considering extracting the teeth, when it is very clear that the new dentist immediately prescribed an antibiotic while even doing a routine exam. That paperwork proves that. The multiple bills that have been incurred into the thousands of dollars. Possibly as much as a $ 5,000 hospital bill for the 27 hours that my mother spent in the ER and general hospital.
Why are we having such a hard time getting someone to take this case? It's ridiculous. It's like the lawyer wants us to get a letter from another dentist saying the first dentist is guilty - and then they win the case, get half of the money and didn't do a freaking thing and we'd have done all the work ourself. No dentist will give this, it's impossible.
Advice?
http://www.myotherdrive.com/dyn/file/164.155223.06052010.55526.6a64fi/numbs.jpg This is what they extracted. As clearly seen, one cannot pack all of these with guaze when bleeding THAT much due to a condition that the first doctor didn't treat.
The company isn't doing much. They're trying to get out of as much as possible, yet the regional manager told me they'd be "disciplining and writing up employees, and training them properly." I can't use that because it was word of mouth on the phone, though.
Rescue
http://www.theolsonlawfirm.com/
"I cannot tell what you are trying to ask. There is no clear malpractice in your question, just an adverse effect. (although your comment about losing 3.5 pints of blood is clearly incorrect). Antibiotics are not a standard treatment for periodontitis, and it will not help at all. If you are trying to ask why no lawyer wants the case, it is probably because lawyers work for profit and your mom has two defects: questionable liability and minimal damages."- Laughter_ every_day. Are you a lawyer? If yes, what state are you licensed to practice law? If you are not a lawyer, get rid of all legal answers. If you were really a lawyer, why don't you have your contact info on here? Why is your IM and email shut down? This family has a case my friend who is a lawyer says. The woman nearly bled to death. If that is no a reason for lawsuit, I don't know what is. She went to the ER so don't tell him is wrong. You were not there.
laughter_every_day
I cannot tell what you are trying to ask. There is no clear malpractice in your question, just an adverse effect. (although your comment about losing 3.5 pints of blood is clearly incorrect). Antibiotics are not a standard treatment for periodontitis, and it will not help at all. If you are trying to ask why no lawyer wants the case, it is probably because lawyers work for profit and your mom has two defects: questionable liability and minimal damages.
Dr. Wigglefarmer
People here will probably not be able to help you much because of the extent of your complaint. But I can say you mother may be partially at fault because of the lack of self help (periodontitis is cause by poor dental hygiene) and if either of you thought pulling 12 teeth at one time was outrageous why didn't you go else where, most people would get a second opinion? I am originally form Georgia so I know you don't have to drive more than 30 miles to find another dentist.
As for the lack of knowledge or care form the dentist it is very possible your mother may be entitled for reimbursement of medical bills.
Orignal From: Help trying to get a lawyer - malpractice/negligence lawsuit against a dentist (kind of long)?
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