DC Anticoagulant Dental Malpractice Lawyer

If your dentists recommends that you stop taking anticoagulant medication to undergo a dental procedure and complications result, you could potentially have a malpractice claim. You could also potentially have a case against a dentist who did not determine if you were on anticoagulants and who performed a high-risk procedure which led to uncontrolled bleeding.

If you can prove your dentist was negligent in any way and that the negligence was the direct cause of complications, your dentist may be liable to you for losses and damages. If the complications were fatal, family members of the patient who died could have a wrongful death claim against the dentist.

Determining if a dentist’s actions constitute negligence can be complicated, especially since many dentists have long recommended the cessation of anticoagulant medication before dental procedures even when not necessary. An anticoagulant dental malpractice lawyer in DC can assist in obtaining medical records, finding expert witnesses, and putting together a strong claim for damages.

What Do Dentists Have to Do With Anticoagulants?

Anticoagulants are drugs that alter the normal way that blood clots. Patients may be prescribed anticoagulants including warfarin, aspirin, and other blood-thinners because of a heart condition, after heart valve replacement, or as a result of other conditions, which increase the risk of stroke.

Because anticoagulants thin the blood, there is a risk of excess bleeding during dental procedures. If a dentist fails to account for and address this risk and you suffer harm as a result, it may be possible to pursue a claim for compensation against the dentist. Discuss your specific case with an experienced local DC anticoagulant dental malpractice attorney to determine how to proceed with filing a claim.

Some dentists over-correct for the risk of anticoagulants and recommend all patients stop taking this type of medication before undergoing a dental procedure. This can be just as dangerous, if not more, than when a dentist performs a procedure on someone taking blood thinners without accounting for the risk.

If a dentist suggests you stop taking anticoagulants, you could suffer life-threatening complications such as a stroke. Before recommending you stop taking any blood-thinning medications, a dentist should consult with your physician and should advise you of the risks.

When Can Dentists Be Held Liable for Anticoagulant Medication

While in the past, most dentists virtually always recommended stopping medications, now the American Dental Association recommends local measures be used to control bleeding in typical patients and only patients with high-risk should potentially have their medicine regimen modified.

If your dentist fails to take reasonable precautions before performing treatment while you are on anticoagulants, this can give rise to a claim. Likewise, when your dentist doesn’t alert you to the dangers of stopping your medication or does not work with your physician to ensure stopping medication is safe, your dentist could be held liable for complications, such as a stroke or heart attack.

These types of cases can be challenging because it is often difficult to pinpoint one particular cause of serious medical events like a stroke. However, expert witnesses may be able to testify that the dentist’s decision in regards to your medication was not a decision which a reasonable dentist would have made.

Getting Help from an Anticoagulant Dentist Malpractice Lawyer

An anticoagulant denal malpractice attorney in DC can provide you with legal assistance in making a case against a dentist who you believe harmed you. Call today to learn more about your rights.

DC Dental Malpractice Lawyer