If you have been injured and suffered dental negligence, you may be curious to know how much potential compensation you could claim. Our dental negligence claim calculator can help give you an estimate.
Key Points On Dental Negligence Claims
- If you have been harmed by substandard dental treatment you could claim compensation.
- Compensation could also include financial losses caused by your injuries.
- You could also claim for any emotional distress caused due to dental negligence.
- It’s possible to make a dental negligence claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
- You can use our compensation calculator to estimate your damages.
Have any questions about personal injury claims? You can reach our advisory team by:
- Start a conversation via Live Chat.
- Dialling 0800 408 7826.
- Detailing your enquiry on our Contact Us form.
Browse Our Guide or Jump To A Section
- How Compensation For Dental Negligence Is Calculated
- Average Payout For Dental Negligence In The UK
- What Is Dental Negligence?
- Differences Between Claims Against The NHS And Private Dental Practices.
- Starting Your Dental Negligence Claim.
- More Information About Dental Negligence Claims
How Compensation For Dental Negligence Is Calculated
Compensation for dental negligence is from two heads of loss called general and special damages:
- General damages are for the pain and suffering inflicted on you, i.e., the severity of the injuries you have suffered and the treatment you require.
- Special damages represent the financial losses you have suffered, which could include any loss of income or the expenditure incurred in dental treatment.
Contact our team now for help in using our dental negligence claim calculator and to see what you can get for your claim.
Average Payout For Dental Negligence In The UK
There is no average payout for dental negligence in the UK as every case is unique with individual features and factors. If your dental negligence claim is successful, you will receive compensation for your injuries or harm. The size of the injury compensation (general damages) is affected by the severity of the injuries and the prognosis for the future, amongst other things.
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can be used to work out how much injury compensation should be. The JCG has a list of injuries and suggested compensation brackets for them. We have reproduced some of the JCG values in the table below. However, you must bear in mind that the first row isn’t from the JCG, and these are guidelines, not final figures.
| Injury | Notes | Compensation Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries and Special Damages | Compensation could be awarded for multiple injuries due to dental negligence and special damages. | Up to £200,000+ |
| Severe Psychiatric Damage | This affects the person's ability to cope with life or work and impacts their relationships with others. | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| Moderately Severe Psychiatric Damage | This includes work-related stress or prevention from returning to employment. | £23,270 to £66,920 |
| Less Severe Facial Scarring | There is disfigurement and significant psychological impact. | £21,920 to £59,090 |
| Significant Scarring | The worst effects have been reduced by plastic surgery but there is still some cosmetic disfigurement and psychological trauma. | £11,120 to £36,720 |
| Less Significant Facial Scarring | There are one or more small scars which do affect the appearance but not in a significant way. | £4,820 to £16,770 |
| Damage to Teeth (i) | Loss or severe damage to multiple front teeth | £10,660 to £13,930 |
| Damage to Teeth (ii) | Two front teeth are lost or damaged. | £5,310 to £9,310 |
| Damage to Teeth (iii) | A front tooth is lost or damaged. | £2,690 to £4,820 |
| Damage to Teeth (iv) | Back teeth are lost or damaged. The compensation would be calculated for the loss of per tooth. | £1,330 to £2,080 |
What Damages Can Be Claimed?
Your dental negligence compensation calculator would utilise the following damages to determine the final compensation amount:
- General Damages: These include the damages which you could receive for your pain and suffering or the physical and psychological injuries you suffered.
- Special damages: These include the damages you could claim for the loss of earnings or the money you spent on dental treatment.
Claiming For Emotional Distress
Emotional distress and psychological injuries can be included in your claim for general damages. It can take the form of significant issues such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder or be something less invasive.
Some people are nervous about going to the dentist, and experiencing a dental mishap and dental negligence could make this far worse.
Tips For Maximising Your Compensation
While there is no fixed formula to determine the compensation you could get, there are certain factors which could maximise the amount, such as:
- Make sure that you start your claim early so that you have enough time to gather evidence.
- Prepare detailed notes on the dental negligence you suffered.
- Ensure that you compile all documentary and other evidence to strengthen your claim.
- Think about the financial impacts that have affected you and keep receipts and records.
In addition to our dental negligence claim calculator, you can use our anxiety calculator or consult our team to determine the compensation you could claim.
What Is Dental Negligence?
Dentists owe their patients a duty of care towards their patients. This duty applies to all dental professionals, including dentists, dental nurses, technicians and hygienists. They must meet the minimum standard of care expected. The General Dental Council (GDC) underscores this duty by providing the following professional guidelines:
- Prioritise the interests of the patients.
- Obtain the informed consent of their patients for any treatment.
- Maintain effective communication with the patients.
- Collaborate with colleagues to maintain the best interests of the patients.
You may be able to claim dental negligence if you meet the following criteria:
- If the dental practitioner had a duty of care towards you.
- They breached this duty of care.
- Due to the above breach, you suffered an injury.
Want to know more about calculating teeth injury compensation? Reach out to our team now. This could supplement your use of our dental negligence claim calculator.
Differences Between Claims Against The NHS And Private Dental Practices
Dental negligence claims can be brought against private or NHS dentists. The process is the same, and the only thing that will be different is who the claim is against.
The NHS sets aside money each year to pay damages to anyone who suffers dental negligence, whereas a private dentist will have to have insurance to be able to practice. In the case of a private dentist, this insurance company will likely pay your damages if you are successful.
After using our dental negligence claim calculator, you may wish to use our NHS claim calculator.
Starting Your Dental Negligence Claim
Before starting your dental negligence claim, it’s imperative to seek treatment for the injury you suffered. Then, you can start compiling evidence to strengthen your claim.
Gathering Evidence To Support Your Claim
Some examples of the evidence you could demonstrate for dental claims are:
- Photographic evidence of your injuries.
- Dental records, including X-rays, prescriptions and communications with your dentist.
- Details of any witnesses who your solicitor could contact to provide witness statements.
How Long Claims Take To Settle
No two dental negligence claims are the same. Therefore, the time taken by each claim differs, depending on factors like:
- Strength of evidence- If you present strong evidence, it’ll take less time to settle your claim.
- Claim complexity
- Negotiations between you and the defendant regarding the compensation you’re claiming.
- Acceptance or denial of liability by the defendant.
- Nature of injuries sustained- If you’ve suffered complex or serious injuries, it could take time to assess their severity or impact.
Can I Use A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
If you think that you have an eligible dental negligence claim, you might require the assistance of a solicitor. If you choose to make your claim with a solicitor from our panel, they will help you to strengthen your case. The solicitors on our panel have years of experience, and they could simplify the entire process for you.
Our panel offers legal services on a No Win No Fee basis, so you don’t need to worry about any upfront solicitors fees to any solicitor’s fees as the case continues. Your dental negligence solicitor would operate under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee agreement.
This means that if your case is unsuccessful, there are no solicitor’s fees to pay. If your case is won, then a small percentage of the compensation is paid to your solicitor as a success fee. As this percentage is legally capped, you will keep the majority of the damages.
You can speak to our team for more information on dental negligence compensation claims or No Win No Fee agreements. You can:
- Start a conversation via Live Chat.
- Dial 0800 408 7826.
- Write your enquiry on our Contact Us form.
More Information About Dental Negligence Claims
Thank you for reading our dental negligence claim calculator guide. We present some additional guides from our website:
- Our guide on medical negligence claims.
- Information on medical malpractice settlements.
- Details on broken jaw compensation.
Here are some external links which may be helpful:
- Guidance from the NHS to complain about dental treatment.
- Information from the DDU on proving clinical negligence.
- A guide by the NHS to take care of teeth and gums.