Is my dentist financially reponsible for damage that he caused to my tooth?
Question Details: I had a crown on a good tooth 6 years ago. My current dentist said the crown has gaps and it needs to be replaced. So during the replacement of the crown, the dentist scratched too much of the tooth under the crown that he exposed the root inside the tooth. Now he says that a root canal needs to be done before the new crown is placed. He wants me to pay for it. Can I argue that I should not be paying for it?
You seem to possibly have a valid argument: if the dentist was careless in how he performed the replacement (or even in saying there was a need for replacement in the first place) and, by his carelessness, caused you injury (scratching away too much enamel), then he may have committed malpractice and may be liable for the costs and pain and suffering you incur. If he will not voluntarily pay, however, you'd have to sue him, which could be problematic: medical and dental malpractice cases are expensive to bring, because you need a medical expert on your side. So legally, you may be entitled to have him pay; practically, it may be difficult or not cost-effective to enforce your rights.
