Man receives £11,000 compensation after years of neglect at hands of dentist

A man from Bury has received over £11,000 compensation due to years of dental pain, infections and eating difficulties.

56-year-old Iain experienced years of dental issues as a result of misdiagnosis and lack of treatment of decay in several of his teeth.

Due to this, Iain experienced fractured teeth, lost fillings and abscesses, which could have all been prevented with correct care. He had been attending a Greater Manchester dental clinic since 2018.

In spite of repeated visits to his dentist, Iain believes that his pain and suffering were prolonged because diagnoses were not made and his treatment was ineffective.

Iain said:

“Over the four years I saw [the dentist] for dental treatment, I suffered multiple issues.

“My teeth kept fracturing, my fillings were falling out and I kept getting infections and abscesses. She kept doing X-rays, placing new fillings and giving me antibiotics but nothing helped.”

“I couldn’t chew properly as it was too painful. As well as all these physical effects, it affected me mentally too. There’s nothing worse than having bad teeth.”

“In 2022 when I was in constant pain due to the repeated abscesses and my back tooth cracked, [the dentist] said I needed a root canal treatment or extraction.

“However, instead of treating me through the NHS, she was unable to treat me and said I should go to a private dentist.

“I couldn’t get another NHS dentist so had to resort to private dentistry to fix the mess she created. It was a cost I shouldn’t have had to pay, but my situation was too bad to bear anymore.”

After all this had been endured, Iain decided to seek legal representation.

The results of this investigation determined that his dentist, Dr. Seedat’s, inaction had led to pain which could have been prevented, as well as the unnecessary expense of private dental treatment to fix the issues caused by both the failure to diagnose and treat his dental issues.

Iain said:

“It was a period of anguish and hell. I was doing all the right things – cleaning and flossing my teeth regularly.

“But I was always waiting for the period of pain to come. I was constantly paranoid and dreading the next time a tooth would crack or an abscess would form.

“After getting it all fixed with the private dentist, I’m much more confident now. But if [the dentist] had done what her job should’ve entailed, I wouldn’t have had to go through all of this.”

Iain successfully concluded his legal case in October 2024, with an award of an out-of-court settlement of £11,250. Dr. Seedat did not admit liability for his issues.

Tyla Westhead, a representative from Iain’s legal team, said:

“The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the dentist involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, his problems could have been avoided.”

Could I make a claim if I believe that I have received negligent dental treatment?

You may be entitled to compensation if you feel that you have received incorrect or negligent care, a delay in your treatment or your referral.

The team at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and advise whether you would be eligible to make a claim.

Why choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd to make your dental negligence case?

We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years of experience running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical negligence.

We want to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon (medical terms that they don’t understand), and to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.

The majority of medical negligence cases are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), more commonly known as a ‘no-win, no-fee’ agreement. This means that there will be nothing to pay upfront and nothing to pay if the claim has been lost.

Further reading

Dental Negligence Claims – Oakwood Solicitors

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation regarding dental treatment that you believe to be negligent. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.