How do you calculate the value of a compensation claim for nerve damage to the lips by a dentist?
Assuming that liability for your claim for a lip injury due to dental negligence is acknowledged and that the damage to the nerves in your lip can be substantiated by your medical records, the value of a compensation claim for nerve damage for lips by a dentist is calculated with reference to four primary considerations.
The first would be the pain and discomfort you have suffered due to your dentist´s lack of care. This is unlikely to be a significant consideration, because the nerve damage you sustained is likely to have eliminated any sensation of pain from the affected area, and you may only experience a minimal tingling from time to time. Your solicitor would ask an independent medical expert to review your doctor´s prognosis and give you a further medical examination to assess the level of physical injury you have sustained.
The second consideration in a claim for a lip injury due to dental negligence would be how your injury has affected your quality of life. Whereas nerve damage to the lips by a dentist may have little or no consequence if you lead a predominantly domestic lifestyle, the visual impression of a drooping or dribbling lip may inhibit you from participating in leisure pursuits and social activities. It is suggested that you maintain a diary to make a note of all the times your nerve injury prevents you from leading your ‘habitual’ life.
The visual effect of nerve damage to the lips by a dentist can also result in a psychological trauma if you lose your confidence to be seen in public or develop depression or an anxiety disorder due to your condition. If you intended to claim compensation for nerve damage due to a dentists error in this respect, the emotional injury you have experienced would need to be confirmed by a psychologist.
Finally, you are also entitled to recover any quantifiable expenses you have incurred in a claim for a lip injury due to dental negligence. This may account for a substantial proportion of compensation for nerve damage due to a dentists error if you are a model whose facial looks are vital to your profession or a musician who uses your lips to play an instrument. Any loss of earnings you are including in your legal action has to be supported by previous payslips or invoices.
Not all of these considerations will necessarily be applicable in every compensation claim for nerve damage to the lips by a dentist, and there may indeed be more factors to take into account depending on your personal situation. It is recommended that, in order to calculate the value of your compensation claim, you speak with a solicitor at the earliest practical moment to undergo a preliminary assessment of your claim for a lip injury due to dental negligence and have the solicitor explain to you the procedures for successfully claiming compensation for nerve damage due to a dentists error which are relevant to your individual circumstances.