I suffer from bell's palsy due to a dentists error. Can I file a malpractice suit?

Dentists, just like other healthcare professionals, are held to a standard of care and if they violate that standard, they are subject to malpractice liability.

Dental malpractice claims often arise from the following:

• improper performance of a dental procedure;
• procedure failure;
• failure to diagnose;
• errors in diagnosis;
• failure to recognize a complication;
• or an indicated treatment was not performed

Your particular condition, Bell's palsy is a condition where the facial muscles suddenly become weak or paralyzed. Regular facial motions as well as taste are adversely affected. Experts believe the condition may be caused by a virus, such as the herpes simplex virus or arises from a facial nerve that has become damaged, compressed or inflamed.

Other conditions like hypertension, mumps, influenza and diabetes can also bring on the symptoms of Bell's palsy. Most dentists will argue that there is no definitive connection between any known dental procedures (some of which do cause temporary numbness) and Bell's palsy, but dental errors have resulted in facial paralysis other than Bell's palsy.

Consult with an experienced attorney to determine if there has been dental malpractice in this case.