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Elkhorn, WI

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Family alleges medical malpractice after daughter’s death

Wisdom teeth extraction is a procedure that has routinely occurred for decades. Despite its common occurrence, it is a medical procedure that requires monitoring for the safety of a patient. If a Wisconsin oral surgeon neglects to follow standard safety procedures, he or she may endanger a patient’s life. Recently, in a nearby state, a family has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against an oral surgeon, claiming his negligent actions may have led to their daughter’s death.

The oral surgeon began the wisdom teeth extraction on the rising high school senior around 9:00 a.m. in the morning. By 9:15 a.m., records indicate that the girl’s heart rate had begun to decrease. Around 9:31 a.m., emergency services were notified, as the patient went into cardiac arrest that necessitated CPR. Once paramedics arrived, they continued to work until the patient was stabilized for transfer to a medical facility. Sadly, the young girl died six days later.

The lawsuit claims that the oral surgeon was negligent in the girl’s care in many different ways. It claims that the staff that were monitoring her were not qualified, his administration of general anesthesia was not correct, his handling of the emergency was not efficient and her parents were not informed of the risks involved. The surgeon was suspended for several weeks, but he has been able to operate on a limited basis since the suspension ended.

Losing a child for any reason is unimaginable. Learning your child’s death may have been prevented is devastating. To make matters worse, the family’s medical, funeral and other expenses related to the tragedy quickly added up to around $200,000. They have sought the guidance and advice of a medical malpractice attorney to help recoup some of the financial costs. Wisconsin parents who have lost a child in an apparent preventable death are also entitled to seek consult from an experienced attorney.  

Source: startribune.com, “Family of Eden Prairie teen who died after wisdom teeth procedure sues Edina dentist“, Paul Walsh, Jan. 29, 2017

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