> I'm being sued for it.

> What do I do now ?  Who else has been sued ?  What did you do and how did
it
> turn out ?

> I still stick to my guns in saying that I didn't do anything wrong,
although I
> had instrumented the apex to size 50.  Subsequent to the discussion on
this
> newgroup, I have changed my technique, (thanks largely to Steve) and now
do not
> go above a 25 at the apex, and have also changed my irrigation technique.

> The lady had to go into the hospital 2 days ago to have an I&D.  It was an
> outpatient procedure.  I called her a few minutes ago to see how she is
doing,
> and she was very short with me.  The call lasted less than a minute.

> Obviously, I feel terrible about what happened to her, but I still believe
that
> this was a "fluke", and it happened through no fault of my own.  I'm sure
that
> some on this newsgroup will dress me down for this, but I didn't do
anything
> different on this endo than I had done on the hundreds (if not thousands)
of
> endos that I have done in the past.

> Any consolation or advice from any other dentists will be greatly
appreciated.
> I'm relatively distraught over this, even considering getting out of
dentistry
> altogether.  I know that is my emotions talking, but is it really worth it
to
> continue ?

> Thanks in advance,

> Dr. Mike
> Dr. Mike

> I'm being sued for it.

> What do I do now ?  Who else has been sued ?  What did you do and how did it
> turn out ?

> I still stick to my guns in saying that I didn't do anything wrong, although I
> had instrumented the apex to size 50.  Subsequent to the discussion on this
> newgroup, I have changed my technique, (thanks largely to Steve) and now do not
> go above a 25 at the apex, and have also changed my irrigation technique.

> The lady had to go into the hospital 2 days ago to have an I&D.  It was an
> outpatient procedure.  I called her a few minutes ago to see how she is doing,
> and she was very short with me.  The call lasted less than a minute.

> Obviously, I feel terrible about what happened to her, but I still believe that
> this was a "fluke", and it happened through no fault of my own.  I'm sure that
> some on this newsgroup will dress me down for this, but I didn't do anything
> different on this endo than I had done on the hundreds (if not thousands) of
> endos that I have done in the past.

> Any consolation or advice from any other dentists will be greatly appreciated.
> I'm relatively distraught over this, even considering getting out of dentistry
> altogether.  I know that is my emotions talking, but is it really worth it to
> continue ?

> Thanks in advance,

> Dr. Mike
> Dr. Mike

>Dr. Mike:
>     I am neither a Dr. or a lawyer, but if you have malpractice insurance
>it is the insurance company's job to defend you and they should be involved
>ASAP to protect their interests.  If you are not insured, then you are not a
>very attractive target.  The simple fact is that the lady's lawyer will not
>spend thousands to get peanuts out of you.  In that case, get your own
>attorney and concentrate on cutting a deal that would be cheaper than
>mounting a defense.  Find a lawyer with kids, perhaps you can take it out in
>trade.

>Good Luck and Keep the Faith:
>Vaughn

>Mike--

>    Please, I know it's not easy, but try not to worry.

>    Do you know who did the I&D?  Can you speak to him/her?

>Steve

> >Mike--

> >    Please, I know it's not easy, but try not to worry.

> MUCH easier said than done !  I know that worrying about it won't help matters,
> but it is very difficult not to worry about this.

> >    Had you been in touch with the lady since last month?  Did you see this
> >coming?

> I have been in touch with her at least once a week since the incident occurred,
> and she has been getting more and more rude when I call to check in with her.
> No, I didn't see it coming, and I haven't been served or received a
> letter.........I found out about it through the grapevine.  I also acknowledge
> that the grapevine may or may not be reliable, so (hopefully) I am worrying for
> nothing.

> >    Do you know who did the I&D?  Can you speak to him/her?

> I assume it was done at the local hospital. I don't know who would have done
> it, but I'm sure I could find out with a little digging. I phoned her physician
> a couple of times just after the event, and he has yet to return my calls.

> >    Contact your malpractice carrier immediately.  They will advise you.  DO
> >NOT
> >CONTACT THE PATIENT AGAIN, ESP. UNTIL YOU SPEAK TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY!

> I will be contacting my attorney and my malpractice carrier on Monday, and will
> do as I am advised to do.  You know, it may seem foolish at this time, but I'm
> worried about my premium going up, and I'm worried about my reputation within
> the community.  Perhaps it isn't such a foolish thing to fear after all.

> >    You made a mistake, but one that any one of us could have.  It is
> >unlikely a
> >lawyer will pursue the case unless she suffers permanent damage.

> That would be ideal.  I feel sorry for her, and I feel sorry that this happened
> to her, but as you well know, dentistry is an imperfect science, and sometimes
> things like this happen.

> >    Were you served, or did you just get a letter requesting x-rays?  If the
> >latter, the lawyer only wants to evaluate the case--a "fishing expedition"
> >that may
> >not turn into anything.

> As I said above, "I heard it throught the grapevine".  What would I typically
> receive first, a letter requesting information, or would I just be served with
> papers ?

> >    Whatever happens, it will be OK.  Find a punching bag and work it out.

> >Steve

> I'm seriously thinking about a career change here.  I don't know if it is worth
> it.  You go to school for so long, work so hard for so long, work so long to
> pay your debt, and then you get sued, even when you didn't do anything
> malicious.  I just don't know if it is worth it to continue to practice
> dentistry.

> Thanks for your thoughts and your input.  I will try to keep what you have said
> in mind, and will try not to worry.

> Thanks again,

> Mike

>    Believe me, I am a worrier par excellence.  I worried myself sick, until
>one
>day I couldn't worry any more.  The end was such an anticlimax, I wondered
>what the
>big deal was all about.
>    When I was sued, my first contact was being served, in the hospital.  The
>second time I got a letter in the mail requesting x-rays.  If there's a
>release
>from the patient, you must comply.  It came to nothing, and I never heard
>from the
>lawyer (or patient) again.
>    After that, my heart started beating faster every time I got a letter
>from a
>lawyer's office.  But it was usually involving a no-fault insurance case, or
>once
>when an {*filter*}surgeon I knew was being sued.
>    You develop a pretty tough skin after a while.  But you'd realize that
>just
>from reading the {*filter*}in this newsgroup.
>    If necessary, see a shrink and get some benzodiazepenes.  Believe me,
>it's not
>worth losing sleep over (though that thought probably won't save you from
>losing
>sleep).

>Good luck,
>Steve

>Jim

>Jim