The Personal Aspect of Being Sued
As a defense lawyer to health care providers that often find themselves in a completely foreign and alien universe called a LAWSUIT, it is my usual practice to run through an initial laundry list of topics, including procedural and substantive r
Dental Records and HIPAA
Due to the widespread use of electronic recordkeeping, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is of particular importance to dentists and their practices. According to HIPAA, any dentist who conducts certain transactions
Dental Malpractice and the Standard of Care
Every dentist has inevitably come into contact with the phrase “dental malpractice.” And for practicing professionals, it likely arouses sentiments of fear and anxiety. But what does it mean exactly? Like other medical professionals, dentist
Why Expert Opinion is Important
Nearly every dental malpractice claim requires expert testimony. Experts help determine the requisite standard of care, whether or not that standard was met, and, if so, if a deviation caused the injury complained of by the plaintiff. Exper
Dental Malpractice and the Standard of Care
A dentist owes a legal duty to those persons with whom she has a dentist/patient relationship. This relationship is the basis of her legal obligation to reasonably treat and care for her patients. So what establishes a dentist/patient relati
Termination of the Dentist/Patient Relationship
Almost every practicing dentist has experienced a problem patient. He or she may skip appointments, have unrealistic expectations, fail to pay bills, or simply be noncompliant with recommended care and treatment. Under certain circumstances, a
HBS Attorneys Jo Jagor and Nathan Gaffney Aimed for Excellence at the 102nd Thomas P. Hinman Meeting
Jo Jagor and Nathan Gaffney joined Dr. Mitchell Gardiner in excerpts of a simulated dental malpractice trial in two sessions at the annual Hinman Dental Meeting at the Georgia World Conference Center last week. They were able to give attendees a
Your Documentation Can Limit Your Professional Liability
The uncomfortable truth is that many dental professionals will, at some point in their careers, have a lawsuit filed against them by a patient. It’s not pleasant to think about, and something to steadfastly avoid, but the odds are ever-increas
To Read, or Not to Read, That is The Question
In the fast paced world in which we live, we often struggle to meet our obligations while finding balance between work and home life. It can be difficult to find the extra time to do the things that are not necessarily required of us, although
Social Media Dangers
As a dentist running your own practice you must be concerned about not only your own online personality, but also that of your staff. Just to give you an idea: Twitter estimates 120,000 tweets and 1475 photographs every minute and Facebook est