Defense Verdict Obtained on Behalf of a Connecticut Dental Practice
by Gretchen G. Randall
February 8, 2022Gretchen G. Randall has obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a dental practice following a recent jury trial in Hartford Superior Court. The plaintiff, a former patient of the practice, claimed that she suffered personal injuries, including neck and shoulder injuries, resulting from the negligence of the dental assistants who participated in her care. Specifically, the plaintiff alleged that the dental assistants failed to properly position her in a panoramic x-ray machine, which caused the automated machine to strike her head and torque her neck. The defendant introduced evidence through medical records and live testimony of defendant’s employees that the events did not happen the way the plaintiff described and that the staff acted reasonably and appropriately. The defendant also introduced evidence through demonstrative exhibits and live testimony describing the way the x-ray equipment operates and its multiple safety mechanisms. Following a brief deliberation, the jury concluded that the defendant rendered appropriate care and found in favor of the dental practice.