ST. LOUIS – A patient has filed suit against a dentist over allegations that negligence caused a spinal injury.
Adgerian Jolliff filed a complaint on Jan. 5 in the St. Louis Circuit Court against Richard D. Smitzer DMD PC, Richard D. Smitzer DMD and Jane Doe alleging medical malpractice.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Jan. 6, 2017, she went to defendants' dental clinic to have tooth extraction and cleaning. She alleges Doe "wrenched her head around in such a way has to cause her severe pain" and Snitzer repositioned her neck again and caused more pain.
The plaintiff alleges she went to a hospital emergency room hours after the appointment and doctors determined that her cervical discs C-3 through C-5 had slipped into her spine, disc C4-C5 was massively herniated, and she had spinal cord compression and cervical spondylosis. She alleges she had spinal fusion surgery on Jan. 13, 2017, and April 23, 2018.
The plaintiff holds Richard D. Smitzer DMD PC, et al. responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to assess the risk of damage associated with teeth cleaning and tooth extraction on the neck, cervical disks and nerves.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks damages of more than $25,000, plus costs and all further relief that is proper and just. She is represented by Edward C. Kruse of Kruse Law LLC in St. Louis.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number 1922cc0045