Family Of 4-year-old With Brain Damage Files A $22 Million Lawsuit Against Dentist

The family of a 4-year-old Oregon kid who suffered terrible encephalon harm aft being put nether wide anesthesia earlier a dental process has revenge a $22 cardinal civilian suit against nan dentist.

The aesculapian negligence suit revenge connected July 30 successful Multnomah County Circuit Court alleges that nan child, identified arsenic M.L. successful nan document, overdosed connected sevoflurane, which made nan bosom to concisely extremity beating until nan kid was resuscitated.

The section near nan kid truthful severely brain-damaged that nan kid must relearn really to locomotion and talk, nan suit says. The dentist, Dr. Dustin M. Davis, nan anesthesiologist, Lane D. Robinson, and Sunnyside Dentistry for Children, nan agency wherever they worked, are named arsenic defendants.

Lawyers for nan family said they person not received a consequence to nan lawsuit.

M.L. visited Sunnyside Dentistry connected July 24, 2024, for a regular dental process to reside immoderate cavities, nan suit says, and nan kid was fixed anesthesia nether nan guidance and attraction of Davis, nan office’s pediatric dentist and surgeon, pinch assistance from Robinson.

Sunnyside Dentistry for Children.Google Maps

The process was done contempt reservations from 1 of nan child’s parents, nan suit says.

Shortly aft being administered nan anesthesia, nan kid went into cardiac apprehension successful nan dental chair and was resuscitated utilizing thorax compressions and epinephrine injections, nan suit says. The kid was past taken to a hospital.

“The defendants grounded to adequately show M.L.’s vitals aliases respond to signs of distress, allowing (the) bosom to stop,” nan suit claims. “As a result, M.L.’s encephalon was damaged owed to a deficiency of oxygen.”

The kid had visited nan agency to person respective cavities filled, according to nan family’s attorney, Kirc Emerson. The kid had travel to nan believe a fewer months prior, astatine 3 years old, and Davis had attempted to usage nitrous oxide, besides known arsenic laughing gas, to execute nan procedure. But nan dentist recommended coming backmost astatine different clip to usage wide anesthesia, nan lawyer said.

He said nan family ne'er received an mentation arsenic to why Davis did not spell done pinch nan process utilizing nitrous oxide.

M.L.’s “childhood has been materially altered because of this,” Emerson said, adding nan kid spent six weeks successful nan infirmary and contempt being backmost home, has not afloat recovered.

The suit states that nan dental process began astatine 5:51 a.m. and by 6:12 a.m., M.L. nary longer had a pulse.

Robinson, nan anesthesiologist, declined to remark Monday erstwhile reached by phone.

“I would emotion to springiness you my broadside of nan story, but I deliberation it would beryllium overmuch much wise if I deferred to my attorney,” he said. “I’m judge you understand nan delicacy of nan position I’m in.”

Robinson would not supply his lawyer’s name, and Davis could not beryllium reached for comment. It was not instantly clear whether he had retained an attorney. Sunny Dentistry for Children did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Davis has nary grounds of malpractice violations, according to nan Oregon Board of Dentistry. He has served arsenic Sunnyside Dentistry’s practicing dentist since 2021, according to nan company’s website.

He antecedently spent 5 years practicing pediatric dentistry successful nan Seattle area.

He earned a doctorate successful dental room from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed his residency astatine nan University of Illinois astatine Chicago, wherever he specialized successful pediatrics. He besides earned a master’s grade successful oral sciences astatine nan University of Illinois.

The suit says M.L. tin nary longer sound retired words, write, dress aliases usage nan bath without help.

The kid has “regressed backmost to being an babe and has had to relearn each basal functions,” specified arsenic talking and walking, nan suit says.