A West Virginia woman is suing her dentist over injuries resulting from a drill bit that she ingested during a routine restorative procedure, according to a story in the West Virginia Record.
In August 2010, Sally Neale visited David Bell, DDS, who practices in Scott Depot, WV, to have a front tooth repaired, according to a complaint filed August 8, 2012, in Putnam County Circuit Court.
Neale claims that she felt something slide down her throat while she was in a reclining position, and even though she choked and gagged, no one gave her any aid or called 911, the Record reported.
She claims that she subsequently experienced significant pain and that x-rays found a drill bit from a dental handpiece lodged in her intestines. She then had to take a prescription for Miralax and mineral oil and had to visit the emergency room on multiple occasions before the drill bit finally passed and once after.
Neale also claims she has suffered a sore throat and raspy voice, and has been unable to speak well since the incident.
The lawsuit accuses Dr. Bell of negligence and seeks compensatory damages with pre- and postjudgment interest.
