Q: Why does my dentist want me to sign a release form and have it notarized in order to get full money back?
I was placed a long dental bridge barely 3 years ago and was told I had to replace it already which is unusual. Specialist within same dental company won't touch the bridge as he doesn't know what's underneath. Customer service after investigating my case offered to replace the bridge at no cost or refund it. For the full refund I first need to sign their release form and have it notarized. Is it legal? What if the another dentist from a different company I see refuse to treat this bridge as well?
A:
Good evening:
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had such a poor experience with this dental group. Without reviewing that Release it’s hard to comment specifically. However, it sounds like they are willing to give you a full refund in exchange for a release of all claims. They want to ensure that if they give you your money back, you can’t subsequently turn around and sue them for additional money arising from the issue with the bridge or anything else. This is not unusual.
Your concerns about another dentist being apprehensive or even unwilling to provide treatment for the bridge are valid. You may want to consult with another dentist prior to signing the release to see if you can find someone willing to treat you.
While it doesn’t appear you were specifically asking about medical/dental malpractice, you should be aware that there is a two (2) year statute of limitations applicable to medical malpractice cases in Florida. This includes dental malpractice. If you fail to comply with the applicable statute of limitations, you may be forever barred from recovering with regard to your loss.
Best of luck to you.
Gregg
Tim Akpinar agrees with this answer
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