If a dental procedure in Kentucky left you with tongue numbness, burning pain, or loss of taste, you may be living with a lingual nerve injury caused by your dentist’s negligence. These injuries can be permanent, and the impact on your ability to eat, speak, and enjoy daily life is real and compensable under Kentucky law. The Higgins Firm represents lingual nerve injury victims across all of Kentucky, fighting for full compensation with no upfront costs and no fee unless we win.
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The lingual nerve runs through the lower jaw and is responsible for sensation in the front two-thirds of the tongue, including touch, temperature, and taste. It sits in close proximity to the roots of the lower wisdom teeth and the pathways used for dental implant placement and anesthesia injections in the lower jaw. When a dentist fails to exercise proper care during these procedures, the lingual nerve can be lacerated, stretched, bruised, or chemically damaged — causing symptoms that range from mild tingling to severe, permanent nerve pain.
Symptoms of a lingual nerve injury include numbness or absence of feeling on part of the tongue, burning or electric-shock sensations, loss or alteration of taste, difficulty speaking or swallowing, and uncontrolled biting of the tongue or inner cheek due to loss of sensation. These symptoms may appear immediately after a procedure or develop over several hours or days. Symptoms that persist beyond a few weeks without improvement warrant evaluation by a neurologist or oral surgeon — and a call to an attorney.
Lower wisdom tooth extractions are the leading cause of lingual nerve injury claims. The roots of the lower third molars sit directly beside the nerve, and poor surgical technique, inadequate imaging, or excessive force during extraction can result in serious nerve injury. Dental implant surgery in the lower posterior jaw is also a significant risk when performed without cone beam CT imaging to precisely map the nerve’s location beforehand.
Inferior alveolar nerve block injections — used to numb the lower jaw for a wide range of dental procedures — pass in close proximity to the lingual nerve. An improperly administered injection can traumatize the nerve directly. Root canal procedures involving lower molar teeth can cause injury through instrument over-extension or material leakage beyond the root apex. In each of these cases, the question is whether the dentist followed the accepted standard of care — and if not, whether that departure caused your injury.
Kentucky’s statute of limitations for dental malpractice claims is one year from the date of the negligent act or from the date you discovered — or in the exercise of reasonable care should have discovered — the injury. This is governed by KRS § 413.140(1)(e). Kentucky courts apply the discovery rule, which can extend your filing window in cases where the injury was not immediately apparent, as often happens when dentists tell patients that symptoms will resolve over time.
Unlike many other states, Kentucky does not impose a statutory cap on damages in medical or dental malpractice cases. This means Kentucky patients can pursue full compensation for both economic losses — medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs — and non-economic losses, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, without any artificial limit on what they can recover. For patients with severe or permanent lingual nerve injuries, this distinction can significantly increase the value of a claim.
Kentucky does not require formal pre-suit notice to the defendant before filing a malpractice lawsuit, which simplifies the process compared to states like Tennessee. However, Kentucky courts do require expert testimony to establish the standard of care applicable to the procedure and to demonstrate how the defendant dentist deviated from that standard. The Higgins Firm works with qualified dental and medical experts to satisfy this requirement and build strong, well-supported cases for our Kentucky clients.
Kentucky follows a pure comparative fault system under KRS § 411.182. This means that even if you are found partially at fault for your own injury — for example, by failing to disclose a health condition relevant to the procedure — you can still recover damages, reduced by your percentage of fault. In most lingual nerve injury cases, patients bear little to no comparative fault for the dentist’s error in technique or judgment.
Because Kentucky imposes no cap on damages, injured patients can pursue the full value of their losses. Economic damages include all past and future medical expenses related to the lingual nerve injury, including specialist consultations, nerve repair surgery, medications such as gabapentin or other nerve pain treatments, and any future rehabilitation or therapy. Lost wages and reduced earning capacity are also fully recoverable.
Non-economic damages in Kentucky are equally significant. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium are all recoverable without statutory limitation. For patients whose lingual nerve injury has permanently altered their ability to eat, taste, speak, or experience daily life without pain, these damages can be substantial. The Higgins Firm will evaluate the complete scope of your losses and pursue maximum recovery on your behalf.
If you believe a Kentucky dentist caused your lingual nerve injury, the steps you take immediately can significantly affect the outcome of your case. See a specialist — a neurologist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon — as soon as possible to obtain an independent assessment of your injury. Request your complete dental records in writing, including X-rays, cone beam CT scans, procedure notes, and consent forms. Keep a daily journal of your symptoms and how they affect your ability to work, eat, speak, and sleep.
Do not allow the same dentist who performed the original procedure to attempt to repair the nerve damage — the treating dentist has a conflict of interest. Do not give recorded statements to the dentist’s malpractice insurer or accept any settlement offer without first speaking with an attorney. The Higgins Firm offers completely free consultations with no obligation, and we handle all communications with insurance companies on your behalf.
The Higgins Firm represents lingual nerve injury clients throughout all of Kentucky, including Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Covington, Elizabethtown, Florence, Richmond, Georgetown, and all surrounding communities. We offer remote consultations by phone or video, handle all case management on your behalf, and work with Kentucky-licensed co-counsel as required. You never need to travel for your initial consultation.
There is no cost to you unless we win your case. Contact The Higgins Firm today for a free evaluation of your Kentucky lingual nerve injury claim.
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