An Arizona family has received a financial settlement after their son tragically died following what was intended to be a routine dental procedure, just hours after he playfully photographed himself in the dentist’s chair.
Derek Swanson, 40, a fitness enthusiast, shared a beaming selfie with the caption: ‘Yesterday, new car. Today, implant! Fun never stops.’
Swanson was looking forward to receiving dental implants, but he never regained consciousness after the operation at Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery on March 3, 2023.
A Mother’s Worst Fear
“He was so excited,” his mother, Brenda Swanson, told ABC15. “He had fixed a lot of teeth, and they were looking really nice.”
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner determined that Derek died from a brain injury resulting from complications related to the administration of anesthesia during the dental procedure.
Following the devastating loss, Brenda and Bill Swanson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr. Derek Lamb, the dentist, and Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery.
This week, the family reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount, bringing a measure of closure to their ordeal.
Brenda Swanson recounted the day of the surgery, explaining that she accompanied her son to the facility.
An Arizona family has finally been given a payout after their son Derek Swanson (pictured) died following a routine dental procedure, hours after he took the photograph shown above
“They called Derek back, and that I won’t forget. He turned around and he gave me a wink and said, ‘love you,’ and he walked back,” she told ABC15.
But her son never returned to the waiting room, and a growing sense of dread washed over Swanson.
“I just kept waiting and waiting, and Derek wasn’t coming out,” she said.
Medical staff informed Swanson of complications, and her son was immediately transported to the emergency room, where he was placed on life support.
“This happened on the third of March 2023, and we took Derek off life support on the 10th of March,” Swanson said.
Allegations of Negligence
The Swansons’ lawsuit alleged multiple failures during the anesthesia process, claiming Derek did not receive sufficient oxygen, which ultimately led to the brain injury.
Legal representatives for Dr. Lamb denied any wrongdoing, asserting that his care did not contribute to Derek’s death.
Swanson (pictured left) was excited to get dental implants, but he never woke up from the procedure at Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery on March 3, 2023
The surgery and the Swansons have now reached a settlement for an undisclosed sum.
The Swansons are also advocating for a change in Arizona law, proposing that a dentist and an anesthetist be legally required to be present during dental surgeries.
Currently, Arizona law permits dentists to administer anesthesia with a state-issued permit.
“We would like to not have another family go through what we had to go through and are going through and will be for the rest of our life,” Brenda Swanson told ABC15.
Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery (pictured) settled with the family for an undisclosed amount
Derek (pictured left) died of a brain injury due to complications of anesthesia administration during the dental procedure, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner
