[MRM]

Every food manufacturer has a claims process establishe for biting into foreign ojects into their food. My old firm handled all the claims for one of the big food processors/cerial manufacturers that's based in the Twin Cities. The attorney handling the account always had a few dozen broken tooth claims going at any given time. They almost never go into litigation because the companies usually pay for all the dental bills pretty easily and throw a few dollars in for pain, suffering and inconvenience.

There should be a 1-800 number on the back of the package. Call that immediately and report the claim. Get the contact information of the person you need to send the documentation to support your claim to. Take photos like you have, including of the tooth if you can. Save the wrapper and the packaging it came in. Write down a short account of what happened from beginning to end.

The things the company looks out for are how quickly you reported the claim, the sooner the better; whether you have good photos and documentation showing the object and where you bought it from; and excellent documentation from your dentist. Go to your regular dentist as soon as possible and tell him exactly what happened. Don't get anything done unless you have to, but have him document the injury, especially that this was not a rotten tooth that would have broken soon if your wife bit into mashed potatoes some day soon. Have the dentist give you a letter documenting the injury, telling you what needs to be done to fix it, and a hard cost estimate.

The company may arrange to pay your dental bills directly. If they do, make them agree to pay everything the dentist charges and make them pay your wife a thousand or two for the pain and suffering. A broken tooth case maxes out at about $5,000 (including all medical expense) unless there was catastrophic damage like a piece of the jawbone broke too or your wife needs surgery. There's no reason you shouldn't push the company to pay all bills and give your wife something for the experience in the $5,000 range (combined medical expense and cash payment to your wife).

Expect her to be asked to give a recorded statement over the phone, fill out some forms and signing authorizations to release all her dental records. The company has a checklist its adjusters work off. They can't authorize offering any money until their checklist is complete. Copies of the medical records, a R/I, completed forms and photos are the minimum needed to complete the checklist.