Remember: on March 8, 2016, the trial of Jacobus Marinus Van Nierop, the “dentist of horror”, opened. For 4 years (between May 2008 and September 2012), this Dutch dentist based in Château-Chinon (a medical desert well-known in the Nièvre) had mutilated 2,800 patients: healthy teeth torn or devitalized, pierced or infected jaws, poorly placed implants, prostheses useless … In the end, 150 victims had gathered to file a complaint.
During the trial, the prosecutor Lucile Jaillon-Bru had denounced a “health disaster”, caused by this 51-year-old man, author of “violence whose ultimate goal was to obtain reimbursements” increasingly important health insurance.
“Exceptional permanent damage”
On April 26, 2016, the Nevers Criminal Court finally sentenced Mark Van Nierop to eight years’ imprisonment, a sentence accompanied by a definitive ban from practicing his profession. And this Wednesday, September 7, 2016, the first compensation fell: the Compensation Commission for Victims of Offenses (CIVI) on Wednesday granted 5,000 to 40,000 euros to 17 victims. For 10 other cases, the decision of the CIVI of Bourges is expected for October 3.
“These are correct compensation that allow people to feel repaired”, welcomed Me Charles Joseph-Oudin, specifying that these first 17 victims had obtained 4,000 euros each for “exceptional permanent damage”. The latter “has been recognized for all by the CIVI, which considered the specificity of these files, because it is not the same thing to be a victim after an accident and following an act of care”, a underlined the lawyer, questioned by our colleagues from World.
“The victims can be reassured, the CIVI recognizes them as victims and some are waiting for this compensation to continue their care, because they are still at the Dentiste », Commented Nicole Martin, president of the Dental Collective.
To read: Dental prostheses in 5 questions.
