Chiropractic Malpractice

Chiropractic Malpractice Cases

Chiropractors benefit many patients by relieving them of aches and pains, but if they are negligent in manipulating certain areas, it can lead to chiropractic malpractice, causing serious injury, paralysis and even death.

Chiropractors benefit many patients by relieving them of aches and pains, but if they are negligent in manipulating certain areas, it can lead to

It has been estimated that every year about 22 million Americans visit chiropractors. Most commonly, patients are seeking relief from back pain, headaches, or other pain in the neck, arms, and legs. Chiropractors are not medical doctors, but typically have an undergraduate degree plus four years of training at a chiropractic college.

Every patient seeking help from medical professionals, including chiropractors, deserves care that meets the accepted standard for that medical profession. If this did not happen and you or a loved one has suffered harm or someone has died due to negligence of a chiropractor, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses, including:

• Medical and rehabilitative expenses and future medical costs
• Lost wages and future earning capacity
• Mental anguish, pain and suffering
• Loss of life’s pleasures.

The seasoned medical malpractice attorneys at Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters knows the courts and the system and what you need to do to increase your chances of winning a good settlement.  We offer a free consultation to carefully examine the individual facts of your case and determine the best way to handle it.  Put our experience to work for you today by calling (570) 323-8711, or by using our online contact form.

What is Chiropractic Malpractice?

When a patient is injured as a result of a chiropractor’s failure to follow the accepted standard of care within the chiropractic profession, the chiropractor may be guilty of medical malpractice and liable for that patient’s serious injury or death.

What is Chiropractic Medicine?

Chiropractic doctors specialize in joint manipulation and realignment, most often to relieve pain. These are considered to be alternative medicine treatments that do not involve surgery or medications. Instead, they focus on aligning the body’s musculoskeletal structure and spine.

The theory behind chiropractic medicine is that proper alignment of the spine and musculoskeletal structure will help the body heal itself. In addition, the manipulation of joints is used to restore mobility to and relieve pain in tissue damaged by trauma from an accident, sports injury, or repetitive stress. Chiropractic is often used for pain relief for muscles, joints, bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

Benefits and Risks

Chiropractic care is usually considered to be a safe and effective treatment for pain, especially acute low back pain. However, there are risks involved with chiropractic procedures that crack necks and manipulate the spine. Since major nerves pass through the spinal column, injury to the spine can involve many of the basic human functions. If a procedure is done incorrectly or the individual is particularly sensitive to manipulation, injuries may result, including broken bones, herniated discs, and damage leading to severe pain, paralysis, strokes and even death.

Examples of chiropractic medical malpractice include the following:

• Improper or negligent manipulation of the body – This occurs when the chiropractic adjustments cause new injuries or make an existing injury worse.
• Failure to diagnose a medical condition — A chiropractor’s duty of care can be breached if a chiropractor fails to properly diagnose a patient’s underlying medical condition, fails to treat that medical issue, or causes harm due to that issue.  For example, if a patient has undiagnosed blocked arteries, manipulation may result in a stroke, which could have been prevented if properly diagnosed.
• Failure to refer a patient to a specialist – If a chiropractor finds a serious medical condition that is beyond the scope of chiropractic treatment, there is a duty to refer the patient to a proper specialist to deal with the condition.

Put Your Trust in Us — Experienced Chiropractic Malpractice Lawyers

Medical malpractice law is highly regulated by a complex body of rules. For a successful claim, the burden of proof is on the injured patient, so it is essential to have a skilled chiropractic medical malpractice lawyer on your side.

We offer a free consultation to carefully examine the individual facts in chiropractic malpractice cases and determine the best way to handle them. Put our experience to work for you today by calling (570) 323-8711 or by using our online contact form.

Based in Williamsport, we serve clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania, offering a free consultation on all personal injury matters. More than that, we offer you experience, knowledge, compassion, and a long history of results.