Can I Sue a Chiropractor for Medical Malpractice?
Many rely on chiropractic care to alleviate neck, shoulder, and back pain. While chiropractic care may be beneficial, it can be dangerous when mistakes are made. Chiropractors primarily focus on the spine, whose nerves deliver information to and from other body parts. Damage to the spinal cord can cause pain, compromise physical functions, and result in costly economic losses.
Individuals who suffer injury or pain after a chiropractic adjustment may wonder if they can sue a chiropractor for medical malpractice. Medical malpractice lawyers at Zucker & Regev, P.C. help individuals in Brooklyn, NY, determine if they have grounds to file a lawsuit.
What Do Chiropractors Do?
Chiropractors offer alternative medical care and treatment. Chiropractors do not receive the same training as medical doctors and are not licensed to administer or prescribe medications or perform surgical procedures.
During a chiropractic appointment, chiropractors use their hands or small instruments to apply controlled pressure to the body (usually the spinal joints). The goals of chiropractic adjustment are to manipulate the spine and musculoskeletal structure to properly align the body, improve spinal motion, and eliminate pain.
Chiropractic-related Injuries
Whether a chiropractor is treating the neck, shoulders, or back, they are near areas surrounded by nerves, ligaments, and muscles susceptible to damage. Improper techniques or force can cause injuries that vary in severity. Although rare, if certain vertebrae or arteries are damaged during chiropractic care, injuries can even be fatal. Some of the most common chiropractic-related injuries include:
- Nerve damage
- Muscle damage
- Torn ligaments
- Herniated discs
- Cracked vertebrae
- Stroke
- Paralysis
Damages from Chiropractic Injuries
Chiropractic injuries can cause physical, emotional, and economic damage. Injuries may temporarily or permanently compromise physical functions, cause emotional trauma, and alter a person’s way of life. Some of the losses typically associated with chiropractic injuries include:
- Cost of medical treatment for damages
- Cost of ongoing therapy and rehabilitation
- Loss of income
- Diminished wage-earning capacity
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
Additionally, when chiropractic injuries are fatal, surviving loved ones suffer losses associated with wrongful death, which may include loss of consortium, loss of income and benefits, and funeral and burial expenses.
Can I Sue for Medical Malpractice?
Even though chiropractors are not licensed medical doctors, they can still be sued for medical malpractice or professional negligence provided key factors are established. To prove grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit our lawyers work on behalf of our Brooklyn clients to demonstrate that:
- The chiropractor had a professional duty of care to the plaintiff
- The chiropractor neglected their duty or failed to deliver the standard of care that could reasonably be expected in the situation
- Failure to deliver care that met the accepted standard was the cause of the plaintiff’s injury
- The plaintiff suffered physical, emotional, or financial damages related to the injury
Contact Us
Individuals who suffer injury or pain after a chiropractic adjustment may be due financial compensation for their losses. To learn more about your legal options after a chiropractic-related injury, contact Zucker & Regev, P.C., and schedule a case review at our Brooklyn law firm.