Every year, an estimated 35 million Americans visit chiropractors, the healthcare professionals focused on relief of back and neck pain. Chiropractors diagnose and treat neuromuscular disorders, while the main component of their treatment consists of manual adjustment or manipulation of the spine.

What can possibly go wrong when you visit a chiropractor in Philadelphia or elsewhere in Pennsylvania? It’s just a harmless deep massage, right? Well, not really. Our Philadelphia chiropractic malpractice attorney at The Weitz Firm, LLC, is going to outline the dangers of being treated by chiropractors and how your trip to a chiropractor can turn into a long-term or even life-threatening injury.

What can possibly go wrong during a chiropractic treatment?

Contrary to the popular belief, visiting a chiropractor is not the safest alternative to modern medicine. While chiropractors are focused on reducing back and neck pain as well as improving the functionality of a patient, many things can go wrong during a medical procedure provided by a chiropractor.

In addition to providing treatment, many chiropractors also educate their patients on the importance of physical activity, ergonomics and other therapies to stay healthy and eliminate back pain. And as long as chiropractors give reasonable medical advice and are qualified to provide healthcare recommendations, there is no harm in that.

However, it often happens that patients leave the chiropractor’s office with a severe injury, and in the most extreme cases, patients die during the procedure. “Technically, chiropractors are not medical doctors, but it does not change the fact that you can pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against a chiropractor for his or her failure to provide reasonable treatment while adhering to the highest standard of care,” explains our experienced chiropractic malpractice attorney in Philadelphia.

Can you sue a chiropractor for medical malpractice?

However, suing a chiropractor for medical malpractice may be trickier than it seems, because one of the requirements of filing a medical malpractice suit is to establish a doctor-patient relationship between you and the careless, reckless, or negligent chiropractor who provided you with a treatment that was below the accepted standard of care.

Luckily, by having a skilled medical malpractice attorney by your side, you can seek compensation for your injury, damages and losses suffered as a result of chiropractic malpractice or negligence. Get a free consultation from our lawyers at The Weitz Firm, LLC, by calling at 267-587-6240 to discuss your case.

Examples of chiropractic malpractice

Although the list of examples of chiropractic malpractice can be endless, let’s outline some of the most common types of this form of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania:

  • Failure to properly review the patient’s medical history before the procedure. Remember how we said that chiropractors are NOT medical doctors? Unfortunately, this is evident from the fact that many chiropractors do not inquire into their patient’s medical history of conditions, injuries, or illnesses from the past before proceeding with the treatment. As you can imagine, this can lead to irrevocable damage and life-threatening injuries.
  • Failure to properly diagnose the medical condition. In many cases, chiropractors trust their own gut without even bothering to properly diagnose the medical condition that requires treatment, which is a clear violation of the accepted standards of care in the healthcare industry.
  • Failure to warn of risks associated with the treatment. Chiropractic treatments are just like any other medical treatment. They come with certain risks and side effects. If a chiropractor fails to inform a patient of reasonably expected risks associated with the chiropractic treatment, he or she may be committing medical malpractice. However, in many cases, chiropractors are not aware of what risks and side effects to expect from the treatment, which means these chiropractors lack knowledge and experience, and thus should not be allowed to perform such high-risk treatment in the first place.
  • Providing treatment below the accepted standards of care. Many chiropractors in Pennsylvania are sued for negligent manipulation during the chiropractic treatment. Some of the most common injuries associated with negligent manipulation during a chiropractic treatment include: broken ribs and vertebrae, fractured spine, herniated discs, pinched nerves, sciatic nerve damage, and many more.
  • Causing chiropractic-induced stroke. One of the most common results of negligent manipulation during a chiropractic treatment is inducing ischemic stroke, which occurs when the chiropractor damages the patient’s arteries that transport blood to the brain. This can even lead to death.

If you went for a chiropractic treatment, thinking that this type of non-invasive treatment would be a safer alternative to surgery, and ended up with a severe injury, contact our Philadelphia chiropractic malpractice lawyer from The Weitz Firm, LLC, to sue the negligent chiropractor and get the compensation you deserve. Call our offices at 267-587-6240 today.

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