According to the American Chiropractic Association, Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain. Back pain can interrupt many aspects of an individual’s day-to-day life, which is why many will turn to a chiropractor for help. While chiropractors offer medical treatment for more than just back pain, this is the reason why many patients initially visit. When you consult a chiropractor, you expect that your condition will improve, not get worse. Unfortunately, chiropractic malpractice happens quite often in Maryland and throughout the United States. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to a chiropractor’s negligence, it is important to seek the help and guidance of a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney.
Chiropractic work is a form of alternative medicine. A chiropractor is a health care professional focused on the diagnosis and treatment of misalignments of the joints. Specifically, chiropractors treat patients through manual adjustment or manipulation of the spine, which often is related to other disorders affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs. Most chiropractors aim to reduce pain and improve the functionality of patients.
However, negligent manipulation of the spine can worsen existing back problems and even create new problematic conditions, including nerve damage, disc herniation, vertigo, rib fractures, neck pain, neurological harm, and more. It may be hard to believe, but in some cases, chiropractic malpractice can even lead to a stroke. This happens when the neck is manipulated in a way that ruptures an artery in the brain. In some patients, a stroke of this nature may not happen until days or weeks after the negligent chiropractic treatment was received.
It is important to note that chiropractors are not considered medical doctors, but they can still be liable for malpractice. In order to win a medical malpractice claim in Maryland, the plaintiff must establish that the chiropractor did not adhere to the acceptable standard of care that is expected of other reasonably prudent chiropractors. Put another way, chiropractors have a legal duty to diagnose and respond to medical conditions if reasonable chiropractors in the same situation would have done so. If a chiropractor’s deviation from the accepted standard of care was a direct cause of the plaintiff’s harm, that chiropractor will likely be deemed negligent and liable for damages.
As a practical matter, just as with any other malpractice case, the standard of care is established through expert testimony. Typically, an expert witness will provide testimony regarding the appropriate standard of care, how it was violated, and the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury.
If you or someone close to you was injured as a result of chiropractic negligence, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys have the legal knowledge and experience to pursue your claim. You can trust that we will explore the details of your case and come up with a legal strategy accordingly. We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns. To learn more about your legal rights and options after a chiropractor error, feel free to call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.
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