Tom Smith, Mike Donelson and Debbie Bunn win defense verdict in medical malpractice case tried in Butler County, Missouri.
The plaintiff alleged she saw the defendant chiropractor for low back pain and during the course of her chiropractic treatment, the defendant performed an unnecessary and forceful neck adjustment that caused a disc herniation that in turn caused severe compression of her spinal cord, ultimately requiring emergent decompression spinal surgery. Following surgery, plaintiff was left with permanent neurologic deficits impairing her ability to walk, prohibiting plaintiff from working or performing routine household chores. Although the defendant chiropractor died prior to suit being filed, the defense presented testimony from a chiropractic expert that the defendant met the standard of care. The defense also presented testimony from a neurosurgeon and radiologist that the disc injury and spinal cord compression was a long-standing degenerative problem that pre-dated the chiropractic treatment.
At trial, plaintiff requested the jury award $1.2 million in damages. Following a four-day trial, the jury found in favor of defendant.