Chiropractic Injury Lawyer Blog

Vertebral Artery Dissection (VAD) is a tear that develops in the verebral artery and often leads to a stroke. It is the most common cause of stroke in the young. Vertebral artery dissections are usually caused by trauma to the neck, although researchers believe they can rarely occur spontaneously. Vertebral Artery Dissection is often caused by chiropractic manipulation of the spine.

There are four pathways that control blood flow to the brain—the left vertebral artery and right vertebral artery and the left and right carotid arteries. These arteries travel through the neck, and the vertebral arteries travel through the transverse process of each of the cervical vertebrae. Abrupt twisting of the neck can damage the inner layer of these arteries and create a blood clot. If the blood clot travels upward along with the flow of blood, it can cut off blood flow to part of the brain. This is the very definition of a stroke, which often results in permanent brain damage.

If you or a loved one has suffered a chiropractic injury, including stroke following a neck adjustment, one of the experienced chiropractic injury attorneys of Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones is available anytime to discuss the legal issues with you. To contact the author of this post, injury attorney Shawn Cantley, call toll-free (866) 587-0002 or click this link: email_shawn.

Have you ever been to a chiropractor? If so, you've probably had a cervical adjustment -- when the chiropractor adjusts your neck. Did the chiropractor tell you before he or she adjusted your neck that a known risk of a cervical spine adjustment is the potential to crush or tear an artery to your brain causing a stroke?

Unfortunately, this is not an entirely uncommon potential risk associated with manipulation (chiropractors prefer the term "adjustment") of the cervical spine. Even more unfortunate is the fact that most chiropractors do not want patients and potential patients to know this, lest it hurt business.

Consequently, most chiropractors don't inform their patients of the risk of stroke before they perform a cervical adjustment on the patient. In medical and legal terms, the cervical adjustment is done without informed consent.

People who have suffered a stroke as a result of a cervical adjustment for which they were not advised of the risk of stroke beforehand may have a claim against the chiropractor who did the adjustment, and they should contact a lawyer with experience handling chiropractic stroke cases.

The injury attorneys of Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones PLC represent victims of chiropractic stroke injuries. To contact the author of this post, injury attorney Shawn Cantley, call toll-free (866) 587-0002 or click this link: email_shawn.