Physical Therapy Malpractice Lawyer

Physical therapy is a form of treatment that is popular amongst nursing home patients, elderly people, athletes and those who have recently received surgery. Physical therapy is used to rehabilitate an individual and help him or her regain strength in a certain part of the body. A patient frequently seeks a physical therapist on a daily or weekly basis to go through different exercises designed to improve the mobility of the body. A patient may see a physical therapist at a physical therapy center, medical center, nursing home or even at one’s home.

How Physical Therapy Malpractice Occurs

Unfortunately, physical therapists can become careless while helping patients work through exercises. They may have too many appointments booked for the day and attempt to rush a patient through his or her exercises. One may experience an injury during physical therapy when he or she is not completing exercises in the proper fashion and under the supervision of a physical therapist. A physical therapist may also cause extreme pain to a patient as he or she stretches the patient. Typically, the physical therapist is not noticing signs of pain on a patient’s face or being an active listener of the patient’s concerns. This causes physical therapy malpractice to occur, and one may have to file a lawsuit against physical therapist.

Common Examples of How the Negligent Acts of a Physical Therapist Can Result in Injury to the Patient

Ideally, one should try to become aware of the common forms of physical therapy malpractice before going to his or her appointments. It is best for patients to be informed about behavior that constitutes negligence so that they can switch physical therapists if needed. Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable for being victims of physical therapy malpractice, and it is important for family members to look out for their well being. Nursing home residents tend to be elderly and have weaker bones. They may be more susceptible to a broken bone or dislocation during physical therapy appointments.

Physical therapy malpractice can occur in many forms, and here are some of the most common examples of malpractice:

• Dropping patients during an exercise
• Leaving patients unsupervised during exercises
• Failing to properly teach patients how to use equipment
• Failing to repair equipment in a therapy center
• Sexual assault
• Over-extension of limbs
• Failure to listen to patients’ complaints of pain
• Failure to modify a physical therapy plan for weak patients
• Failure to inform patients about the risks of physical therapy

Patients may be able to research whether a physical therapist has engaged in any of these forms of malpractice in the past via court websites (for Cook County cases, you can look here). One can check out consumer reviews on various physical therapy websites on the Internet. It is in any patient’s best interest to know whether a physical therapist has a past that involves malpractice so that one can avoid working with this physical therapist.

Injuries Resulting from Physical Therapy Malpractice

Patients can experience painful and long-term injuries when their physical therapists have been negligent. Often, a patient’s condition is worsened when he or she works with an inexperienced or negligent physical therapist. Some of the injuries that can result when a physical therapist is negligent include the following:

• Broken bones
• Strains or sprains
• Need for additional revision surgeries
• Punctured wounds or open bleeding
• Concussion
• Fatigue
• Anxiety or depression
• Lower back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Strokes
• Heart attack

If you have experienced any of these injuries, then you may have a negligence claim against your physical therapist. It is important for you to stand up for your legal rights when you have suffered from an injury during physical therapy. Your injuries may burden you with the need for additional operations or extensive medical bills.

Proving Negligence Against a Physical Therapist

To file a negligence claim against your physical therapist, there are certain legal elements that you will need to prove. You will need to prove that your physical therapist owed you a duty of care, that he or she breached this duty of care, that this breach caused you harm and that you have suffered damages as a result of this breach.

Get in touch with physical therapy malpractice attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today to learn how these attorneys can help your case and file a lawsuit against physical therapist. You can file a legal claim against a physical therapist and obtain damages for your case. A physical therapy malpractice lawyer can stand up for your legal rights when you are at your most vulnerable point in life.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has helped patients injured during physical therapy at their home, doctor’s office, hospital or nursing home. While some of these cases may involve individual therapist, other circumstances may involve a cause of action against the facility where the incident occurred. Regardless of the circumstance, our attorneys are here for you. 888-424-5757