A routine visit to a chiropractor for a simple neck adjustment tragically resulted in a severe stroke, leaving a young man with locked-in syndrome. Compounding the tragedy, the stroke was initially missed by hospital doctors, leading to life-altering consequences.
Jonathan Buckelew, now 34, experienced this devastating event on October 26, 2015. Then in his 20s, Jonathan became unresponsive and seized during a chiropractic neck manipulation. He was rushed to a Georgia hospital.
A Missed Diagnosis and Devastating Outcome
At the hospital, doctors failed to diagnose the brain stem stroke Jonathan had suffered. This critical delay meant he did not receive timely treatment. As a result, Jonathan developed locked-in syndrome.
Locked-in syndrome is a rare and severe neurological condition. Patients are fully conscious and aware of their surroundings but are almost completely paralyzed, unable to move or speak, except typically for eye movements. Despite their physical limitations, individuals with the condition can hear and process information, trapped within their own bodies.
Lawsuit and Landmark Verdict
In the aftermath of the incident and the devastating outcome, Jonathan Buckelew pursued legal action against the chiropractor, the hospital (then North Fulton Hospital, now renamed), radiologist Dr. James Waldschmidt, the on-call neurologist Dr. Christopher Nickum, and ER doctor Dr. Matthew Womack.
A Fulton County state court found that Dr. Womack and Dr. Waldschmidt were negligent in failing to diagnose Jonathan’s stroke. The jury awarded Jonathan an unprecedented $75 million in damages. This massive sum included $9 million for past medical expenses, $20 million for anticipated future care, and a significant $46 million for pain and suffering.
In March, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the decision, specifically affirming a $40 million medical malpractice verdict against Dr. Womack. While Dr. Waldschmidt initially appealed, he later withdrew his appeal. Dr. Womack has since appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Life with Locked-In Syndrome
A decade after the incident, Jonathan continues to live with the effects of locked-in syndrome. His life is dramatically different from before, when he was active and involved in sports.
Communication is challenging, but Jonathan utilizes blinking or a nose-controlled keypad to interact with the world around him. His parents, Jack and Janice Buckelew, have completely transformed their home to provide the intensive care Jonathan requires, describing it as being like an “ICU.” They maintain a large supply of medical necessities on hand.
Jonathan’s father, Jack, shared the family’s profound pain, telling Atlanta News First, “We really feel like there’s no real justice for somebody who lost every aspect of his life.” He highlighted Jonathan’s enduring spirit despite the difficult days, noting, “He wants to do things, he wants to go places – it just breaks our heart to see him like he is.”
Jonathan’s attorney, Lloyd Bell, emphasized the preventability of the situation, stating, “This case is heartbreaking because Jonathan’s paralysis and brain damage were completely avoidable.” He argued that the healthcare providers failed to follow standard protocols for diagnosing and treating stroke symptoms.
Echoes of Other Cases and Understanding the Risks
Jonathan Buckelew’s case, while resulting in a rare outcome, is not entirely isolated. This tragic situation resonates with other instances where individuals have suffered severe injuries following cervical (neck) adjustments.
For example, in a separate incident in Savannah, Georgia, in June 2022, 28-year-old Caitlin Jensen was left paralyzed after a routine neck adjustment. According to her mother, Caitlin suffered four artery dissections in her neck during the appointment, leading to cardiac arrest, a stroke, and a traumatic brain injury. Like Jonathan, Caitlin, previously a healthy young adult, now faces severe paralysis and limited communication, requiring extensive care and rehabilitation. Her family also initiated a crowdfunding effort to cover mounting medical costs, and her mother has publicly warned others about the potential risks.
Such cases highlight a debate within the medical and chiropractic communities regarding the safety of neck manipulations. While some chiropractors describe severe complications like stroke or paralysis as “incredibly rare,” potentially occurring in as few as 1 in 100,000 adjustments, others note that the risk might increase when patients are already seeking care for neck pain or headaches – symptoms that can sometimes be precursors to arterial issues. Experts emphasize that while overall risks are low, serious injuries, though uncommon, can occur, underscoring the importance of thorough patient assessment and awareness of potential warning signs.
