December 10, 1999

After a lumbar adjustment at the chiropractor’s, a patient complained of increased back pain and later underwent a cervical fusion surgery.  The man claimed that when at the chiropractor’s, he suffered from a bulging disc, and that the chiropractor negligently manipulated his spine, causing the bulging disc to become herniated.  In defense, James Grohmann argued that only extreme trauma can cause a herniated disc and in this case the disc injury preexisted the adjustment.  When asked whether the chiropractor had violated the reasonably competent chiropractic standard, the Jefferson County jury said no and awarded no damages.