Physical Therapist Negligence | What to Know

When a physical therapist breaches their duty of care to their patients, a medical malpractice claim may be filed. If you are facing a medical malpractice claim as a physical therapist, it is important to know what to expect. To learn more about physical therapist negligence and the steps you can take with your attorney, continue reading. For assistance with your upcoming medical malpractice claim, do not hesitate to contact our New York City health care professional defense lawyers. Our legal team is prepared to fight for your rights in court. Here are some questions you may have:

What are the most common examples of physical therapist negligence?

Physical therapists can, unfortunately, act negligently in many ways. The most common forms of negligence committed by physical therapists are as follows:

  • Leaving patients unsupervised on equipment
  • Ignoring patient’s complaints of pain
  • Using broken equipment
  • Failing to supervise
  • Dropping patients
  • Over-extending limbs
  • Sexual assault
  • Failing to repair broken equipment
  • Failing to take patient’s physical condition into account before starting treatment

What are some of the most common injuries sustained due to physical therapist malpractice?

Physica therapist negligence can result in their patients suffering severe injuries including the following:

  • Lower back injuries
  • Concussion
  • Heart attack
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Fatigue
  • Strains or sprains
  • Strokes
  • Anxiety or depression

How can a patient in a medical malpractice lawsuit?

A patient must prove the following three factors in order to file a successful medical malpractice lawsuit against their physical therapist:

  1. The patient must prove that their physical therapist owed them a duty of care
  2. The patient must prove that their physical therapist breached that duty of care
  3. The patient must prove that they were injured as a direct result of this breach in care

Next, the Office of Professional Discipline (OPD) will launch an investigation into this specific incident cited in the claim. They will determine if the physical therapist should be allowed to continue their practice by scrutinizing the details of the case.

If you are facing medical malpractice allegations as a physical therapist, you must retain the services of an experienced medical malpractice attorney for assistance. Our New York City physical therapy defense lawyers are prepared to fight these claims by exploring all avenues of defense on your behalf. To learn more about our services, do not hesitate to contact our legal team to schedule your initial consultation.

Contact our experienced New York City firm

When a medical professional is accused of misconduct, they must retain strong legal representation. If you require a medical law attorney for your legal matters, call Paul E. Walker, an experienced New York City OPMC & OPD Lawyer. Please contact the Walker Medical Law firm to set up a free initial consultation.