Physical Therapy Malpractice

You may have gone to a physical therapist to become better. However, you sustained injuries and have become worse.

Your sustained injury may even have been caused by disability or permanent loss of function. There is a likelihood that what happened to you is a result of medical malpractice.

Depending on circumstances that occurred, a physician or healthcare facility may be held liable. This can also affect healthcare providers, nurses, as well as physical therapists, and other medical professionals.

As with other kinds of medical malpractice, four elements must be satisfied such as:

The physical therapist is responsible for a duty of care; the physical therapist has committed a breach of that duty; you sustained harm; and the breach of that therapist was the result of the harm.


Physical therapy malpractice can occur anywhere employed with physical therapists, such as, nursing homes, homes, private clinics, and medical centers.

Depending on the sustained injury, it may be apparent immediately that something is awry, or indications may be more subtle.

Some typical examples of physical therapy malpractice include the following: dropping patience; on therapy equipment, leaving patients unattended; using damaged or broken equipment; over extending the joints of a patient; ignoring complaints of pain in a patient, or indications that a patient who is nonverbal is in pain; feeling to inform properly patience of treatment risks; during therapy, failing to supervise patients; in accordance with orders from my physician, failing to conduct therapy; committing deliberate sexual or physical assault of a patient; with this type of malpractice, injuries can include strains, sprains, broken bones, concussions, toward ligaments, strokes, bruising, spinal cord or back injury, and even stroke or heart attack; and critical injury may exacerbate or cause conditions of mental health, such as anxiety or depression.

Physical therapy malpractice is a problem that is particular in nursing homes and extensive care facilities, where among residents, there is an increase in physical therapy.

Many of these patients have memory issues, difficulty communicating, or are frail.

Therapists who become negligent in administering therapeutic exercises with the patients may neglect to detect cues that may result in an injury, and the patients may not have the ability to report this.

An esteemed, experienced attorney specializing in medical malpractice can offer you consultation and an assessment of whether a case for physical therapy malpractice is worth the pursuit.

Some of the most critical consequences of negligence in cases regarding physical therapy are strokes, lower back injuries, and spinal cord issues.


It is extremely crucial that practitioners provide physical therapy and become vigilant of the likelihood of harm, which can be afflicted during therapy sessions.

It is possible for a court of law to hold liable a physical therapist for omission, era, or a negligent act to result in harm.

Professional discipline and civil litigation are two measures which can help diminish medical error by holding liable physical therapists for negligent actions.

Therefore, you may have a case for medical malpractice.

Contact us for a free consultation or call Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, at: 603.548.3797.