Rehabilitation and physical therapy can help patients recover faster and more fully after suffering injuries, undergoing surgeries, or experiencing serious medical conditions. Physiotherapy can help them regain mobility and function and alleviate their pain. Unfortunately, accidents can occur, and rehabilitation specialists and physical therapists can make mistakes that can worsen patients’ existing injuries and cause other complications.

If you or a member of your family suffered an injury during a visit to a physical therapist, you might be eligible to seek compensation in a civil claim with the help of one of our skilled medical malpractice attorneys. A Charlottesville rehabilitation and physical therapy malpractice lawyer at our firm could meet with you to review the details of your case and explain the legal process to you.

How Do Injuries Occur From Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation?

Depending on the severity of a patient’s injury or medical condition, they might receive therapy at a residential rehabilitation facility where they stay overnight or visit a physical therapist for outpatient appointments. These residential and outpatient facilities are both supposed to provide patients with the safe, individual care they need. Unfortunately, serious injuries can occur when caregivers or other people act negligently.

Falls

Physical therapy and rehabilitation patients often experience reduced mobility and have problems with their balance. Rehabilitation therapists must be aware of physically unstable patients’ limitations and take precautions to minimize their risk of falling. Serious falls could result in broken bones, head injuries, spinal fractures, sprains, or other harm.

Equipment Mishaps

Patients can suffer severe harm when rehabilitation equipment malfunctions because of inherent defects or from a lack of proper maintenance. A mishap can also occur when a therapist misuses a piece of equipment or does not tell the patient how to use it properly. Equipment problems can cause people to fall, overly strain and tear their muscles, or dislocate their joints.

Lack of Supervision

Staff members must supervise patients to ensure they do not try to engage in activities that their bodies are not yet ready for. Patients in residential rehabilitation facilities should also receive supervision at other times, such as when getting out of bed.

Infections

As is the case with other types of medical facilities, rehabilitation facilities should maintain good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infections.

Our Charlottesville attorneys know how to handle all types of cases involving errors during physiotherapy treatments. We could work tirelessly on your behalf to build a robust claim for reasonable financial compensation.

Potential Defendants in Your Case

Unfortunately, patients can sustain avoidable injuries when rehabilitation facilities are understaffed, staff members act negligently, or something else goes wrong. Determining who is at fault is critical to making a successful compensation claim.

Rehabilitation Facility

The facility where your injuries occurred could be at fault if it was not reasonably safe, did not provide sufficient training to staff members, did not have an adequate number of employees, or did not practice safe hygiene protocol.

Physical Therapist

Your individual physical therapist could be at fault for not following the proper standards of care for people in their profession.

Equipment Manufacturer or Maintenance Company

If the equipment malfunctioned, our attorneys could determine who is to blame.

Our dedicated team of Charlottesville lawyers could carefully examine the evidence to determine what happened and who bears or shares potential legal liability for the mistakes that caused your injuries during a rehabilitative therapy session.

Call Our Charlottesville Attorneys About Negligence During Your Rehabilitation or Physical Therapy

When you visit a rehabilitation facility, you expect its personnel to provide you with skilled care. If you suffered injuries or your condition worsened after physical therapy, you might have grounds to sue. Call us today to schedule a consultation about your case—and speak with a knowledgeable Charlottesville rehabilitation and physical therapy malpractice lawyer at our firm.