A routine chiropractor visit turned into a life-altering nightmare for a young man who is now completely paralysed and unable to speak, despite remaining fully conscious.
Jonathan Buckelew was in his 20s when he went for a neck adjustment in October 2015, but within moments, everything changed.
What should have been a routine appointment instead led to a medical emergency that would leave him with locked-in syndrome, a rare and devastating neurological condition.
A Routine Visit That Ended In Disaster
Buckelew was rushed to North Fulton Hospital in Georgia on October 26, 2015, after feeling dizzy, disoriented, and unresponsive during the adjustment.
Despite showing clear signs of a stroke, doctors failed to understand what was happening.
Per court documents, medical staff missed that he was suffering from a severe brain stem stroke.
This cost him crucial time that could have limited the damage.
One full day passed before his condition was correctly identified, but by then it was too late, and the stroke had already caused catastrophic harm, leaving him with locked-in syndrome.
His lawyer, Lloyd Bell, said: “Jonathan was having a stroke when he came to the hospital, and they missed it. The people who were responsible for reading the radiographs misread it.”
“The ER doctor saw this patient was having all these signs and symptoms of stroke and never called a stroke alert, and they had policies in place that they were supposed to follow certain protocols to reach the correct diagnosis, and they didn’t follow their policies and procedures,” he added.
He also told the New York Post: “This case is heartbreaking because Jonathan’s paralysis and brain damage were completely avoidable.”
“If the slew of healthcare providers involved in Jonathan’s care would have acted according to the standard of care, caught and treated his stroke earlier, and communicated more effectively, Jonathan’s life would look entirely different.”
What Locked-In Syndrome Means
According to the Cleveland Clinic, locked-in syndrome happens ‘when a part of your brainstem is damaged, usually from a stroke’.
The Stroke Association explained: “The brain stem controls some of the body’s automatic functions such as sleep, awareness, breathing, and blood pressure. It also controls movement.”
“If a stroke happens in the part of the brain stem that controls movement, it’s possible for the person to keep awareness but not be able to move,” it added.
The rare disorder leaves a person fully aware of their surroundings but unable to move or speak, except in some cases, through eye movements.
There is no cure, and patients require round-the-clock care for the rest of their lives.
Family’s Fight For Justice
Following the diagnosis, the now-34-year-old’s family launched legal action against numerous medical professionals, including Dr. Matthew Womack and radiologist James Waldschmidt, who were later found to have been ‘grossly negligent’.
A Fulton County court awarded Buckelew $75 million in damages, including $29 million for medical expenses and $46 million for pain and suffering. Womack was ordered to pay $40 million.
However, the chiropractor, hospital, and other staff were not found liable. Despite the verdict, his family says no amount of money can undo what happened.
“I really feel like there’s no real justice for somebody who lost every aspect of his life,” his father, Jack Buckelew, said, per Atlanta News First.
“We’re just focusing on what can we do now; how can we keep him as happy as possible; and how can we give him the best life possible.”
At home, his parents have created a full-time care setup with a team of nurses, turning their house into what Jack described as an ICU.
“We do work really hard to keep at least two months ahead on the supplies,” he said.
“We created an ICU, honestly.”
