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Woman sues chiropractor for stroke

Naomi Havlen

Claiming she suffered a stroke after getting treatment and then was not properly diagnosed, a Carbondale woman has filed suit against her chiropractor and the Basalt wellness center where he works.Renee Range, 41, claims that she fell while water skiing on Sept. 1, 2001, and suffered a sore neck that was not different from other soreness in her neck she’d had in the past. The suit claims that Range was treated by Dr. Jason Slaver on Sept. 5, 2001, at the Mid Valley Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Basalt, and the treatment was the cause of her stroke.Range claims that Dr. Slaver performed a “cervical manipulation” by holding her head and applying force to her neck with sudden, vigorous rotational motions, rapidly twisting her head and neck. She claims that immediately after the treatment she experienced visual disturbance – loss of the right visual fields in both of her eyes, and then developed nausea and “other clear signs of central nervous system compromise.”The suit claims that she reported her symptoms to the doctor and staff at the center and rather than being carefully examined, she was asked to vacate the treatment room and sit in the waiting area, pay for treatment and drive herself home. Range said she was told to call the doctor if her symptoms got worse.According to the suit filed in Pitkin County District Court, Range went to the emergency room at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs on Sept. 6, where she was diagnosed with a vertebral artery dissection injury and a stroke. Range claims that she’s suffered a permanent brain injury and disability as a result of the stroke and failure to receive immediate medical treatment for stroke. She claims that she has incurred substantial medical expenses, and will suffer more and loss of medical insurance coverage because of her brain injury and disability.The suit says that Range has been forced to abandon her business activities, and has suffered economic losses in the form of increased cost for home services, loss of past and future earning capacity, and loss of medical insurance.Range also claims that she has suffered noneconomic losses like loss of enjoyment of life, loss of the ability to engage in a variety of personal and family activities, physical impairment and disfigurement.She is asking to be compensated for her losses – economic and noneconomic, court costs and attorney’s fees.Naomi Havlen’s e-mail address is nhavlen@aspentimes.com

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