According to reports, Jonathan Buckelew suffered a brain stem stroke following a neck adjustment in 2015, but his condition went undiagnosed for a full day. Now 34, he is fully conscious but unable to move or speak. A court held multiple medical professionals liable for failing to detect and treat the stroke in time.
Jonathan Buckelew, then 32, suffered a catastrophic brain stem (vertebrobasilar) stroke during a chiropractic neck adjustment in Roswell, Georgia, on October 26, 2015. This stroke led to locked-in syndrome, leaving him fully conscious but unable to move or speak—he can only communicate via eye movements and a nasal-operated keypad
He was rushed to North Fulton Hospital’s emergency department later that day after becoming unresponsive during the neck adjustment. Although imaging showed signs of brain stem stroke, the diagnosis was delayed until the following morning—after the treatment window for interventions like mechanical thrombectomy or TPA had closed he delay was due to miscommunication and missed signs by emergency and radiology staff—ER physician Dr. Matthew Womack was 60% at fault, and radiologist Dr. James Waldschmidt 40%
In March 2025, Georgia’s Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict awarding a total of $75 million in damages ($29 million for medical expenses, $46 million for pain and suffering) to JonathanDr. Waldschmidt withdrew his appeal, while Dr. Womack is appealing the decision to the Georgia Supreme Court
Jonathan’s life has profoundly changed: his parents have converted their home into a 24/7 care facility, and he communicates solely via eye blinks and a nose‐operated device. His attorney, Lloyd Bell, emphasized that this tragedy was completely avoidable had standard stroke protocols been followed
This case also underscores the rare but significant danger of cervical manipulations—while generally uncommon, vertebral artery dissection and stroke can occur, particularly when pre-existing symptoms like neck pain, headaches, or dizziness are present