John Lawler

On 12/09/20171 commenced an investigation into the death of John Thomas Lawler, 80. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 18 November 2019. The conclusion of the inquest was that on 1 1 August 2017 John Thomas Lawler suffered a fractured neck and spinal cord damage whilst undergoing chiropractic spinal adjustment and subsequent mobilisation. The spinal cord damage led to respiratory depression from which he died at 20:00 hours on 12 August 2017.

Mr Lawler sought chiropractic treatment as he was suffering with an ache in his legs. On 1 1 August 2017 whist undergoing a spinal adjustment using a drop table he stated that he could not feel his arms. He was then moved from the prone position on the treatment table to being upright on a chair next to the table. He became less responsive, an ambulance was called and paramedics transported Mr Lawler down the stairs in a carry chair on stair tracks. He was fully immobilised on the ambulance. A CT scan at York District Hospital confirmed he had ankylosis of the cervical spine, a fracture at C4/C5 and dislocation of the facet joints at C41C5. There was significant narrowing of the spinal canal. Mr Lawler was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent an MRI scan on 12 August 2017 which confirmed significant spinal cord compression. Mr Lawler’s condition deteriorated and he died at 20.00 hrs that day. A post mortem examination confirmed the immediate cause of death as respiratory depression due to traumatic spinal cord injury and longitudinal ligament ossification with prominent vertebral body posterior osteophyte of C4/C5.