Researchers at the Chiropractic Knowledge Hub and the University of Southern Denmark have analysed comprehensive data from the Danish Patient Compensation Association Register containing all claims related to chiropractors’ register-based data, to describe compensation claims involving chiropractors in Denmark between 2013 and 2022. The claims were categorised as relating to clinical, management, or patient-clinician relationship, alongside nine symptom-based injury classifications.
A total of 519 chiropractor-related claims were analysed. The number of claims per 100,000 consultations increased from 1.03 in 2013 to 3.57 in 2022. Most claims (84%) concerned treatment outcomes and side effects, primarily worsening of symptoms (23%) or delayed referral (23%). Of the 519 claims, only 32 (6%) were approved for compensation. Cervical artery dissection-related claims had the highest approval rate (29%; ~ 0.7 approved claims per million consultations) and accounted for 94% of total financial compensation (14 approved claims, 3,025,000 €). When approved, they were compensated based on the fairness rule stating that the outcome could neither have been predicted nor expected from patients’ individual cases.
Better communication between patients and chiropractors about expectations for treatment, the natural course of conditions, and expected reactions to treatment will likely reduce the number of claims.
Nøddeskou-Fink et al. Compensation claims for chiropractic in Denmark 2013-2022. Chiropr Manual Therap 2026.
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