Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney BlogCriminal Defense for Chiropractors Accused of Crimes in California
Chiropractic care is a vital part of healthcare, offering relief and solutions for patients dealing with pain and mobility issues. However, like other licensed professionals, chiropractors are held to exacting standards under California law. In some cases, violations of these standards can result in more than just disciplinary actions from the Board of Chiropractic Examiners; they may also trigger criminal charges that jeopardize a chiropractor’s career, reputation, and freedom. If you’re a chiropractor practicing in California, let’s look at some common criminal statutes you need to be aware of.
Insurance Fraud (Penal Code §§ 550, 487, 484)
Insurance fraud is one of the most common accusations that chiropractors face. This can include billing insurance companies for treatments that were never provided, inflating the severity of injuries or diagnoses to justify costlier treatments (known as “upcoding”), or even participating in staged accident schemes to generate fraudulent injury claims. Insurance fraud is often charged as a felony.
