When chiropractic assistant Marcus Wilson takes a tumble, he's unable to work for six weeks. Read how things play out with and without workers' compensation insurance.
Posted in Business Insurance on Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Marcus Wilson is a part-time chiropractic assistant at Apex Chiropractic Care. Apex is a thriving mid-sized clinic, employing two practicing DCs, an office manager, and two part-time CAs, including Marcus.
The Incident
During a busy afternoon, Marcus is helping a patient off a high-low electric adjusting table. As the table lowers, a mechanical release catches his scrub pants, throwing him off balance. While Marcus prevents the patient from falling, he falls backward, sustaining a severe lumbar strain and fractured wrist.
Unfortunately, Marcus requires immediate emergency room treatment, imaging, orthopedic casting, and physical therapy. It’s determined that he’ll be unable to work during a six-week recovery.
A Case for Workers’ Compensation
Accidents like this are common at places of work. It’s the reason workers’ compensation insurance exists – to protect both the injured employees and employers who may be sued for damages. This coverage is so important, most states require employers to carry it.
Still not convinced? Consider the above scenario with Marcus Wilson’s accident. The clinic could face two very different outcomes depending on whether it had workers’ compensation insurance.
Two Very Different Outcomes
| Operational Impact |
Without Workers' Compensation Insurance |
With Workers' Compensation Insurance |
| Medical Expenses |
$28,000 out of pocket. The clinic is legally obligated to cover Marcus’ ER visits, X-rays, wrist surgery, and rehab directly from revenue. |
$0 out of pocket. The insurer covers all Marcus’ medical bills directly, subject to the standard policy terms. |
| Wage Replacement |
$3,600+ directly paid. State mandates require Apex to pay Marcus temporary disability (roughly two-thirds of his average wage) out of pocket. |
Covered by policy. The carrier provides wage loss benefits directly to Marcus during his six-week recovery. |
| Legal & Regulatory Risk |
High Exposure. Marcus retains a personal injury attorney due to lack of coverage. Apex faces employer liability suits and state fines for noncompliance, ranging from $1,000-$10,000. |
Protected. Employer liability coverage protects Apex against negligence claims and covers legal defense costs. |
| Bottom-Line Impact |
$35,000+ total loss. Drains liquid cash, forces staff overtime delays, and freezes planned equipment purchases. |
Predictable Operating Expense. Apex pays only their standard premium, keeping working capital fully intact. |
| Practice Culture |
Strained Relationships. Creates friction, litigation stress, and morale loss across the remaining four team members. |
Smooth Recovery. Marcus receives prompt care without conflict and seamlessly returns to his role after recovering. |
Key Takeaways
The risk of injury is real, even in a mid-sized health care practice where high-risk machinery is absent. In a chiropractic practice, it can easily happen while physically assisting patients, movement of equipment, or with repetitive motion.
Having workers' compensation insurance shifts catastrophic financial and legal exposure off your balance sheet while protecting both your employees' livelihood and your practice's bottom line.
The above scenario is not based on a single case. Instead, it’s an example of what can easily happen without adequate insurance coverage, based on claims we’ve encountered.