A Davenport chiropractor who had practiced in Iowa since 1998 has agreed to surrender his license following board charges that a 2024 neck adjustment left a patient paralyzed, the Iowa Board of Chiropractic said.
Allegations and outcome
The board charged L. Anthony Dietrich with professional incompetence, saying he failed to meet “the minimal standard of acceptable and prevailing practices” when he treated a patient’s cervical spine on July 8, 2024. The board alleges Dietrich did not perform an initial examination or obtain a proper medical history before providing care.
“During the session, the patient allegedly became unable to feel his hands,”
According to the board, the patient suffered sustained paralysis and ultimately became quadriplegic. Court records identify the patient as Randy Lee White, who sued Dietrich in October 2024 alleging negligence. White’s lawsuit says he sought treatment for neck pain and arm tingling he experienced after dental work earlier that month.
Medical response and legal steps
The lawsuit says that after an adjustment at Dietrich’s Kimberly Road clinic in Davenport, White lost all feeling in his hands. Dietrich called 911 and White was taken by ambulance to Genesis Medical Center and later transported to University of Iowa Hospitals for emergency surgery. The suit says White remains quadriplegic and has lost bowel and bladder function.
Dietrich has denied wrongdoing. White’s attorneys dismissed the civil suit in September 2025; court filings did not mention any out-of-court settlement. The licensing board and Dietrich agreed to a settlement under which Dietrich will surrender his Iowa chiropractic license but may apply for reinstatement after one year. The Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Dietrich for comment.
What this means locally
The case joins a string of high-profile professional-discipline matters that have put health-care oversight under scrutiny in Iowa. For patients, it underscores the importance of detailed pre-treatment evaluations and of discussing risks with practitioners before cervical spine manipulation.
- Practitioner: L. Anthony Dietrich, licensed since 1998
- Patient: Identified in court records as Randy Lee White
- Alleged incident date: July 8, 2024
- Civil suit filed: October 2024; dismissed September 2025
- Regulatory action: License surrender with eligibility to apply for reinstatement after one year
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Alleged chiropractic treatment | July 8, 2024 |
| Civil lawsuit filed | October 2024 |
| Lawsuit dismissed | September 2025 |
| License surrender agreement announced | July 2026 |
Regulators typically use disciplinary actions and settlements to address alleged departures from accepted practice and to protect patients; this settlement removes the practitioner from active practice in Iowa for at least a year unless the board approves reinstatement. For anyone considering spinal manipulation, providers and patients should ensure a thorough history and exam are completed and that potential risks are discussed and documented.
Local health systems and professional boards did not provide further comment. News Block will follow any additional filings or board actions related to this case.
