Judge criticizes head of chiropractors’ group
Posted May 13, 2005
Judge criticizes head of chiropractors’ group
Frivolous lawsuit designed to hurt competing clinic
The Associated Press
MADISON — The head of the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association filed a lawsuit he knew was false simply to deter chiropractors from attending continuing education seminars at a competing clinic, a judge held.
Circuit Judge John Albert, ruling Thursday that the lawsuit was frivolous, ordered the WCA, the trade association for the state’s 1,300 chiropractors, to pay an estimated $100,000 in legal fees to the former chairman of the Wisconsin Chiropractic Examining Board.
The lawsuit was part of a battle over who gets payments for sponsoring the seminars. Chiropractors must take 40 hours of them every two years to maintain their licenses.
The 2002 lawsuit accused Dale Strama of Medford, then-chairman of the state board that regulates the chiropractic profession, of using his position to route more business from seminars to Allied Health, the chiropractic firm where he practices and is a shareholder.
The board approves the classes, but Strama delegated that responsibility to a fellow board member to avoid a conflict of interest.
Albert ruled that WCA President Russell Leonard knew that Strama, appointed to the board by Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1993, had no role in handling applications for the classes when he filed suit.
In his 17-page ruling, Albert said the lawsuit was meant to “harass and embarrass Dr. Strama” and drive chiropractors away from Allied Health, which Leonard saw “as a threat.”
Judge criticizes head of chiropractors’ group
Frivolous lawsuit designed to hurt competing clinic
The Associated Press
MADISON — The head of the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association filed a lawsuit he knew was false simply to deter chiropractors from attending continuing education seminars at a competing clinic, a judge held.
Circuit Judge John Albert, ruling Thursday that the lawsuit was frivolous, ordered the WCA, the trade association for the state’s 1,300 chiropractors, to pay an estimated $100,000 in legal fees to the former chairman of the Wisconsin Chiropractic Examining Board.
The lawsuit was part of a battle over who gets payments for sponsoring the seminars. Chiropractors must take 40 hours of them every two years to maintain their licenses.
The 2002 lawsuit accused Dale Strama of Medford, then-chairman of the state board that regulates the chiropractic profession, of using his position to route more business from seminars to Allied Health, the chiropractic firm where he practices and is a shareholder.
The board approves the classes, but Strama delegated that responsibility to a fellow board member to avoid a conflict of interest.
Albert ruled that WCA President Russell Leonard knew that Strama, appointed to the board by Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1993, had no role in handling applications for the classes when he filed suit.
In his 17-page ruling, Albert said the lawsuit was meant to “harass and embarrass Dr. Strama” and drive chiropractors away from Allied Health, which Leonard saw “as a threat.”
posted by Sitemaster | 7:50 PM
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