Car Accident Treatment - Chiropractic

Should I visit a chiropractor after a car accident?

The short answer is "Yes."

Obviously, there is a variance in circumstances for necessity. Both recent and past history of car accidents are the source of acute and chronic pain; plus nerve injury, migraine headaches, stiffness, disc degeneration, subluxation degeneration, and other more acute emergencies.

When involved in a MVA (motor vehicle accident), people either don’t follow-up with their healthcare provider because they “feel fine” or head straight to the hospital. Problems can develop from both situations.

Whether or not you are sore, it is best to get checked out immediately. Many people experience health problems months later due to an underlying and progressive injury.

Many car accident related injuries can become tricky and create long-standing issues. Even though you may leave the hospital and be told nothing is grossly wrong, such as dislocation, fracture, or internal bleeding, you should be properly evaluated by a Chiropractor.

A Doctor of Chiropractic will check you for muscle and ligament damage, aberrant range of motion, vertebral subluxations, somato-visceral complications, and other joint dysfunctions. Underlying structural alignment and soft tissue damage may persist for long periods of time and progressive worsen without the proper care and treatment; long term problems may also cause secondary issues to develop.

After most motor vehicle accidents, it is important to include Chiropractic care in your recovery treatment to restore and support your health.

What do I do after a car accident?

5 Tips Following a Car Accident

1. Safety : Make sure no one is visibly injured. Injuries such as broken bones, loss of consciousness, blurred vision, dizziness, immediate swelling, loss of muscle strength or sensation and excessive bleeding should be addressed by emergency personnel or hospital.  Check for immediate hazards, such as fire, heavy traffic, etc.  If possible have both vehicles move away from heavy traffic.  (Note – if there are no hazards, quickly take a picture showing the position of the vehicles before moving.)
2. Call the Police and Family/Friend :  Let them know what happened and try to recall the details while they are fresh and before talking about the accident with the other party involved.  Remember, it is not your duty to decide fault.
3. Gather Information:  At this point, take more photographs of the accident including both cars (damage, license plates, etc.), road signs, and original site of the accident.  Locate any witnesses.  Write down a detailed account of the accident.  Exchange insurance information with involved parties.
4. Reports:  File a claim with your insurance company and contact your attorney. Call your auto insurance company as soon as possible to start a claim. The insurance company will determine liability and request your authorization to receive healthcare information from your doctors.  Auto insurance should cover most of your Chiropractic healthcare expenses. If you are concerned with how you are going to pay for medical treatment, work missed, and what to do with your damaged vehicle, contact an experienced attorney to help you with this process while protecting your rights.  Remember that all insurance companies have their own legal representatives that are watching out for their interests. As a result, it is very important that you have a legal advocate.
5. Chiropractic:  After the dust settles from the accident, you should be evaluated by a Doctor of Chiropractic (Chiropractor) within 48 hours to determine if and what type of care is necessary for you.  The doctor will review the accident details and take a detailed health history to find potential injury.  Afterwards, a thorough examination will occur in which the doctor will perform various tests and procedures to evaluate the spinal column, nerves, muscles, connective tissue, and other joint integrity.  If deemed necessary, diagnostic imaging, such as X-RAY, MRI, or CT will be ordered.  Likewise, a treatment plan will be developed which may include gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments 

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The state of Pennsylvania requires the following automobile insurance coverage to be included in your insurance policy:

• Medical Benefits — This pays medical bills for you and others who are covered by your policy, regardless of fault. The minimum limit is $5,000 of coverage.
• Statute of limitations — An injury claim must be filed within two years of the date the injury occurred.
• Bodily Injury Liability — If you injure someone in a car accident, coverage pays their medical and rehabilitation expenses and any damages for which you are found liable. The minimum limit is $15,000/$30,000. The $15,000 pays for injuries to one person, while the $30,000 represents the total available for one accident.
• Property Damage Liability — If you damage someone’s property in an accident and you are at fault, this coverage pays for it. The minimum limit is $5,000 of coverage. Some companies offer a single limit of $35,000 which meets the bodily injury liability and property damage liability minimum requirements.
• Limited or Full Tort — You can choose to have full or limited tort coverage. Limited tort coverage offers you a savings on your premiums. You are still able to recover all out-of-pocket medical and other expenses; however, you are not able to recover certain damages – such as payments for pain and suffering – unless the injuries meet one of the exceptions to limited tort as defined in Act 6 of 1990, title 75, section 1705 (d). With full tort coverage choice, you keep unrestricted rights to bring suit against the negligent party. 

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Insurance Department