What we help with
Car accident and whiplash injuries
After a crash, get emergency care first if you may have a broken bone or other serious injury, or if neck pain is severe or comes with numbness, tingling or weakness. Neck pain after a car accident (often called whiplash) usually improves, and guidelines suggest staying active, with exercise and hands-on care as options in the first three months. LeGault Chiropractic bills your auto insurance directly, and you pay nothing up front when it does.
Should I go to the ER or see my doctor first?
Go to the emergency room first if you might have a serious injury; once that has been ruled out, hands-on care with exercise is one option guidelines suggest for whiplash.
Can symptoms start hours later or the next day?
Yes: neck injury symptoms after a car accident don’t always show up right away and can start hours later or even the next day.
Dr. LeGault sees people for the problems a crash can leave behind, including neck pain and stiffness, headaches after the crash and back pain.
What care do guidelines recommend for whiplash?
Guidelines expect most people to recover, stress staying active, and suggest exercise, advice and hands-on care such as mobilization as options in the first three months.
What the research does not show: the benefits of any one approach are small, the whiplash studies are mostly about mobilization and combined care rather than neck adjustments on their own, and following guideline-based care has not been shown to guarantee a faster recovery.
How does Dr. LeGault care for car accident injuries?
Once serious injury has been ruled out, Dr. LeGault combines hands-on care with exercises and advice on staying active, in line with the guidelines above.
His hands-on care includes gentle adjustments by hand, with the Thompson drop table or with the ArthroStim instrument, alongside exercises to restore movement that he shows you in the office and that you continue at home with the Physitrack app or printed handouts.
You will never be asked to sign a long-term contract.
Will Pennsylvania auto insurance pay for my care here?
We bill your auto insurance directly, and when we do, you pay nothing up front; what it pays depends on your policy.
Pennsylvania auto policies include first-party medical benefits (often called PIP): the medical coverage in your own policy, which the state’s Insurance Department says pays medical bills for you and others your policy covers, regardless of fault.
Coverage depends on your policy. Our guide explains how PA first-party benefits and tort options work; for health insurance and other plans we bill, including workers’ compensation, see our insurance page. Questions about billing your auto insurance? Call 412-364-4100 before your first visit.
What happens at the first visit, and who will I see?
You will see Dr. Steven K. LeGault, DC, and, as the guidelines advise, the first step is a careful evaluation that rules out serious injury.
You do not need a referral. X-rays are ordered only when clinically appropriate and are taken off-site.
Bring photo ID, your insurance card, a list of your current medications and any imaging or records you have, such as reports from the emergency room.
New to the practice? Read what to expect at your first visit.
| Day | Dr. LeGault |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | not stated |
| Friday | not stated |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Is hands-on care safe after a crash?
Serious complications after spinal manipulation are rare and mild soreness is common, but after a crash, checking for a fracture and other serious injury always comes first.
Questions, answered
Should I wear a neck collar after whiplash?
For typical whiplash, guidelines do not recommend a collar; gentle activity and movement are the better approach. If a doctor fitted a collar because of a fracture or other serious injury, follow their instructions.
How many visits will I need after a car accident?
It depends on your injury and how you respond. For recent whiplash without nerve signs, the OPTIMa guideline (2016) suggests up to six sessions of combined care over eight weeks, and you never sign a long-term contract here.
The other driver caused the crash. Whose insurance pays for my care?
In Pennsylvania, if you have your own auto policy, its first-party medical benefits pay your medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, and we bill them directly. Our guide to Pennsylvania car accident insurance, linked above, explains the order in which policies pay.
Dr. LeGault sees patients on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdaydirections and on-site parkingnothing up front when we bill your auto insurance; coverage depends on your policyJust off McKnight Road, on-site parking
Who treats this
- Dr. LeGault (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday)
References
Symptoms can start hours later or the next day; get evaluated even if you feel fine; signs that need immediate medical attention.
Urgent signs after whiplash: pins and needles, weakness, trouble walking or sitting upright, an “electric shock” feeling; avoid driving until checked.
Rule out fracture or dislocation first (Canadian C-spine rule); most people recover; education with exercise, or with combined care, considered similarly effective; small benefits at best; no collar.
Screen for serious problems and refer (Grade A); return to normal activity, minimal collar use and mobility exercise for recent whiplash (Grade B); mobilization with exercise for slower recovery (Grade B).
Multimodal care (manual therapy, advice and exercise) suggested in the first three months; weak recommendations, low- to moderate-quality evidence.
Mild, short-lived reactions are common; serious complications are rare; a careful history and examination before treatment is essential.
The risk of a serious blood-vessel incident is extremely small; ask about warning symptoms and risk factors such as recent trauma; stroke-like symptoms need emergency care.
An association between neck manipulation and artery dissection in younger patients; causation not established; the rate is not well established and probably low.
No evidence of extra stroke risk with chiropractic care compared with primary medical care (observational study).