What can a chiropractor do for my personal injury claim? Many injury victims see chiropractors to help with back pain, neck stiffness, headaches, and limited mobility after a car accident or other personal injury claim.
They can also help you and your Bellevue personal injury lawyer obtain documentation, including treatment records, as evidence in your case.
Chiropractors Commonly Treat Neck and Back Injuries After Accidents
One of the main reasons people visit a chiropractor after an accident is neck or back pain. Whiplash injuries are especially common in car accidents, slip and fall, and other personal injury claims. A sudden impact can strain muscles, joints, and soft tissue throughout the spine. Chiropractors often treat:
- Neck pain
- Lower back pain
- Shoulder stiffness
- Headaches
- Reduced range of motion
These symptoms may not always appear immediately after the accident. Being evaluated promptly by a medical professional can help you understand what a spinal cord injury is and what the best course of treatment may be, whether that is chiropractic or another treatment plan.
Chiropractic Records Can Help Document Injuries
Medical documentation is a major part of most personal injury claims. Chiropractors usually keep detailed records involving symptoms, treatment plans, and patient progress. These records may help show:
- When symptoms first appeared
- How serious the injuries were
- Whether the condition improved over time
- How often treatment was needed
- Referrals to other medical professionals
Consistent treatment records can help create a timeline connecting the injuries to the accident. In addition to pain management, detailed documentation is one of the best things a chiropractor can do for your personal injury claim, as it creates a timeline and a paper trail.
Delayed Pain Is Common After an Accident
Many people feel relatively normal immediately after a crash. This can be due to adrenaline temporarily masking pain. Once the body begins to calm down, symptoms may become more noticeable. This is why follow-up care can be paramount to building your personal injury case.
Chiropractic treatments are rarely a single visit; they often require several ongoing treatments to achieve full effects. Having these treatments documented can help demonstrate the impact this accident has had on your life and help to strengthen your case.
Typically, chiropractic treatment follows an initial medical evaluation to ensure there are no broken bones or other damage that could require a different treatment plan. This ensures that chiropractic is a safe option for you.
Chiropractors Often Treat Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These injuries are extremely common after motor vehicle accidents and are often treated by chiropractors. Having a chiropractor give detailed accounts of the injuries they have seen can help build your case.
Unlike broken bones, soft tissue damage does not always appear clearly on imaging tests, so having a professional, such as a chiropractor, document it can be a vital step towards building your case that a chiropractor can do for your personal injury claim.
Your chiropractor should act as a partner in your recovery, helping you physically by treating pain and helping your case by providing essential medical documentation that allows your attorney to help secure the financial compensation that you may be owed.
Chiropractic Treatment May Help Show Ongoing Pain and Limitations
Some injuries improve quickly, while others may continue affecting daily life for months after the accident. Ongoing chiropractic visits may help document:
- Continued pain levels
- Reduced mobility
- Difficulty working
- Problems sleeping or driving
- Physical limitations during recovery
This information can be relevant when evaluating damages in a personal injury claim, such as lost wages, loss of earning potential, and pain and suffering, and can help determine whether you have a personal injury case.
Insurance Companies Often Review Chiropractic Treatment Closely
Insurance adjusters usually review all medical treatment connected to a personal injury claim, including chiropractic care. Often, they will look at how long the treatment lasted and the frequency of appointments. If they find that you were not consistent with your care, they may use this against you by stating that your injuries would not have been as severe had you followed the direction of your care team.
Insurance companies may also evaluate whether they believe the treatment was medically necessary or even related to the accident. Detailed notes from your provider are one thing a chiropractor can provide in your personal injury claim to help build your case.
Since Washington follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning that you can recover damages even if you are 99% at fault, it is essential that you and your legal team demonstrate that you followed medical advice, as the amount you receive will be reduced by the percentage of fault that you are found to be responsible for (RCW 4.22.005).
Chiropractors May Work Alongside Other Medical Providers
Chiropractic treatment is often only one part of a person’s recovery. Especially in severe accidents, victims may require treatment from multiple types of providers. Primary care doctors generally oversee the victim’s overall well-being and can provide long-term care and referrals.
After an injury, common specialists many victims see include orthopedic specialists, who often perform surgeries and provide other specialized care. They may also partner with pain management providers to address long-term pain from injuries.
Many people also like to see more non-surgical providers such as physical therapists, massage therapists, and chiropractors. These professionals generally provide care in a more holistic way, often offering pain management and recovery support that does not require medication.
Personal Injury Claims Often Depend on Medical Evidence
Most injury claims rely heavily on medical documentation. Insurance companies usually look at:
- Medical records
- Treatment history
- Diagnostic imaging
- Provider notes
- Recommendations for future care
Chiropractic treatment records can become part of the overall medical picture after an accident, as chiropractors can generally provide these types of records as one of the primary things that chiropractors do for your personal injury claim.
Premier Law Group Is Here to Help Fight for You
After an accident, you deserve a team of attorneys that will fight on your behalf. At Premier Law Group, we are here to help fight for every penny that you are owed. Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation to get started on your case.
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.