Doctor or Chiropractor After a Car Accident: Which is Best?

Should you see a doctor or chiropractor after a car accident? Here’s what you need to know about these two types of medical care.

Have you been involved in a car accident here in sunny Miami?

According to reports, Florida is the # 1 most dangerous state to drive in.

You can’t always prevent accidents from happening, no matter how carefully you drive. But, you can prevent your injuries from getting worse afterward by seeking prompt medical care.

However, it’s very important to choose the right specialist to go to, as this can have a big impact on your insurance claim. If you’re wondering whether you should visit a doctor or chiropractor after a car accident, there are a few key things you need to know.

Keep reading to find out what medical care you should seek, and how this can affect your car accident or personal injury claim.

Can I Go to a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?

Depending on the nature of your car wreck injuries, you can and perhaps should visit a chiropractor.

Car accidents cause a number of injuries that can be treated with chiropractic care. Even mild collisions like fender benders can result in spine, neck, and back injuries.

Here are some examples of the types of injuries that could benefit from chiropractic care:

  • Whiplash
  • Ligament injuries
  • Spine injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Chronic pain

Whiplash is a very common car accident injury. Most collisions involve enough impact to “whip” occupants’ heads backward or forwards. This sharp, whip-like action can result in severe pain, stiffness, nausea, and dizziness. It can also cause long-term complications if not treated promptly.

If you’re suffering from whiplash, visiting a car accident chiropractor could be an essential part of your injury recovery.

Is It Better to See a Doctor First After a Car Accident?

Although it might be critical to see a chiropractor, you should first visit a doctor who offers general medical care. There are two reasons for this.

Firstly, a general medical care doctor will be able to complete a full bodily assessment. They can check you for signs of concussion, internal injuries, broken bones, bruised ribs, etc.

Once they’ve evaluated your injuries, they will then be able to refer you to a good car accident chiropractor.

Even if you don’t feel like you’ve been badly injured it’s still critical to get a bodily assessment done. If you just feel a bit stiff in the neck and back, it can be tempting to skip the cost of going to a general medical care doctor. After all, who wants to pay a consultation fee, just to be referred on?

According to survey results, nearly 1 in 4 Americans don’t visit a doctor unless they absolutely have to, because of financial constraints.

It’s never a good idea to skip medical care, but in the case of car accidents, it can be doubly disadvantageous.

For one, you might wind up with complications from undiagnosed injuries, such as a TBI. If left untreated, a traumatic brain injury can have serious, life-changing, long-term consequences.

Not visiting a doctor can also reduce the chances of a successful car accident insurance claim (more on this below).

Seek Medical Care as Soon as Possible

It’s also critical that you visit a doctor as soon as possible after sustaining a car accident injury. If you haven’t been admitted to the ER, you might be under the assumption that any minor injuries can wait.

Even non-serious injuries can benefit from prompt treatment. What’s more, the sooner you seek medical care the sooner you’ll be able to get the ball rolling on your chiropractor appointment.

Usually, it’s recommended that you seek chiropractic care within 3 days of an accident.

Delaying treatment can also impact your claim. The insurance adjuster might argue that if your injury really needed treatment, you would have seen a doctor sooner.

What Are the Legal Implications of Seeing a Chiropractor Instead of a Doctor After a Car Crash?

As we said above, if you’re not sure whether to visit a doctor or chiropractor after a car accident, seek general care first.

If you go straight to a car accident chiropractor, this could lead to legal implications.

Less Proof of Your Care Requirements

Sadly, insurance companies aren’t above trying the dispute the validity of chiropractic treatment. Even though chiropractic care has been around for more than 100 years, there are still myths floating around as to its efficacy.

One of the reasons for this is that chiropractors don’t hold an M.D. This opens the door for insurance carriers to try and insinuate that chiropractic care isn’t backed by science.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s well established by now that chiropractic care isn’t pseudoscience. What’s more, chiropractors undergo vigorous training including:

  • A 4-year undergraduate degree
  • 3-5 years at an accredited chiropractic college
  • Clinical internships

Besides contesting the validity of chiropractic care, insurance carriers might also protest that the bills are too high, the treatment duration was too long, etc. They might also argue that if you have really sustained a serious car accident injury, you would have first visited a regular doctor.

If you seek general medical care first, you’ll preempt this argument. If your general care doctor refers you to a chiropractor, this also takes the wind out of any suggestions that you “didn’t need the treatment.”

Insurance defense lawyers and adjusters will have a harder time trying to discredit the diagnosis and recommendations of a board-certified doctor. What’s more, if push comes to shove your doctor can even testify to your injuries, the future implications, and what would occur if you didn’t get the right treatment.

Less Proof of Future Expenses

Having a medical doctor assess you can not only help you get recompense for your medical expenses but for future expenses as well. For instance, if you’re likely to need ongoing chiropractic care or physical therapy, a doctor will be able to testify to this.

How to Find the Right Doctor or Chiropractor After a Car Accident

If you’ve been in a car wreck, the last thing you might feel like, or be capable of, is figuring out where the best place is to get medical care. Having the right doctor is critical, not just for your recovery, but also for the success of your claim.

Here at 388CEDA, we know how important medical records can be in a car accident claim. Our doctors are experts at treating car accident victims, and they also know how to write your diagnosis and medical notes in the right language for insurance adjusters.

Our services include:

  • Telemedicine
  • Chiropractic care
  • Orthopedic care
  • Interventional medicine
  • Neurosurgeons
  • Imaging services (such as computerized tomography and MRIs)

If you want to learn more, visit our car accident clinic page.

Are You in Need of a Lawyer, Doctor, or Chiropractor After Car a Accident? We Can Help

Although chiropractic care might play an important role in your recovery, it’s essential that you visit a board-certified doctor first. Preferably one that has experience with care accidents and knows what terms to use for insurance adjusters. You might also need a trustworthy attorney to represent your case.

Whether you’re in need of legal representation, a doctor, or a chiropractor after a car accident, we can help.

Our mission is to make sure you get the recompense you serve. Our attorneys will aggressively fight for your rights, and our doctors will make sure you have all the documentation you need to strengthen your case.

We are open 24/7 to serve your needs. Contact 388CEDA to get the help you deserve.