Many people regularly visit a chiropractic clinic and experience many benefits as a result. Chiropractors can provide services to address specific pain or an injury or can provide adjustments to help maintain your overall health. However, there are limitations to the conditions a chiropractor can treat and situations may arise in which regular chiropractic patients should visit an emergency department of a hospital or a medical specialist. One such situation when additional medical treatment may be required is following a car accident.
Car accidents can result in a wide variety of injuries, ranging from minor cuts and bruises to life-threatening organ damage. The treatment you require for your injuries will specifically depend on the nature and severity of your injuries and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for car accident victims who need medical care.
Despite this common-sense fact, people who call 411-PAIN or similar referral services after a car accident may find themselves immediately and automatically referred to visit a specific chiropractic clinic. This is because these services were founded by and/or are closely associated with chiropractors who want to profit from treating auto accident victims.
Some Injuries Require Additional Treatment
Chiropractic care can often be beneficial as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for accident victims who have suffered certain injuries, including soft tissue injuries, whiplash, neck and back injuries, among others. However, there are other injuries common in car accidents that require a diagnosis based on specific medical tests that a chiropractor may not perform or need treatment that cannot be provided at a chiropractic clinic. The following are only some examples of when a chiropractor is likely not sufficient for your car crash injuries:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Many car accident victims hit their heads and may suffer a concussion or a more severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).1 TBI is known as an invisible injury as there are no outward signs of the damage and many victims may not realize that they even have a TBI. However, failing to get a proper diagnosis and treatment for any degree of TBI can be dangerous and can put you at risk for complications and further injuries. A chiropractor will not diagnose or treat a TBI, thus you should always head to the emergency department if you believe you hit your head.
Spinal Cord Injury - Serious spinal cord injuries2 always require stabilization and monitoring in a hospital to avoid as much long-term damage as possible. Even if you have suffered relatively minor damage to the spinal column, you still may be experiencing sensory or movement deficiencies. Spinal cord damage needs to be addressed by a neurological specialist who understands how to minimize the effects of the injury.
Injuries requiring surgery - Many broken bones, soft tissue tears, and similar traumatic injuries ultimately require surgery to be repaired. If you need surgery, numerous visits to the chiropractor will not resolve your issue and you will continue to experience pain or movement limitations until you visit an orthopedic specialist and surgeon.
Your Lawyer Should Not Give Specific Medical Advice
If you call a number like 411-PAIN and are referred a specific attorney, you should immediately be wary if the attorney recommends that you seek a specific type of treatment (usually chiropractic) from a specific clinic. Lawyers are not medical experts and they should never be dictating where you go to receive treatment and what type of treatment you should receive. The lawyers associated with 411-PAIN have pre-existing connections to the clinics they recommend and they are not recommending this type of treatment out of your best interests, but instead out of their own.
Following any type of car accident, the wisest course of action is usually to visit an emergency room where a medical professional can recommend the course of treatment that you should follow.
Contact a Clearwater Auto Accident Attorney You Can Trust Today
When you hire the car accident attorneys at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, you can trust that we will not try to push you into certain medical treatments. Instead, we will help you recover from your injuries with the types of treatments that best fit your situation, as determined by you healthcare professionals. Call Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA today at 727-451-6900 for help you can depend on.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 451-6900
1https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Information-Page