Should I Go To A Chiropractor After A Car Accident?

As a St. Louis Injury Lawyer, one question I am asked alot by people injured in a car wreck is “should I go to a chiropractor after a car accident”. If you plan on seeking recovery from the insurance company, the simple answer is  NO!  Mind you, this answer has nothing to do with the quality of care a chiropractor can provide. But you need to know that the insurance companies just do not believe you are hurt that bad if you go to a chiropractor. In fact, they value your claim much lower. You are better off to go to a medical doctor. And I don’t just mean your family physician. They often just give you a prescription for medicine and tell to try that for a while. It really is the proverbial, “take two of these and call me in the morning”.  Rather, you need to see a pain management doctor, a physiatrist (sports medicine and rehabilitation), or an orthopedist. There are a few reasons beyond the fact that the insurance companies attribute more credibility to your case when you treat with one of these doctors. 

First, prescription medicines do play an important role in recovery when used in combination with therapy. However, a chiropractor cannot prescribe medicine. Thus, as much as you may need a muscle relaxer, they cannot prescribe it. Second, almost every chiropractor I know will take x-rays of your neck and back. But thy is not good enough. You also need an MRI. Did you know that an x-ray is very crude technology these days and it cannot show a bulging or herniated disc?  An MRI is essential to rule out a herniated disc (pinched nerve, bulging, slipped disc).  Also you may have an annular tear which is a tear of the disc structure. This can cause very local symptoms of pain in the back, but a chiropractor will hardly ever discover this (I have never seen it happen). Finally, a good medical doctor can recognize when you need more aggressive tratment such as epidural injections or even surgery. 

At the end of the day, it is my opinion you will get much more focused and specialized care with a skilled medical doctor as opposed to a chiropractor. I certainly don’t think it is going to be any worse. And as long as you are going to get the treatment, don’t help the insurance company by seeing a chiropractor when we know that neither the insurance company nor even a jury will give them much credibility.

The next question is when should you start seeing a doctor after the car wreck. The answer is – as soon a possible. As a Missouri car accident attorney, I have had to turn away countless cases because the person waited to long to seek treatment. This is even in cases where I knew the car wreck was the cause of their injuries, but because of the time lapse a jury would just be too suspicious.

If you’ve just been injured in a car wreck, call a St. Louis Injury Lawyer specializing in car wreck cases. It’s always free to talk about your case with Attorney Josh Myers. You can call 314-720-2706 or toll-free at 888-956-2487. Also we have relationships with doctors all over the state who will be glad to see you soon and will even treat you if you have no health insurance.

Tags: chiropractor, missouri car accident lawyer, st. louis car accident attorney, st. louis car wreck lawyers, st. louis personal injury attorney, st. louis personal injury lawyer