Will Seeing a Chiropractor Affect My Personal Injury Case?

Head, neck, and back trauma following a car accident is not uncommon. Some people seek medical attention for these conditions from their regular personal doctors, but some people may prefer to see a chiropractor instead. Those choosing to see a chiropractor instead of a medical doctor may wonder whether the cost of such care would be reimbursable if they sought compensation from the party responsible for the accident.
A chiropractor is a health care professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating neuromuscular conditions, which includes the head, neck, and back trauma that can be experienced in a car accident. Chiropractors do not hold medical degrees and are not considered medical doctors. Chiropractors do not generally use medicine when treating patients, and instead focus on manual manipulation or adjustment of the patient’s spine. Through spinal adjustment, the chiropractor may be able to treat neck and head pain, as well. It is the lack of medicine that draws some people to chiropractors in the first place.
Because chiropractic care is care that addresses the injuries sustained in a car accident, the cost of the care may be compensable if the plaintiff can prove the rest of his or her case. Just because a chiropractor does not hold a medical degree does not mean the chiropractic care cannot be deemed necessary to addressing the injuries sustained in the accident. If the injured person has been seeing the chiropractor for treatment for another injury, and continues to see the chiropractor after an accident, the chiropractor can also provide testimony as to how the accident has aggravated an old injury.
Since chiropractors specialize in treating areas of the body that are often injured in a car accident, there is an advantage in consulting a chiropractor in addition to consulting a medical doctor. However, there have been some cases of people experiencing further pain or discomfort after visiting a chiropractor.
Even when consulting a chiropractor, a person injured in a car accident should also always see a medical doctor after the accident. The medical doctor can diagnose other injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, and can offer treatments when time is of the essence in ensuring the condition does not get worse. A medical doctor can also order more specific medical testing if there is a suspected internal injury and offer medicine to deal with the pain a patient is experiencing as a result of the accident.
Whichever choice an injured person makes, it is important for him or her to seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident. Doing so can not only mean getting life-saving care, it can also help push back against claims from the at-fault driver or his or her insurance company that the injuries sustained were not as serious as presented since the injured person waited to get care.
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If you were injured in a car accident, you can seek compensation from the at-fault driver and cover the past and future cost of medical care and other losses. For information on how you can receive compensation after a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. today.