Will auto insurance cover chiropractic care after a car accident? It’s a common question among people who are suffering from pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility after a collision. While there is no black-and-white answer, we do see that chiropractic treatments are generally covered by liability claims. However, it’s important to work with a chiropractor specializing in car accident injury treatment.

Why Chiropractic Care Is Important After an Accident

It’s common for car accidents to cause injuries and pain throughout the body. The sudden, unexpected force that occurs during impact often throws parts of the musculoskeletal system out of alignment. The most common injuries seen following car accidents are spinal injuries, neck injuries, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, leg injuries, and hand injuries. Many people who are involved in collisions will experience whiplash symptoms anywhere from several seconds to several days following an accident. Unfortunately, many musculoskeletal injuries are overlooked by emergency care providers in the immediate aftermath of an accident. This can leave accident victims with chronic soreness, stiffness, pain, and loss of mobility that will begin to encroach on the ability to live daily life.

In addition to helping you to heal following an accident, chiropractic care can be important for documenting your injuries if you’re seeking compensation. Your chiropractor can provide you with records on the specific injuries that are being treated as part of your post-accident rehabilitation plan. Far too many people are forced to play “catch up” with medical bills following an accident because they don’t seek treatment right away. This can be especially important if you sustain whiplash as the result of an accident. According to a 2016 study, people who have whiplash still have poorer quality of life five years after the accident at much higher rates than people who sustain other types of injuries. Many of these people have no recourse for seeking compensation for their pain, suffering, loss of income or medical bills because they never documented their injuries.

How to Get Chiropractic Care Covered After an Accident

Most people are able to get costs for chiropractic care covered by auto insurance after an accident as long as they can prove that the care is “reasonably necessary” for their health and recovery. This mostly comes down to the chiropractor providing clear treatment records. Generally, chiropractic expenses cannot be prohibited because they are considered legitimate medical expenses. However, eligibility for coverage essentially comes down to being able to tie a specific accident-related injury to a specific treatment.

What Can Chiropractic Care Help With If You’ve Been in an Accident?

Chiropractic care can be essential for restoring your body’s alignment after the impact of an accident. Many people assume that they can “brush off” medical attention following an accident if they don’t have any broken bones or bleeding. However, it’s essential to see a chiropractor if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Neck pain or soreness.
• Low-back pain.
• Tingling anywhere in the body.
• Numbness anywhere in the body.
• Limb pain.
• Headaches.
• Dizziness.
• Blurry vision.
• Stiffness.
• Loss of range of motion.
• Difficulty with coordination or walking.

Is it too late to see a chiropractor if your accident was a while ago? Not at all! The reality is that injuries from accidents can linger for weeks, months, or years if they are left untreated. While the best time to see a chiropractor is during the immediate aftermath of your accident, you may be able to seek compensation for chiropractic care even if some time has passed. Many chiropractors give the advice to visit with a chiropractor immediately after any type of car accident even if you feel “fine” because they’ve seen the way that injuries can take a while to produce symptoms in many people. You may be able to avoid persistent, escalating pain by getting an adjustment immediately after an accident instead of waiting for a misalignment to cause pain, inflammation, and stiffness as the weeks and months go on.

At AZMulticare, we offer cutting-edge treatments to help you get your body back into alignment following musculoskeletal trauma from an accident. Practicing chiropractic care for nearly 20 years, Dr. Robinson understands how to help clients through the process of seeking compensation for much-needed chiropractic care following an accident. Contact our office today!