Can a Chiropractor Help Treat a Spinal Fracture Caused By a Pedestrian Accident?

The spine is the signal carrier between your brain and your body. Made up of nerves that traverse down your back, spinal cord injuries run a distinct risk of leaving victims partially or completely paralyzed. The sooner treatment is provided, the less likely victims are to suffer irreversible damage.

Why Chiropractic Care Should Be the First Step You Take

You will want to get chiropractic care as soon as possible as it helps you:

• Alleviate pain: A chiropractor will see you the same day as your accident, diagnose your injury, and manage your pain so you can focus on making decisions that are in the best interest of you and your family.
• Educate yourself: Information about your diagnosis, prognosis, rehabilitation services you’ll require, and predicted costs of treatment allows you to make an informed determination about whether hiring an attorney is your next step.
• Document your injuries: A chiropractor will document the nature and extent of these injuries, outline your treatment plan, and provide critical insight into how the accident happened. All of this information can be used as evidence if you file a personal injury claim.
• Secure referrals: Chiropractors who are used to treating victims after pedestrian accidents have working relationships with attorneys in the area and can provide referrals.

Head, back, and neck traumas are some of the most commonly seen injuries in victims of pedestrian accidents. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) cites vehicle crashes (including pedestrian accidents) as the leading cause of over 17,000 spinal cord injuries seen in Americans each year.

Risks Involved in Delaying Treatment

The choice to delay chiropractic treatment after a pedestrian accident may come with several risks. Delaying treatment may:

• Raise red flags: Insurance companies may try to minimize the amount of compensation they’re required to provide. They’re on the lookout for anything that can be used to bolster their argument and poke holes in your claim. Gaps of time between an injury and medical attention raise red flags, and insurance companies can use these gaps to argue that your injuries were not as severe as you claim.
• Leave you in a weak negotiating position: Filing a claim or lawsuit is not required to seek medical care. However, if you choose to fight for compensation after being seriously injured, the documentation you receive from a doctor gives you the upper hand in negotiation.
• Put you at risk for hidden injuries: Not all injuries present themselves immediately. Far too often, victims experience minimal pain immediately after accidents and assume they avoided serious injury only to see symptoms pop up weeks or months later. At that point, injuries are more challenging to treat, and claims have already been filed.

Deciding whether to file a claim through your insurance provider or hire an attorney to negotiate and litigate on your behalf is a complicated and often stressful decision. Thankfully, it is not a decision that needs to be made before a chiropractor can help treat a spinal fracture caused by a pedestrian accident. First things first. Take care of your health, protect your future, and begin rebuilding your life.