What to do after an auto accident


Crash! The sound that nobody likes hearing.

So you’ve just been in a car accident, but now what do you do? The next few steps can be the difference between a successful claim and quick recovery, or a lot of extra work.

I have seen hundreds of people following an accident. And there are a few keys to successfully navigating the moments after an accident. I would suggest printing this article and keeping it in your car as an easy reference in case the day should arise.

What to do once the accident occurs

  1. Make sure everyone is OK:  If you see signs of any bleedings, hyperventilating, or unconsciousness, call 911 immediately.
  2. Exchange insurance, not blame: If everyone appears to be ok, exchange auto insurance information with the other driver. Try and be cordial. There is no need to place blame at this point. Safety is the goal now.
  3. Take Photos: Take pictures with your phone or camera of where the car was struck and possibly some pictures of the intersection, traffic and immediate surroundings. These photos will help with your insurance claim and will show your chiropractor how the incident happened. If you can record your voice on your phone, try to run through what took place during the accident as far as body position and where you were struck. Any information will help your chiropractor assess any injuries sustained, big or small. NOTE: Because you may be in a state of shock immediately following the hit, your body may not present you with obvious symptoms at the time of the accident. This is normal. Your amazing body has to focus on the task at hand before it can let you perceive pain. Almost 100% of the time, symptoms will show up on the day after the accident.
  4. Start your claim: Once you get home, you should call your auto insurance and open a claim. If you have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) it will cover your medical expenses up to a limit. Most people think that if the accident is not their fault that they should call the other company. This is not the case. Regardless of blame, you will open a claim through YOUR insurance company and they will settle with the other company once treatment is over.
  5. Assess the damage: How do you feel? If you are experiencing immediate pain and symptoms you can consider the emergency room or urgent care in hopes of getting some pain medication strong enough to decrease your symptoms. Be Careful! Pain medications don’t solve, but mask the underlying injury.

 

The most common injury in an auto accident is whiplash, which is a forward and backward slamming of the neck. This causes irritation and mis-alignment to the neck and mid back spinal bones, an injury that chiropractors specialize in treating. The next most common injury is sprains and strains of the low back and shoulders, followed by knee and ankle sprains. These injuries, if not treated properly, can affect walking, and all activities of daily living if not dealt with promptly. Sadly, I see many people that come in for treatment of a chronic injury from an auto accident that was never treated by a chiropractor. What you should know is that chiropractic care is the only treatment designed to re-align the spinal bones and assist with decreasing muscle spasm in a non-invasive way. We use state of the art diagnostics to assess the injuries and our treatment is very gentle. Most people can’t believe the results with how gentle our techniques are. In my experience, people typically do not see all of the symptoms show up until a full 2 weeks after the accident. Don’t wait until then because it will just take longer to treat and get you well. 
 
If you or someone you know has been in an auto accident, have them call us today!
 
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott

 

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