Car accidents can cause a variety of bone and soft-tissue injuries that can be incredibly painful and debilitating. Many victims may find relief in treatment from a chiropractor.
If you were injured in a Windsor crash or elsewhere in Ontario, our Windsor car accident lawyers may be able to help you secure the compensation you need for medical care. This may include care from a chiropractor, along with other medical professionals.
In this blog, we explain insurance coverage for chiropractic treatment after a collision. We also review the injuries chiropractors often treat and the many potential benefits of this treatment.
Give us a call today to schedule a free legal consultation. No upfront costs. Phone: (866) 320-4770.
Insurance Coverage for Chiropractic Treatment After an Ontario Crash
Ontario requires every driver to purchase a minimum amount of no-fault coverage to pay for reasonable and necessary medical care that is not covered by health insurance. This includes services like:
- Chiropractic care
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Occupational therapy
Your insurance company is within its rights to deny coverage for costs that they believe are unnecessary or unreasonable. If you are concerned about whether appointments with chiropractors will be covered, you should discuss it with an experienced lawyer. In some situations, insurance companies may want prior approval before you receive care.
If the insurance company considers chiropractic care to be necessary, they should immediately pay for care, helping to simplify the process.
If your medical expenses exceed the limits of your no-fault coverage, an experienced lawyer may be able to help you secure additional coverage. For example, he or she may be able to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance.
What Car Accident Injuries Can Chiropractors Treat?
Chiropractors can treat many auto accident injuries that affect the musculoskeletal and/or nervous system, such as:
Whiplash
The violent back-and-forth movement of the head and neck during a collision often causes whiplash, a painful injury to the soft tissue in the neck and shoulder area. Victims with whiplash may experience severe pain, stiff muscles, limited range of motion, headaches and possibly pain in the shoulder. Chiropractors may be able to do adjustments on an injured victim with whiplash. Other forms of treatment may include certain exercises to do to help restore neck movement and reduce pain.
Back/Spinal Cord Injuries
The force of a collision could damage ligaments, muscles and discs in your back. For instance, you could experience a herniated disc or your spine could get pushed out of alignment. This injury can restrict movement and cause debilitating pain or muscle spasms. Chiropractors know how to relieve pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord and reduce inflammation.
Strains and Sprains
Car crashes can sprain or strain muscles, tendons and ligaments in the knees, legs, shoulders and spine. Soft-tissue damage like this can also accompany broken bones. Chiropractors can use various techniques to help reduce swelling and restore function in the affected areas. For instance, they may be able to reduce swelling and inflammation from a rotator cuff injury or bruised ribs.
Joint Pain
Accidents often result in joint pain and dysfunction, particularly in the shoulders and knees. Chiropractic adjustments and therapy can help to restore joint mobility and alleviate pain.
Nerve Compression
Sometimes broken bones or soft-tissue damage can apply pressure to nearby nerves. Nerve compression can be incredibly painful. It may also cause victims to experience tingling or numbness in their extremities. Chiropractors know how to alleviate pressure on nerves to help relieve the pain.
Headaches
Chiropractors do not directly treat headaches. However, spinal adjustments or treatment for nerve compression could reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches.
What Are the Potential Benefits of Visiting the Chiropractor After a Collision?
One of the advantages of chiropractic care is that it does not require prescription drugs. This treatment may be especially beneficial for patients who have to avoid certain medications because they previously had adverse reactions to them.
Even if you do not have allergies to medicine, taking prescription medicine carries a risk of side effects. These side effects could cancel out the possible benefits.
This is just one of the reasons to consider going to a chiropractor after a collision. Some other benefits of seeing a chiropractor may include:
- Pain Relief: Adjusting your spine, reducing inflammation and relieving pressure on nerves can help reduce or eliminate pain during your recovery. One strategy for pain relief is to increase blood flow to the area, such as by relaxing your muscles. Adjusting joints or soft tissues also helps to release pain-relieving hormones.
- Reducing Inflammation: One of the primary causes of post-car-accident pain is inflammation. Injuries cause your body to produce proteins called cytokines. These proteins cause your body to direct fluids to the injured area, causing inflammation and pain. Manual therapies can help reduce inflammation, thereby reducing pain and helping to speed up your recovery. For instance, chiropractors can move joints or ligaments back into the correct position.
- Breaking Scar Tissue Apart: Your body produces scar tissue to help protect an injury. While there are benefits to producing scar tissue, there are also drawbacks. For instance, scar tissue can restrict movement. Chiropractors can stretch out and break up scar tissue to reduce stiffness.
- Restoring Function and Mobility: Car crash injuries can leave your muscles feeling stiff, reducing your mobility and range of motion in the affected area. After reducing pain and inflammation, chiropractors can work on affected muscles, ligaments or tendons to help loosen them up. It may take a few appointments, but over time many patients notice improved flexibility and range of motion.
Chiropractors have many tools at their disposal to help crash victims experience these benefits, including:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Muscle stimulation
- Spinal manipulation
- Posture correction
- Spinal mobilization
- Nerve stimulation
Contact Greg Monforton and Partners Today To Discuss Your Claim
At Greg Monforton and Partners, we understand the challenges crash victims face, medically, financially and emotionally. We have been helping those injured in collisions for more than four decades, and we have obtained millions in compensation on their behalf.
Our lawyers are ready to guide you through the legal process, working tirelessly to achieve a favourable outcome on your behalf.
Zero upfront costs or legal obligations. Call Greg Monforton and Partners today: (866) 320-4770.