Auto Accident Questions

• I was recently involved in an accident. Do you accept auto insurance?
• I don’t know what to do after the accident. Should I call an attorney first or what?
• I went to the emergency room and they said nothing was wrong. I’m still in pain. What should I do?
• But what if I need prescription medication. Can you prescribe medication?
• The accident wasn’t that bad and I’m feeling fine. I’m still curious about what happened to my body though. Should I come in to see if there are injuries I’m not feeling yet?
• Isn’t that just a ploy to get accident patients into the office? Is there really such a thing as accidents causing future arthritis and spinal degeneration?

I was recently involved in an accident. Do you accept auto insurance?

Since the invention of the automobile, chiropractors have been auto injury specialists. Florida Chiropractor has been successfully treating auto injuries for over 20 years. Our doctors and staff are knowledgeable and prepared to answer your auto injury questions. We have on-site digital x-ray and other diagnostic equipment to locate and document your injuries. Our treatment facility is designed with the auto injury patient in mind. We have licensed massage therapists, aqua massage tables, ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and a rehabilitation/exercise area. If you suffer a disc injury in your accident, our office has state-of-the-art decompression therapy. With our experience comes the knowledge of how to secure the auto insurance benefits that you are entitled to. We are experienced in all that is required, from the diagnostic tests needed, to the forms, reports, and legal documents essential to communicate with your insurance adjuster. If there are any services that are not covered, you will be notified BEFORE they are performed OR they will be performed for no charge.

I don’t know what to do after the accident. Should I call an attorney first?

Florida Chiropractor depends heavily upon referrals from satisfied patients. Therefore we strive to make every patient happy. We do this by making our primary focus your well-being. With our experience we can help guide you in whichever direction you choose to go. If you need an attorney referral, our list of suggestions includes quality lawyers who have made our patients happy. If you so choose, you can experience the convenience of our one-stop-shop atmosphere by allowing Dr. Sandefur, an experienced injury attorney with Florida Law Doc to represent you for your injuries. Call us first @ (727) 345-4242 and we will help guide you from there.

I went to the emergency room and they said nothing was wrong. I’m still in pain. What should I do?

Emergency rooms are designed to diagnose and treat life-threatening injuries or illnesses. When the emergency room releases you after an auto injury, you may have received x-rays and a prescription for medicine, but this does NOT mean that you are all right. It just means that you do NOT have any life-threatening injuries. Chiropractors take the next step in auto injury treatment. We diagnose and treat whiplash injuries in the neck and back. These injuries may be causing you some discomfort after the accident. These injuries will cause even more trouble for you if you do not get them treated soon.

But what if I need prescription medication. Can you prescribe medication?

Chiropractors cannot prescribe medication. Most of our auto injury patients are quickly referred for a consultation with one of several medical and osteopathic physicians that we know work with auto injury patients. At these consultations diagnoses are confirmed, treatment is recommended, and medications are prescribed if needed.

The accident wasn’t that bad and I’m feeling fine. I’m still curious about what happened to my body though. Should I come in to see if there are injuries I’m not feeling yet?

Yes, this is the most critical aspect of post-accident treatment. Chiropractic is wonderful at treating the pain and discomfort immediately following an accident, but our expertise is in encouraging the body to heal correctly. This helps to prevent future problems such as arthritis and spinal degeneration.

Isn’t that just a ploy to get accident patients into the office? Is there really such a thing as accidents causing future arthritis and spinal degeneration?

The truth is that 99% of the patients that come into our office with neck or back pain are suffering due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Those patients who come in soon after their injuries have a much better chance for a full recovery. The following patient example is a very common finding: A patient comes in with neck pain referring pain into the left arm with tingling in the left fingers. During the history we discover that it just came out of nowhere. There was no injury or cause. We do an exam and take x-rays. During the x-ray analysis we see spinal degeneration that is focal to the involved nerve roots. The patient is in her mid 30s. During the report of findings I discuss that the most likely cause for this level of focal spinal degeneration is due to an untreated auto injury, probably 5 or 6 years before – a typical whiplash injury. After a few moments of thinking, she states, “I was in an accident 6 years ago. I was rear ended, but my neck only hurt for a couple of weeks. I didn’t think it was that serious.” We begin treatment. Our goal is to help the patient regain the sensations in her left hand and help with the neck pain. The spinal degeneration is permanent. With proper alignment and mobility we can help to stop the progression of this degeneration. It is much easier to treat these injuries soon after they occur. If you or someone you know has been in an accident call us @ (727) 345-4242. For more information check out our auto injury treatment center.