You’ve been injured in a car accident in Florida, where do you go first? The Emergency Room should be your first stop to rule out any internal bleeding, or possible severe physical trauma. You should then follow up with a medical doctor. While a car crash victim may benefit from seeing a chiropractor, there are limits to the treatment they can provide.
Injuries Requiring a Doctor
Car accidents can cause anything from minor bruises and cuts to severe organ damage. Chiropractic care may be helpful as one aspect of an injury treatment plan, but many of these ailments require more comprehensive diagnosis and treatment than a chiropractor can provide.
Some of the injuries that typically require a doctor include:
- Spinal cord injury. Spinal cord damage may cause sensory deficiencies or difficulty in movement. These injuries require stabilization, hospitalization, and treatment by a neurological specialist in order to minimize their effects.
- Internal injuries. Vehicle accident victims may suffer internal injuries without even realizing it. Pain from these injuries may be misinterpreted as back pain, prompting a visit to the chiropractor. However, chiropractic adjustments will do nothing for internal injuries or bleeding.
- Injuries requiring surgery. Some vehicle accident victims may visit a chiropractor when they experience pain due to soft tissue tears, broken bones, and other traumatic injuries.
These injuries cannot be resolved through chiropractic visits, and require treatment from an orthopedic specialist and surgeon.
Chiropractic Care, Without First Visiting An MD, Will Lower Florida Auto Accident Case Value.
In addition to safety concerns, visiting a chiropractor FIRST & ONLY, before getting an opinion from a medical doctor, can dramatically lower the value of your Florida personal injury or auto accident case.
Establishing Medical Evidence
Chiropractors aren’t medical doctors, and not licensed to write prescriptions for pain medication or perform surgery. Consequently, insurance companies often question the need for chiropractic treatment, and chiropractors may be viewed as less credible than medical doctors. Jurors also tend to trust a doctor’s injury diagnosis and his testimony regarding future medical treatment more than they trust a chiropractor’s.
Chiro Care Could Make Matters Worse And Exhaust Your PIP.
Chiropractic care can be very helpful. But chiropractic care can also worsen someone’s injuries. Unfortunately, some chiros are motivated more by money than they should be, particularly after an auto accident, when some would like to collect all of the available auto insurance (the $10k in PIP – Personal Injury Protection) money.
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What Should You Do If You Are In A Florida Car Accident?
1. Call the police and file a report.
2. Swap information (including any insurance information they may have).
3. Gather details.
4. Take pictures/video
5. Gather the contact information of any witnesses.
6. Seek medical care immediately for any injuries, no matter how minor you think they might be.
GET MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT HERE AT OUR “CAR WRECK CHECKLIST” >
While there are many personal injury lawyers, not all of them have equal training and qualifications. Lawyers are usually prohibited by the Florida Bar from calling themselves “experts” in a particular field. However, the Bar does allow some lawyers who have extensive experience and peer recognition in personal injury to take a test to become Board Certified Civil Trial Specialists. Although only 1% of Florida lawyers are board-certified in a civil trial, two out of the three lawyers at Zarzaur Law hold this certification.
Since all personal injury lawyers have the same “no cost no fee unless you win” payout structure, there is no reason not to hire someone who is not a specialist.
Joe Zarzaur is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney whose firm has been dedicated to promoting community safety since 2007. ZARZAUR LAW’S AREAS OF PRACTICE: Serious Personal Injury, Product Defect, Auto Accidents, Cycling Accidents, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Products Liability, Wrongful Death, Community Safety, Boat and Jet Ski Accidents, Slip and Fall Injuries, and more. Licensed in Alabama and Florida.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, it’s important that you don’t make any rash decisions. Put yourself in the best possible position to receive the justice you deserve. It is also important to consult a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer with the knowledge and experience to help you. We know accidents can be stressful, and we want to make the process as easy as possible for you.
Call Zarzaur Law, P.A. today at (855) Hire-Joe for a free legal consultation or visit www.zarzaurlaw.com.