In the blink of an eye, you can suddenly have a turn of events following a car accident injury. One minute you are driving to work, and the next minute someone has hit you, and you’re now paralyzed with emotions, and fear and you can’t even think. Not to mention you are now late for work and stressed to call some to cover your shift. That is after you have informed family members to come and offer their support. Now, what should you do?
Here are 5 lessons that will help you navigate through this process:
- Seek care for yourself immediately- After a car accident injury, it can take hours or even days for symptoms to occur. Whiplash specifically may make you dizzy, sore, headache, and experience neck pain. Seeking professional medical treatment early is important and could help you avoid long term symptoms. Experts recommend seeking medical attention within 72 hours of your crash. The sooner the better. Chiropractors are trained to treat these types of injuries. My advanced training includes being credentialed as an Accident Reconstructionist (ACTAR.org) and specialize in and am qualified to treat your auto accident injuries.
- RestoreRange of Motion– Range of motion is the measurement of motion around a joint and is crucial for proper mobility. Neck, shoulder, hand, hip, ankle and knee joints require range of motion to engage in normal daily functions. Poor range of motion can inhibit your everyday activities and can lead to a lower quality of life. It may even lead to compensation patterns that may create dysfunction. Following a car crash, range of motion may be extremely limited due to injury or trauma. Inflammation slows down the healing process and hinders the flow of blood and nutrients to the damaged tissue. We can help you with this.
- Document the injuries- Following a car crash it is important to come in immediately. After collecting important information about your health history, I will perform an exam. I’ll check your injuries by examining your reflexes, joints, hip flexors, spine, neck and posture, range of motion, and various orthopedic maneuvers and testing. Based on the results of this exam and your feedback, we’ll further provide you with specialized and customized care.
- Know Utah laws– In the State of Utah, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is mandatory. This means that you are covered under your automobile plan to seek treatment even if it wasn’t your fault. It’s called “No Fault Insurance.” Your insurance premiums will not increase if you file a PIP claim.
- Let us help you with the claims and paperwork– If you were in an car collision at the negligence or recklessness of another person, you may need help with the claims and paperwork. At Dixie Chiropractic our staff is trained and experienced to help take this stress away. When you are injured, you should be focusing on taking care of yourself rather than being overwhelmed with paperwork. We are here to help you.
If you have been in a car crash my staff and I will work with you to help you get back from your injury with ease and care. Call 435-673-1443 to speak with one of our qualified professionals at Dixie Chiropractic today!!
– Dr. Ward Wagner