February 15, 2019

It’s a typical day. You pile the kids into the car, make sure seat belts are secure, and you’re on your way to the movies. Suddenly, at the corner you pass daily, a car comes out of nowhere and slides into the side of you causing the car to fishtail. Car accidents and collisions can happen to the most experienced drivers because the collision isn’t always your fault. You can’t guarantee that the other drivers are faring well on the icy winter roads.

The average person’s first response to car accidents or collisions is to call the police, gather information and open a claim if there is vehicular damage. While these are great first steps, opening a medical claim with your car insurance is one of the most important steps that is often missed.

Following a collision, you will most likely be feeling a lot of adrenaline and panic. These can make it seem like you aren’t injured when you might be. It’s important, whether you are speaking to your own insurance or the third party’s company, to not commit to the status of your injuries until you have time to get checked out by your medical doctor.

As Chiropractors, we have often seen the toll that even minor car accidents can have on the human body. Several of the chronic issues we see, originated from car accidents years ago that were never treated. As the body adjusts to accommodate the injury, new symptoms can emerge, piling on to the pain and dysfunction. Our goal with getting you treated immediately following a collision is to get everything in place so that the body’s natural defenses can repair the damage before it begins a domino effect in your body.

Your body is your most important responsibility. Car insurance companies are required to offer personal injury protection for a reason. Unless you have opted out of the coverage, it is available to use through your policy and will not raise your rates. If you are at fault, your rates will go up regardless, but if you are the victim of a collision, you still can use your personal injury coverage to cover medical expenses until the companies settle following the conclusion of your treatment. For more information about auto insurance policies and coverage, check out our blog post: Auto Accidents – Do You Know Your Coverage?

One of the most confusing aspects of billing personal injury for patients is that their personal injury coverage becomes the primary payor even if they aren’t at fault in car accidents. The patient will state that they have a claim open with the third party since “they hit me” and are liable. While they are liable, they do not have to pay a dime until your medical care is concluded. Depending on the extent of your injuries, this could mean months to years of treatment that you will be paying out of pocket until the claim is closed and you settle. Your personal injury coverage is there to cover those expenses until you get paid by the third party.

We have also had patients who are wary about opening a personal injury claim, request to use their health insurance. While this seems like a viable option, health insurance companies often send out questionnaire attempting to fish out possible other responsible parties including your car insurance. If they know your treatment is following a car accident, they will take back payment and require you provide proof that you do not have personal injury protection. Regardless of fault, your personal injury protection is the first responsible payor for injuries sustained in a collision.

This can seem like a lot, especially when you add in vehicle repair and legal counsel. Luckily, here at Moore Chiropractic, we want you to be able to focus on getting your life back in order and getting better. So we provide our expertise in these situations to help guide you through it. If you are in a car accident or collision, please call us and we will help you navigate your options and get you feeling like yourself again.