If you were a victim in an accident and sustained an injury to your back or spine, you should seek chiropractic treatment immediately. Even if you suspect you may not have sustained injuries, seek treatment now. Having a reputable practitioner treat your injuries can help you settle your injury insurance claims quickly and favorably. With that being said, seeking personal injury chiropractic treatment can help you heal, as well as help with insurance.
Chiropractic treatment can be a vital tool in supporting your personal injury insurance claim by:
- Verifying new or worsened pre-existing injuries
- Increasing the value of your settlement
- Working with your insurance settlement adjuster
But not any sort of chiropractic treatment will work. Before you begin treatment, gather the information you need from your insurance provider and chiropractor. Knowing what you need will empower you to build a strong settlement case that will reward you with the compensation. Therefore, it will help you get the compensation you need to renew your quality of life and recover.
Preparing Your Case: What You Need to Do Before Going to the Chiropractor
If you are wanting compensation for treatment, don’t go to the chiropractor just yet! To receive the compensation you deserve, take the following steps before you sign anything from the at-fault party. You can pair these steps with the chiropractic treatment you receive later on as evidence for your insurance adjuster.
- Know the limits of your insurance coverage. Do not accept treatment that is ineligible for coverage until a doctor deems it necessary. You should confirm in writing any coverage you have pertaining to chiropractic treatment as you need to prove everything to an insurance company.
- See your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will help determine if out-of-coverage treatment is necessary. Get a physical exam and collect any documentation about pre-existing injuries that may have worsened from the injury.
- Get your doctor’s referral. Not all insurance companies regard chiropractic medicine with the same professional respect as Medical Doctors. Having a doctor’s referral to a chiropractor will add authority and urgency to your injury claim. Ask for a referral to a chiropractor if your doctor does not suggest it at first.
- Calculate your starting and projected losses. Add your incurred losses from property damage with your projected costs for missing work and medical treatment.
- Work within your state’s Statute of Limitations. Being proactive will strengthen your case by demonstrating the severity of your damages and your urgency to remedy them. So, contact your insurance, doctor, and chiropractor as soon as possible, even if your injuries are not felt or seen right away. Remember, accident-related injuries can sometimes manifest months or years after an accident.
Documenting Your Injuries For a Settlement
Chiropractic treatment can reinforce your settlement case with comprehensive documentation of your conditions. A diligent chiropractor can help prove the verity of your injuries with:
- Medical assessments. A chiropractor’s reports of the location and severity of your injuries prove your injuries resulted from the accident. Such notation includes photos, diagrams, and x-rays.
- Treatment records. To show your injury is real and ongoing, a chiropractor can document the actions taken to ease your pain and suffering. Additionally, appointment follow-up notes can serve as a benchmark for your recovery timeline.
- Billing records. To show your treatments were necessary and reasonable, a reputable chiropractor can provide treatment documents with clear and accurate descriptions, dates, billing codes, and charges.
You can also prove the at-fault party’s liability by pairing your chiropractor’s reports with documentation from your primary care doctor. Some examples of proving new or worsened injuries include:
- The need to manage pain with over-the-counter drugs or prescription medicine.
- The need for specialist intervention, especially when previous physicals documented your healthy state.
Adding Value to Your Case: How Chiropractic Treatment Increases Compensation in a Personal Injury Insurance Claim
Chiropractic treatment can add compensatory value to your case by verifying the financial losses incurred to treat your injuries. You may file for compensation for the following costs:
- Loss of income from an inability to work. The assessments you receive from your chiropractor can verify that you cannot perform some or all of your work-related activities. Some personal injuries can be this severe depending on your work activities.
- Loss of personal enjoyment from hobbies, etc. from pain and suffering. The assessment you receive from your chiropractor can showcase your estimated recovery time. This may limit your ability to do things you enjoy. So, these documents can restrict activities to ensure the safest and fastest recovery possible.
- Loss of property value due to damage from the accident. You can use the initial medical reports to support your claims. Contrary to popular belief, damaged property that was in your vicinity at the time of the accident can also receive compensation. These reports must detail the location and severity of your injuries.
- Ongoing treatment bills for recovery and pain management. You can increase your level of compensation based on your projected recovery time. Additionally, you can increase compensation based on your treatment plan. So, keep a paper trail of your treatment and appointment summaries, as well as your bills.
Reducing the Duration of Your Case: How Chiropractic Treatment Reduces Stress in Your Personal Injury Claim
One of the biggest hurdles in filing a personal injury claim is working with an insurance claim adjuster. Although you and your chiropractor may know the full extent of your injuries, your insurance adjuster does not. Additionally, they may not have the time to review your case as thoroughly as you would like them to. Last but not least, it can take even more time to review if the information is disorganized.
An organized chiropractic firm reduces some of the stress from filing a personal injury claim by working with your insurance provider and insurance claim adjuster. So, talk to your chiropractor about:
- Billing your insurance provider directly.
- Recording your bills with detailed treatment notes.
- Sending your bills to your insurance adjuster directly.
You Can Use Chiropractic Medicine to Your Advantage
If you are worried about an injury from an accident, rest assured knowing chiropractic treatment will aid your insurance claim. This article has prepared you to build a smooth settlement case by:
- Knowing the limits of your insurance coverage.
- Getting a physical and referral from your doctor.
- Getting an exam and detailed treatment logs for your chiropractor.
- Gathering your injury assessment, treatment, and bill documents.
After an accident, your main priority should be your health, and not your settlement claim. Chiropractic treatment can help you negotiate a reasonable settlement with your insurance adjuster. So, be sure you contact a personal injury chiropractor to help with your treatment and insurance.
Recent Comments