- May 11, 2023
A Greenville car wreck attorney knows that each person is different when it comes to the type of medical care they trust and rely on. Some people will go to the hospital for standard treatment and physical therapy for pain and various car accident injuries. But some people prefer an alternative approach, believing that it is safer and more efficient, such as chiropractic care.
However, before making the first appointment with a chiropractor, they will first ask their Greenville car wreck attorney: will the insurance company pay for chiropractic care? This is an important question, indeed. If an expense is deemed ineligible, there is nothing to do, but pay out of pocket.
And, indeed, there are still mixed attitudes toward chiropractic care. But attitudes are shifting and an experienced lawyer knows the right arguments to use during negotiations with an insurance adjuster.
A Brief History of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care originates in Iowa in the late 19th century. More precisely, David Palmer performed the first chiropractic adjustment on a deaf janitor in order to restore his hearing. The practitioner went on to found the Palmer School of Chiropractic and trained the first chiropractors.
Mainstream medical practitioners treated the new branch of healthcare with strong opposition. Indeed, until the 1960s practitioners of chiropractic care would go to jail and receive fines for practicing without a license.
At present, chiropractic is recognized as a safe and effective alternative to conventional medicine. It is a licensed healthcare profession which requires:
- At least 3 years of undergraduate education
- Obtaining the Doctor of Chiropractic degree
- Passing the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exam
- Obtaining a state license.
Despite this rigorous training and close oversight by state and federal authorities, a Greenville car wreck attorney knows that many insurance companies try to exclude costs with chiropractic care from a car accident insurance claim.
An Insurance Adjuster Will Claim that There Is No Proof that Chiropractic Works
This is the standard approach to denying a claim you will encounter. An adjuster may say that there isn’t sufficient research to prove that chiropractic care is beneficial to patients.
In reality, a Greenville car wreck attorney can bring as evidence dozens of medical studies and clinical trials proving that chiropractic care is especially effective for:
- Stiff neck
- Chronic back pain
- Spine injuries involving bulging discs and misaligned vertebrae
- Pain and numbness in various joints (ankle, knee, hip, wrist, and elbow).
But, if you try to fight your case on your own, the insurance adjuster will quickly realize that, although you trust your chiropractor, you have no idea of these scientific studies. Thus, they will go as far as saying that, by choosing chiropractic over conventional medical care, you failed to mitigate your injuries after the car accident.
How a Greenville Car Wreck Attorney Will Win Your Full Compensation
Nobody has the right to tell you how to treat your injuries, as long as you choose a licensed and regulated form of healthcare. As we have just proven above, chiropractic care meets these conditions.
However, it is necessary to make sure that the insurance adjuster does not have any reason to deny any part of your car accident claim. For this reason, your Greenville car wreck attorney will need to:
1. See Your Progress Reports
Just like any healthcare professional, your chiropractor maintains a record, noting how you respond to their treatments. Of course, just like any other health-related document, it is protected by HIPAA privacy rules.
Your lawyer will ask you to sign a medical release, giving them access to this record, which includes your progress reports. They are essential when it comes to proving to an adjuster that you are doing your best to mitigate your damages and recover from your car accident injuries.
2. Indicate Your Medical Improvement with X-Rays and MRI Scans
Images don’t lie. For this reason, your Greenville car wreck attorney will get your initial X-rays and MRI scans after the accident, and a new set taken as your condition starts improving.
There is no doubt that this improved condition will also show on the scans. Thus, your lawyer will persuade the insurance adjuster that chiropractic care has a beneficial effect.
3. Obtain Documents Showing You Cannot Undergo Conventional Treatments
Many people who choose chiropractic care do so because:
- They are allergic to pain medication or other drugs.
- They take medication for a pre-existing condition that is incompatible with pain medication or other drugs.
- They are at high risk in case of surgery and other invasive procedures.
If this is your case, your lawyer will obtain affidavits and other documents from your treating physicians, indicating these issues. The insurance adjuster will be made aware that chiropractic care is one of the few safe treatment options for you.
4. Contact Expert Witnesses
Finally, a lawyer will prove the eligibility of your chiropractic care costs by relying on expert witnesses. One of them may be the doctor who gave you medical attention immediately after your car accident.
After a further check-up, the doctor can confirm that you are getting better and getting the best care for your injuries. You can rest assured that the lawyer will not leave anything to chance, including seeking the independent opinion of a healthcare professional not involved in your case.
Let Your Lawyer Know About Chiropractic Care During the Initial Appointment
Winning compensation after a car accident is not a simple and easy process. Insurance companies notoriously try to deny claims or delay the final decision for as long as they can. The fact that you are not following a conventional form of treatment may appear a Godsend to an insurance adjuster looking for ways to deny or devalue your claim.
For this reason, you should be completely open and honest with a Greenville car wreck attorney about the fact that you rely on chiropractic care to recover from your accident injuries. You should disclose this during the free case review, together with other relevant information about your case.
Remember that time is not running in your favor. For this reason, you should schedule your free case review as soon as possible after your accident!
