How Do Chiropractors & Insurance Claims Work With Car Accident Injuries?

1. Car Accident
2. Health Insurance
3. Chiropractic Care

A majority of people would like to avoid this sequence of events, especially those who are a part of the healthcare industry. Car accidents are often challenging for healthcare professionals because victims often sustain muscles and soft tissue injuries that are difficult to diagnose and treat.

Unlike broken bones or ligaments – that can be treated with splints and surgery, soft tissue injuries don’t usually show up on standard imaging tests such as X-rays. They occur as secondary to being violently thrown around during a car accident. While you may experience injuries from an accident-related injury, the good news is that health insurance may pay for your medical as well as chiropractic treatment.

Health Insurance Coverage

Although you may face some challenges from the car insurance company, the good news is that most insurance plans include alternative treatment options such as physiotherapy and chiropractic care. Most companies provide insurance when it comes to acute, short-term care for injuries due to an accident. However, each policy can have a different level of coverage -depending on your insurance plans.

Here are examples of chiropractic care treatments that are covered when prescribed by a healthcare practitioner:

Massage Therapy –  Often called “modalities, there are many types of massage therapies that involve the movement of soft tissue. For rehabilitation, the deep tissue massage is a standard therapeutic technique.

Many car accident victims pay for this treatment out-of-pocket, but most insurance will provide coverage when a licensed doctor views this as a sound course of rehabilitation therapy.

Dry Needling – Dry needling is also considered a standard chiropractic treatment, and this is distinct from acupuncture. Dry needling is referred to as inserting a thin filament into a painful or swollen area in the muscle or soft tissues, commonly referred to as a trigger point.

Unlike acupuncture, dry needling is seen as a form of chiropractic therapy rather than alternative medicine. For that reason, insurance policies cover this technique as a treatment for pain.

It’s important to check with your company about services and specific treatments they may or may not cover.

Who Pays for the Chiropractor After Car Accident Injury?

In most cases, the negligent driver and their insurer will be responsible for the vehicle damages and medical expenses. The most common expenses that car accident victims seek compensation for the medical bills, including bills for rehabilitation therapies such as chiropractic care.

If you or your driver was not at fault for the crash, the negligent driver’s car insurance company should cover all medical expenses, including chiropractor visits.