About Auto Injuries

According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly 1/3 of all claimants injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) seek treatment from doctors of chiropractic. This is an impressive number given that the National Safety Council (NSC) has determined there to be more than 12 million MVA's annually involving more than 20 million vehicles.
The reason individuals like yourself choose chiropractic care for treatment of injuries sustained in MVA's is simple - chiropractic care is superior in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, especially of the spine. Since the most common injuries associated with MVA's are sprains and strains of the spinal muscles and ligaments, it's only natural that chiropractic be the treatment of choice.
Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA's prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.
(Balla JI, Iansek R. Headaches arising from disorders of the cervical spine. In: Hopkins A, ed. Headache: Problems in Diagnosis and Management. London: WB Saunders; 1988.)

Minimum Accident Speed to Cause Injury Studies involving live humans have demonstrated that a motor vehicle accident of as little as 5 mph can induce cervical (neck) injury. However, other studies have shown that cars can often withstand crashes of 10 mph or more without sustaining damage.

Time for Symptoms to Present
Symptoms arising from injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents were once thought to present immediately following the accident. However, research and clinic experience now demonstrate that a delay of symptom onset seems to be the norm. Also, delay of symptom onset does not eliminate the possibility of severe injury.

Number of Disabilities from Automobile Accidents
Most experts have found that 10 percent of all motor vehicle accident victims become disabled.


Symptom Resolution Statistics 
Many studies have found a significant number of individuals to be symptomatic for many months and even years after a motor vehicle accident. In one such study, 75 percent of individuals remained symptomatic 6 months after the accident.
Another study, published in the European Spine Journal, found that during the period of time between the first and second years following a motor vehicle accident over 20 percent actually had their symptoms worsen.


Number of Annual Motor Vehicle Accidents 
According to the National Safety Council (NSA), there are more than 12 million motor vehicle accidents annually including more than 20 million vehicles. This results in over 5 million nonfatal accidents annually of which approximately 2 million are disabling injuries including approximately 1 million work-related auto disabling injuries.

Injury Severity in Motor Vehicle Accidents
A 1990 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study reported found that about 28 percent of occupants in motor vehicle accidents incur minor to moderate injury while 6 percent incur severe to fatal injuries.


Likelihood of being Involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident
The US Department of Transportation estimates that the typical driver will have a near automobile accident one to two times per month and all will be in a collision of some type on average of every 6 years.


Annual Costs of Motor Vehicle Accidents
According to a report released back in 1993, the total costs for motor vehicle accidents in the US was over $333 billion in 1988.


Who Pays for Injuries Sustained in Motor Vehicle Accidents?
According to the Insurance Research Council,

• 63 percent of injuries are paid by the injured individuals own automobile insurance company
• 55 percent of injuries are paid by the auto insurance company of another vehicle
• 36 percent of injuries are paid by health insurance
• 20 percent of injuries are paid by government programs
• 19 percent of injuries are paid workers' compensation insurance

Almost 60 percent of those injured reported to have used 2 or more sources of payment.
 WHAT TO DO POST-ACCIDENT 

Schedule An Appointment If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident you will need to make an appointment for a brief, but thorough, examination. Often, individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents experience minimal or no symptoms for the first few weeks and even months. It's important to not only receive immediate and appropriate treatment for any injuries sustained, but also to document the extent of the injuries, if present. Failure to obtain a timely evaluation or appropriate treatment for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident may negate your ability to receive monetary compensation for any future medical bills resulting from the accident, negate your ability to receive pain and suffering settlements, and negate compensation for work loss. We Will Determine... When you come in, we will determine: the extent of the injury or injuries the number of estimated treatments required to treat your injuries if referral to another medical specialist is required if special tests are required (i.e. MRI, CT Scan, etc.) if you need to take "injury time off" from work (and provide you with a note to present to your employer) whether obtaining legal representation may be in your best interests (and recommend some excellent attorneys) Don't Delay, Call Today! If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, call (or have them call) our office immediately. The quicker you receive the care you need, the quicker your injuries will heal and the faster you can get on with your life. Don't delay, call today! (972)215-7720