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.

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN 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)

COMMON INJURIES AND SYMPTOMS

Motor vehicle accidents can result in a number of very diverse and complex injuries and symptoms. This is due to the diversity of factors involved with each MVA – i.e. vectors of the collision, size of the vehicles involved in a collision, preexisting health conditions of victims, age of victims, size and strength of victims, etc.

The following list comprises many of the most commonly sustained injuries and symptoms following MVA’s:

• Whiplash
• Headaches
• Back Pain
• Head Injuries and Associated Symptoms
• Extremity Pain, Numbness, Tingling
• Factors Influencing Injury Tolerance

AUTO INJURY-RELATED STATISTICS

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 clinical experience now demonstrate that a delay in 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 injuries 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 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 were 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 for 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 for by health insurance
20 percent of injuries are paid for by government programs
19 percent of injuries are paid workers’ compensation insurance
Almost 60 percent of those injured were reported to have used 2 or more sources of payment.