Car Insurance: November 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012

Nov 25, A Car Accident Can Cause Chaos and Confusion - We Help You Quickly Navigate Your Way Through the Aftermath

If this is your first car accident you may feel like you have been dropped off in a maze. If you have been in a car accident before, you already know the aftermath can feel like a part time job.

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am the founder of Car-Accident-Facts.com.

Twenty years ago I was in a life changing auto accident. I was in my mid-20s and went from riding my bike, running on a regular schedule and being very active, to a year of back and neck pain with a lot of time spent laying on the floor.

The first doctor I saw told me I'd be back to normal within 3 weeks - by using a little ibuprofen and ice - and so for many months I was not only in pain, but confused and frustrated.

Although most of us will experience being in a car accident at least once in our driving careers, no one tells us what to expect, how and where to go for help, what is proven to work and what isn't.

That auto accident and the pain I endured - physical, emotional and financial - changed my life so much that I changed my career and opened an injury recovery clinic.

This work (coupled with my personal experience) allowed me to help literally thousands of people who had also been injured in auto accidents, with everything from insurance questions, health and recovery issues, and figuring out when and if to hire an attorney.

I have created Car-Accident-Facts to help you, quickly navigate your way through the aftermath of a car accident: the chaos and confusion, the physical pain, the insurance complexities, the legalities etc- so that you get your life back to normal fast and with a minimum of fuss.

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Nov 25, Car Accident Claim 10 Essential Tips After A Car Accident

Your Car Accident Claim

Opening a car accident claim is the start of your medical care for this car accident. After treating thousands of patients who have been injured in car accidents, one of the most common things I hear is, "my insurance company will protect me, I have been a loyal customer for years."

Unfortunately, your own insurance company has one goal: save themselves money by paying the smallest amount they can pay on any claim, even if another insurance company is responsible for the bills. The insurance company is loyal only to the financial bottom line, not to you personally, even if you have been a loyal customer for 25 years.

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Why am I talking about an attorney now? Aren't we talking about the car accident claims process? Seems off topic I realize. However, an attorney sometimes needs to be brought in at the beginning, soon after your car accident. Sometimes the injury is so serious, or your insurance company, or the company for the driver that hit you is so aggressive, that even if you followed every tip I could give you, you need the protection an attorney can bring.

The reason for this entire site is to help people manage their claims, get help if they have been injured, and not get taken advantage of by ruthless insurance companies. After a car accident, you have enough to worry about.

If you were not at fault in your accident, and you were injured, it is my experience that an attorney will be an essential member of your team. You can bring an attorney on at the beginning, middle or towards the end of your claim, your choice. Just remember: talking to an attorney is free for the first consultation, and this consultation can help you know if an attorney can help.

Most importantly, talking to an attorney does not mean you are suing the other driver. It is incredibly rare for an attorney to ever sue the driver who hit you. Your attorney can protect you and reach a settlement in most cases without ever filing a lawsuit!

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10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

I have written these tips to try to help you have the smoothest and least stressful experience you can have with your claim, these tips are based on years of experience treating patients and working with the insurance companies for those patients.

I know not all of these will apply to every accident. These are the 10 tips I think will help with most car accident claims.

Do not record a statement with either insurance company without talking to an attorney, if at all possible. If you are reading this after already recording a statement, then don't worry. If there is a problem from your recording an attorney will be able to help you out.

DO NOT sign anything without reading very carefully, the insurance adjusters want you to close this car accident claim as fast as possible. Be careful, the insurance company will try to offer you cash up front for your signature to close the claim. If you do this you are not entitled to receive any medical treatment, and you are not allowed to sue them for more money if you end up having a more serious injury.
Document, document document. Did I say document? Get a small notebook and write down how you are feeling, what you can't do because of the accident, any issues the accident caused. Try to update this at minimum weekly. This will help you a lot when you are ready to settle.
Be consistent with your medical care, gaps in treatment can harm claims and can make it more likely the adjuster will close your claim early.
See a medical doctor at the beginning, the middle and the end of your car accident claim. Your medical doctor will strengthen your claim with the insurance companies.
Don't over treat. What does this mean you ask? Well, it can be hard to define this, but what I try to explain, is that your treatments must be related to your accident, the adjusters are looking for reasons to close all car accident claims by paying out the smallest amount possible. If anyone on your team suggests you treat more to raise your insurance claim, FIRE THEM. You will risk losing your whole claim.

10 Tips Continued over here...

Do you have a question about your car insurance claim?

Take a moment, send me a few details, and I will try to answer your questions...I will do my best to answer your question within 24 hours... (but, I usually take weekends off)

Nov 25, Treatment For Back Pain - The Best Tips For Back Pain Relief From Experience

Your treatment for back pain can start as soon as the next day after your car accident. Has it been a couple weeks since the accident, and all of a sudden you are in alot of pain? You may have been taken by surprise by how much everything now hurts?

It is actually quite common for pain and injuries after a car accident to show up days and sometimes even a few weeks after the accident. If you are experiencing pain you think may have been casued by a recent accident, don't hesitate to see your doctor and get a claim opened for this accident.

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Go Directly to Your Doctor IF You answer yes to any of the below:

When you are looking for treatment for your back pain, you are looking to make the pain stop. Before we go any further, you need to see your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

Excruciating pain anywhere- if you are experiencing this type of pain, you need medical help
Trouble breathing, or taking a deep breath
Pain while going to the bathroom
Numbness or tingling anywhere that doesn't go away if you wait for a moment or two

Getting The Help You Need: Treatment

Ok, so now we need to figure out how to get you out of pain as fast as possible. There are two fast and efficient treatments for getting out of pain after a car accident, Massage therapy, and Chiropractic Therapy.

Both treatments address the majority of issues your body is experiencing, muscle sprain, strains and pressure on your joints and nerves. Massage therapy can bring very quick pain relief, speeds the healing process in your muscles and other injured tissues allowing you to heal faster. Learn More About Massage Here.

backpainrelief

Chiropractic therapy works as a treatment for back pain, through spinal adjustments, which take the pressure off the joints of your spine. As the joints have less pressure upon them, the nerves will also begin to calm down, meaning you will experience less pain.

Chiropractic is a very important addition to your health care treatment for back pain after a car accident. Learn More About Chiropractic Therapy Here.

Solutions For Pain Relief At Home

If you are reading this and you are in pain, of course there are things you can do right now, at home, or at your office to help you reduce some of the pain you are experiencing. I have put together what I think are the best at home solutions for pain relief click here for home remedies, half way down this page.

Sometimes getting your pain under control, even for a few minutes can really help you sort out what steps to take next.

Back Pain Myths

Myth One: you did not have damage to your car, so how can you have back pain? This is likely the number one myth plaguing patients today. Here is something you might not know. Bumpers on most of our cars these days were designed to tolerate some impacts without damage. What the studies have been finding, is that although your car does not look damaged, the force of the other car hitting yours is now moving into your body, the bumper tolerates it, but the force still has to go somewhere, and you are where it goes.

So, do not allow damage to your car or LACK of damage in any way inform whether you are injured. If you need treatment for back pain after a car accident, your pain is real and you should get the help you need.

Myth two: I was wearing a seatbelt, how can I need treatment for back pain? Many patients over the years struggle with the idea that even though they were wearing their seat belt they still have significant back pain. You may have been told when you were learning to drive that a seat belt would protect you in a car accident.

Well, it does actually, the seat belt is designed to prevent you from being thrown against the steering wheel which caused tragic injuries in the past and it prevents you from being thrown out of the car.

However, when you are in your seatbelt, and you are in an accident, you are often thrown against the belt. The seat belt sort of acts like a brick wall, when the accident occurs you are thrown against it, it tightens, and your body keeps moving around it, causing shoulder injuries, bruising and damage where the seat belt tightened against your body, and whiplash symptoms as your neck was not restrained.

Myth Three: I had no pain right after the accident, I didn't have to go to the hospital, I can't be injured. Its normal for pain to take up to 10 days to show up after a car accident. For many patients this delay can cause confusion. I am sure when you have been injured before in your life, you had pain pretty quickly. After working with patients for the last 20 years I can tell you this is one of the most common myths after an accident.

Your pain and your injury are just as real as the person who went to the hospital in an ambulance after a car accident. Injuries in your muscles and ligaments and tendons for unknown reasons can take a long time to show up.

Myth Four: Pain after a car accident will not go away with advil or a little bit of rest. Unlike other injuries you may have experienced, most small accidents can take up to 3 months with steady treatment before your pain starts to change. Ibuprofen can make the day a little more tolerable, but it's not actually a medicine, and can not help your muscles heal and repair their injuries.

Click Here To See How Long Your Symptoms Will Likely Last

Nov 20, It's been 3 years already,....

I was in a car accident may 15 of 2010. Car totaled, and I was in passenger seat. A car hit us from the front and we also got hit from a car in the back. I ended up with huge bruises from seatbelt and about 3 days after the accident I had horrible neck and back pain. I ended up going to a chiropractor. I think my spine at the top was negative 23 degrees? and my bones were also pressing against my brain stem. First it was 3 times a week for about a couple months and then I started going once week a year later, and before I stopped going I was doing once every 3 weeks. I felt great. I stopped going July of 2012. At my last xray my spine at the top was 13 degrees. And even when i still went, I felt little sore , but I am so sore now . Hurts to touch, and I ice when I can cuz it uncomfortable . I don't wanna move my arm or move at all. I cant find a comfortable position. It feels like I just got into the accident all over again. Will I really feel this way for the rest of my life?

Hi there, Michelle here...

I am sorry to hear you are in so much pain still. I canâ€™t answer whether this will be life long pain. I can tell you to go back to your chiropractor and ask them about her/his treatment plan and prognosis for your body.

And it is possible your injury was so severe that you may need regular treatment to stay pain free.

I think of regular chiropractic treatment a bit like dental care. I brush and floss, but there are just some things only a dentist can do to keep my teeth healthy, so every 6 months I check in and get the tune up.

If you are in serious pain right now, and chiropractic care brings you out of pain, go in for an appointment immediately, today if you can.
You might also find its time for a second opinion.

You may find a chiropractor who treats using Atlas Orthogonal adjustments can take you to the next pain free level. I have found these specialists in chiropractic care are able to help some folks who have had years of pain, even seeing other chiropractors.

Sometimes you just need to see a chiropractor who approaches your injury a bit differently.

Your car accident was massive, your injuries severe. I am hoping you worked with an excellent attorney and had future medical compensation built into your settlement?

I have no ability from here to give you any kind of prognosis. I can only tell you that you should consistently do what you know works to get you out of pain.

Chiropractic care is non-invasive, safe, drug free and provides pain relief. There is no down side. Almost all health insurance will also cover this care.

Good luck, find an Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractor. M.

Nov 7, Pain on left side of from neck down to hand.

I was in an extreme accident and my car was totaled. Can a whiplash cause severe headache and pain to the left side of my neck, radiate down my shoulder, arm, and hand with numbness and tingly.

Hi there, Michelle here...

So, yes whiplash can and does cause serious pain, headaches and nerve issues (the feeling you have down your arm sounds like a nerve issue).

You need treatment for the whiplash right away. serious whiplash can last for a long miserable time without treatment. The best treatment to start with will be chiropractic care.

Chiropractors are specialists in whiplash. If you can find a chiropractor who treats using the atlas method, or sometimes atlas - orthogonal method, that would be my first choice for you, but any good chiropractor will be able to help you tremendously.

With treatment the pain, headaches and issues going down your arm will begin to change. For most people the headaches start to improve right away.

Best Regards, M.

Nov 19, Minor Accident hit from the front

by keziah
(federal way)

A few days ago I Was heading to work waiting for the lights to turn green with another can infront of me. A car turning right hit the car in front of me and that car backed into me. no serious damage to my car just a few scratches and the front tab came out. feeling pain on my left side and went to the ER right away. been taking pain pills but my left side on the back still so sore. Have a follow-up with the doctor today. what should i do next?

Hi there, Michelle here...

Well sounds like you have taken the first steps I always recommend, see your doctor! I see you are in WA state, if you are in the Seattle area you can actually come to my clinic and we can treat you.

Use the contact form here, send me a quick email and I will set you up for an appointment Contact Michelle (due to issues with online spam I donâ€™t post my contact email directly).

On the chance you canâ€™t come to the clinic here is the treatment I think is the best: Chiropractic and Massage.

One of the best combos you can use together to treat neck and back pain. Both treatments address directly the injuries you have after a car accident. Whiplash and muscle sprain/strain.

In between appointments I always recommend ice where things hurt. Ice Ice Ice one of the best pain relievers we have, ice helps remove inflammation, and that helps reduce pain.

Use some frozen peas, or smash a Ziploc filled with ice with your largest cast iron pot, so the ice is small and can form around your injured areas.

On another note: you have a complicated accident, in that the car that hit you backed into you. This might cause you a little bit of complications with the insurance company.

You actually were involved in a 2 car accident, which means the insurance for the car in front of you, the one which actually caused your injury, will not want to be responsible for your bills, they will want the car that hit the car which hit you to be responsible...and to pay the bills.

In one of my accidents, the car that hit me was smashed into me by a car who couldnâ€™t or didnâ€™t stop, however, she was given a citation as she was following too close.

My attorney ended up having to negotiate with two companies to get my medical paid. So, I recommend you at the least have the free consultation with an attorney. Although your car was not badly damaged, you were injured.

This form will put you in contact with an attorney for free. I hope to see you at our Seattle clinic.

Best Regards, M.

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Nov 19, Neurological symptoms after car accident

by Erica
(Mass)

My car was hit from the side by a huge tractor trailer truck. The truck driver hit my drivers side mirror. My car didn't sustain much damage but I did. I have whiplash diagnosed at the e.r., and less than a week after my accident I started developing weakness in my left hand.

The next morning exactly a week since the accident I could not move my left hand. I saw my nuerologist in Boston later that same day and he has an MRI booked for me tomorrow morning. I am really worried as its been four days and
I still cant move my left hand except for my pinky a little bit. Im worried I will be stuck like this and it will be permanent. I can only use my right hand for daily activities.

Do you think its a disk injury or nerve injury? I know its due to the accident as I have never had these symptoms before. Thanks,
~Erica

Hi there, Michelle here...

First off, I am sorry to hear about your accident, having difficulty moving your hand sounds really scary. You are on the right track. Going to the neurologist and getting an MRI is the first thing to discover how serious your situation is.

I would strongly suggest that you do not jump to conclusions about how serious this is going
to be.

I realize you are experiencing the difficulty of not being able to use your hand, which is very serious. I am not minimizing that. Instead, I just want you to not think of the worst outcome.

You are new in the injury cycle. With serious whiplash it is likely you have a lot of swelling in your neck, which all by itself could cause you serious symptoms.

The MRI will give your doctors a lot of good information to make decisions with.

Moving forward, after your MRI results are in, and you have more information, I would strongly recommend you seek treatment from a Chiropractor who specializes in Atlas Orthogonal treatment.

Sometimes these chiropractors will advertise as Atlas Chiropractors. These doctors are more specialized than then the average chiropractor and will work on the areas of your neck which can be causing nerve pain and other issues in your arm.

The chiropractor will also be able to help you with treatment options if you have issues with a disc. Don't be afraid of seeing a chiropractor. These doctors are extremely skilled and specialize in neck injuries, and they work with
neurologists all the time.

I would also suggest you use a towel around your neck like a scarf while you are home/at work. The bath towel acts as a support, as your head is very heavy, and the weight of your head can put pressure on your neck, which was weakened from the whiplash.

Giving your head some support can help you relieve symptoms a little bit. Ice frequently, your neck both the front of your neck and the back of your neck. Rest. then, Rest some more.

I know you are worried, the tests will give you some good information.

And finally, the amount of damage to your car is not an indication of how injured you were from the crash. It is simply an indication of how damaged your car was... the person inside the vehicle is not made of a steel frame with welded joints, the momentum from an crash frequently goes into the body of the driver/passenger.

This would be a good time to keep a simple journal of your symptoms. Just take a few notes down daily of what you can/cannot do as later on it can be really hard to remember these symptoms.

And finally, I think in your case you may want to talk to an attorney... there are many reasons for this, and actually one of the reasons is the severity of your symptoms, and the small damage to your car. From the medical side, this is very common we see it all the time.

However, some insurance companies can be very difficult. Take a moment, if you have not already, and fill out the form on the site,let an attorney look at your case here. It is always free. Just a thought.

The above page will also have home remedies for pain relief.

You can write back in the comment section, I would like to hear how the MRI goes - if you have time...

Best Regards, M.

Nov 16, Helping a Friend

by Judy.
(Cincinnati, OH)

MY friend was in a serious car accident about 2-1/2 years ago. He has seen five or six doctors and they tell him they have never seen a case like his. He is always in pain and cannot find the help he needs to get well. His current doctor says he will always have the pain for the rest of his life. He has no where else to turn and he is becoming extremely depressed. He is in constant pain and needs more options. Currently he sees a specialists that I think is taking advantage of him and not helping him. I am currently trying to get him into the city, to a larger hospital that is well known for being a good hospital. Please let me know what you think.

Thank you.

Hi there, Michelle here

I have sent you an email, please check your email, including spam folder, as I will be able to help you more via email on this one.

Sincerely, Michelle

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Nov 16, A Car Accident Can Cause Chaos and Confusion - We Help You Quickly Navigate Your Way Through the Aftermath

If this is your first car accident you may feel like you have been dropped off in a maze. If you have been in a car accident before, you already know the aftermath can feel like a part time job.

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am the founder of Car-Accident-Facts.com.

The first doctor I saw told me I'd be back to normal within 3 weeks - by using a little ibuprofen and ice - and so for many months I was not only in pain, but confused and frustrated.

Although most of us will experience being in a car accident at least once in our driving careers, no one tells us what to expect, how and where to go for help, what is proven to work and what isn't.

That auto accident and the pain I endured - physical, emotional and financial - changed my life so much that I changed my career and opened an injury recovery clinic.

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Nov 18, Neck Muscle Pain, you have been in an accident, your neck hurts, discover the best treatments

continued from previous page neck pain treatment

Neck Pain Treatment: Chiropractic

Chiropractic care for neck muscle pain treatment after a car accident is very fast and effective for pain relief. I know that you may be concerned, scared or unsure about how chiropractors work.

I really understand this. And hopefully I can give you enough information you will consider this valuable treatment. The results of having a chiropractor on your team for neck pain treatment can be very helpful.

Because of this, I have created an entire page of things you need to know about chiropractic therapy, just click here for more information.

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Neck Pain Treatment: Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is often one of the first treatments a medical doctor will prescribe to help you heal from your whiplash injury. However, after 20 years of hands on experience we have found that our patients who began physical therapy at the beginning of their injuries took longer and had more pain than patients who treated with massage and chiropractic.

When you have just been in an accident and until about the first 3 months, and sometimes a bit longer, exercise and deep stretching movements aggravate and inflame your muscles and ligaments, making your pain higher and your treatment take longer.

Its not advisable to start this therapy while you are still in the acute phases of your injury. Often your medical doctor has been trained to believe that PT is the only treatment available after whiplash. Therefore you are not given any other ideas for neck muscle pain treatment, you suffer with the pain of exercise too soon in your injury healing and you wonder why you are not getting better.

Physical therapy has benefits later in the injury cycle, at the 6 month range for most accidents that were moderate to serious. At this stage the inflammation has reduced and your neck is moving more freely and is ready for some strengthening and deeper stretching.

Neck Pain Treatment: Acupuncture

The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be responsible for disease.

Once again, after working with patients for 20 years, we have experience with thousands of variations on treatment, and have found that patients with muscular pain do not find good pain relief with acupuncture.

We do find patients with digestive issues, fertility issues, high stress, and many many other disease processes do fantastic with acupuncture treatment. But to get rid of the kind of pain in the neck and shoulders caused by a car accident, acupuncture has not been shown in our injury clinic to make a significant impact for our patients.

We regularly recommend acupuncture for other issues and believe it should play a role in natural health.

Nov 16, Auto Accident Claim 10 Essential Tips After A Car Accident

Your Auto Accident Claim

Opening an auto accident claim is the start of your medical care for this car accident. After treating thousands of patients who have been injured in car accidents, one of the most common things I hear is, "my insurance company will protect me, I have been a loyal company for years."

Unfortunately your own insurance company has one goal: save themselves money by paying the smallest amount they can pay on any claim, even if another insurance company is responsible for the bills. The insurance company is loyal only to the financial bottom line, not to you personally, even if you have been a loyal customer for 25 years.

I have written these tips to try to help you have the smoothest and least stressful experience you can have with your auto accident claim, these tips are based on years of experience treating patients and working with the insurance companies for those patients.

I know not all of these will apply to every accident. These are the 10 tips I think will help you the most move through your auto accident claim.

10 Essential Auto Accident Claim Tips

Do not record a statement with either insurance company without talking to an attorney. If you are reading this after already recording a statement, then don't worry. If there is a problem from your recording an attorney will be able to help you out.
DO NOT sign anything without reading very carefully, the insurance adjusters want you to close this auto accident claim as fast as possible. Be careful, the insurance company will try to offer you cash up front for your signature to close the claim. If you do this you are not entitled to receive any medical treatment, and you are not allowed to sue them for more money if you end up having a more serious injury.
Document, document document. Did I say document? Get a small notebook and write down how you are feeling, what you can't do because of the accident, any issues the accident caused. Try to update this minimum weekly. This will help you a lot when you are ready to settle.
Be consistent with your medical care, gaps in treatment can harm your claim and can make it more likely the adjuster will close your claim early.
See a medical doctor at the beginning, the middle and the end of your car accident claim. Your medical doctor will strengthen your claim with the insurance companies.
Don't over treat. What does this mean you ask? Well, it can be hard to define this, but what I try to explain, is that your treatments must be related to your accident, the adjusters are looking for reasons to close your claim. If anyone on your team suggests you treat more to raise your insurance claim, FIRE THEM. You will risk losing your whole claim.

10 Tips Continued over here...

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Your Car Accident Claim

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Ready To Ask An Attorney For Help?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

I know not all of these will apply to every accident. These are the 10 tips I think will help with most car accident claims.

Do not record a statement with either insurance company without talking to an attorney, if at all possible. If you are reading this after already recording a statement, then don't worry. If there is a problem from your recording an attorney will be able to help you out.
DO NOT sign anything without reading very carefully, the insurance adjusters want you to close this car accident claim as fast as possible. Be careful, the insurance company will try to offer you cash up front for your signature to close the claim. If you do this you are not entitled to receive any medical treatment, and you are not allowed to sue them for more money if you end up having a more serious injury.
Document, document document. Did I say document? Get a small notebook and write down how you are feeling, what you can't do because of the accident, any issues the accident caused. Try to update this at minimum weekly. This will help you a lot when you are ready to settle.
Be consistent with your medical care, gaps in treatment can harm claims and can make it more likely the adjuster will close your claim early.
See a medical doctor at the beginning, the middle and the end of your car accident claim. Your medical doctor will strengthen your claim with the insurance companies.
Don't over treat. What does this mean you ask? Well, it can be hard to define this, but what I try to explain, is that your treatments must be related to your accident, the adjusters are looking for reasons to close all car accident claims by paying out the smallest amount possible. If anyone on your team suggests you treat more to raise your insurance claim, FIRE THEM. You will risk losing your whole claim.

10 Tips Continued over here...

Nov 14, Have I got whiplash

by Val
(Newcastle UK)

I was involved in an accident today. I was on a stationary bus.
When a car hit sideways directly piercing the bus. I have pains in my lower back as well as a pain going down one leg. My both arms feel aching, although little pain in my neck. is this whiplash?

Hi there, Michelle here...

Well maybe you do, maybe not. The fact that your arms are starting to feel achy leads me to believe you may have whiplash. But you are injured regardless if anyone calls it whiplash.

In general whiplash refers to injury of the neck not the low back. However, regardless of what we call it, you need to seek some treatment.

If you have not been to A&E you should go and get yourself checked out. If you have been already, then find yourself a chiropractor who will help with both neck injury and lower back issues.

Your achy arms lead me to believe you have injured your neck, which is whiplash.

Good luck, M.

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Nov 14, a minor accident with whiplash

by gene
(los angeles, california )

A guy in a big Ram 4x4 pickup truck hit me from behind on the freeway. Fortunately, he wasn't going too fast, but both me and a friend got a pretty good jolt of whiplash. I checked the rear and the only apparent damage is to the bumper, mostly scratches one indentation. I got his name, phone, and his license plate number. It happened an hour ago. What should I do now?
Gene

Hi there, Michelle hereâ€¦

Sorry to hear you were in an accident, glad to hear he wasnâ€™t going to fast before the impact.

First thing to do is schedule to see your doctor. It is important to have a doctor look at you and make sure you are ok and donâ€™t have any injuries you donâ€™t know about.

After you are checked out with your doctor, you will call your insurance company and let them know you were hit and ask them what type of coverage you will have for medical care. Likely they will give you a claim number to give to all your doctors/therapists.

Then, if you are having pain schedule yourself with a chiropractor, who will treat your injuries.

If the accident was serious enough that you find you are injured, you will also want to have a conversation with an attorney. You can do that here: Scroll Down This Page, fill out form.

In the meantime, at home, use ice for pain, rest frequently.

I hope this gets you started, the site has a lot of information on what to do at home for pain, and covers typical symptoms you might experience after an accident. Or if you need to just use the comment form and I will receive your next question.

Best Regards, M.

Nov 8, Can I Sue???

by Candace
(cleveland, state)

I was in a car accident 4 days ago with my 14 year old child but i dint take her to the hospital cause i assumed she was fine now 4 days later she is complaining about neck and back pain. can i still take her to the hospital 4 days after the crash and sue them. the accident was their fault.

Hi there, Michelle here...

First, take your daughter in right away to either your medical doctor or your chiropractor for assessment and treatment.

You likely donâ€™t need to head to the emergency room, as she is not in an emergency situation, and the ER will simply send her to her regular doctor anyway. So save a step. Go immediately however, so she can get some pain relief.

Second. I am struggling a little bit with your statement â€œso I can sue themâ€. Treatment and assessment for your daughter should be to help her get out of pain, not so you can sue someone.

And after car accidents, car accident victims rarely â€œsueâ€ the other party personally. The term â€œaccidentâ€ is part of how we describe crashes as in most, certainly not all, cases, the crash was in fact an accident. The person who hit your car was not deliberately attempting to harm you or your child.

Lawyers exist to protect people from insurance companies, which take advantage of their insured. Lawyers bring law suits in cases of extreme negligence from the other driver. If the other driver was drunk, or doing something to deliberately cause the injury or accident, a lawsuit would be more likely.

However, even in a case of deliberate action on the part of the other driver that caused the accident, the lawsuit would likely go after the policy the driver carried on their car, not after the driver.
I realize you are upset and worried about your daughter, but you are not going to sue the person who caused the accident.

Please talk to an attorney, and the attorney will help you figure out whether or not you need to hire the attorney, or whether you can handle the case yourself.

Here is a link if you need to find an attorney, just pop in your information, there is no charge nor obligation for this. Ohio

Best Regards, M.

Nov 14, hit a car from behind

by denise
(dallas)

Hello I've been getting really bad panic attacks outta the blue and I Get hot flashes and my chest will start hurting and I get nausea I got hit on the left side with the airbag and got bruised its been 8days since it happened is this normal the day it happen got all sorts f tests done But came out normal

Hi there, Michelle here...

I am sorry to hear you are feeling so rough. Yes it is normal to feel some panic. The pain in your chest needs to be addressed by your doctor. Call your doctors office and tell them you are having some pain in your chest and need an appointment, do that today.

If you have not been to a chiropractor I would recommend you set an appointment to see one. A chiropractor can help you with much of the pain you are experiencing. It sounds like you were hit really hard and that you are really injured.

Often when you go to the ER, you are told that all the tests turned out ok, this does not mean you are not injured. It means you didn't break any bones, and that there are no internal injuries.

The ER does not treat soft tissue or whiplash injuries. Those injuries need to be treated by chiropractors, massage therapists and your medical doctor. Your medical doctor will talk to you about pain control and what the best choices are for you and your current health.

Your medical doctor or your chiropractor will have experience with panic after car accidents and will be able to refer you to get help.

And finally sounds like you were hit very hard, if you were not at fault I would recommend you talk to an attorney, as you are injured. An attorney can help with things like making sure you are properly compensated for the injuries.

You can click this page if you need to speak with an attorney: Click here, scroll down the page, fill out form.

If you were at fault, then it is your own insurance company you need to talk to to make sure you have an open claim for medical care. If your own insurance will not cover treatment, and you were at fault you will go through your health insurance.

Once you have talked to your doctor and seen a chiropractor you will have help and a plan for each of these issues. It is very normal to have this much pain after 8 days, and it means you need treatment.

Best Regards, M.

Nov 13, Car Accident Claim 10 Essential Tips After A Car Accident

Your Car Accident Claim

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Ready To Ask An Attorney For Help?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

I know not all of these will apply to every accident. These are the 10 tips I think will help with most car accident claims.

Do not record a statement with either insurance company without talking to an attorney, if at all possible. If you are reading this after already recording a statement, then don't worry. If there is a problem from your recording an attorney will be able to help you out.
DO NOT sign anything without reading very carefully, the insurance adjusters want you to close this car accident claim as fast as possible. Be careful, the insurance company will try to offer you cash up front for your signature to close the claim. If you do this you are not entitled to receive any medical treatment, and you are not allowed to sue them for more money if you end up having a more serious injury.
Document, document document. Did I say document? Get a small notebook and write down how you are feeling, what you can't do because of the accident, any issues the accident caused. Try to update this at minimum weekly. This will help you a lot when you are ready to settle.
Be consistent with your medical care, gaps in treatment can harm claims and can make it more likely the adjuster will close your claim early.
See a medical doctor at the beginning, the middle and the end of your car accident claim. Your medical doctor will strengthen your claim with the insurance companies.
Don't over treat. What does this mean you ask? Well, it can be hard to define this, but what I try to explain, is that your treatments must be related to your accident, the adjusters are looking for reasons to close all car accident claims by paying out the smallest amount possible. If anyone on your team suggests you treat more to raise your insurance claim, FIRE THEM. You will risk losing your whole claim.

10 Tips Continued over here...

Nov 13, Whiplash Symptoms - review these symptoms to see how your car accident may be affecting you in hidden ways

Whiplash symptoms after car accidents are unique to you and your accident. Every accident and every injured person react to the impact a little differently. Some people feel pain right away, by the time they are out of the car to get the other persons information.

But, in many thousands of accidents, it can take up to 10 days, even as long as 2 weeks for pain to arrive. You are just as injured if the pain shows up later as you are if the pain is immediate.

Whiplash Symptoms

Neck pain and stiffness (often in the front of your neck too)
Headaches, often at the base of the skull
Dizziness
Blurred vision

Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Ringing in the ears
Sleep disturbances
Irritability
Emotional upset- from fear, to crying to anger, unexpectedly
Speech changes
Difficulty Swallowing
Memory problems
Concussion

After your car accident, you might have pain if you touch your chin to your chest, or if you look up above your head. A side impact can make it painful to tilt your head to your shoulders. And as you may have already discovered, you may have other strange symptoms that you may be wondering if they were caused by your accident?

It took me over three months to find out that putting my keys in the refrigerator and calling elevators elephants was related to a head injury from my car accident. I had a mild brain injury caused by the accident.

And I thought all I had was neck pain.

Were some of these symptoms familiar? Next we will talk about the best ways to get well. If you haven't already, it is a good idea to start keeping track of your symptoms, a small simple journal of where you have pain, things you can't do that you normally do, will help you doctor. And just as importantly keeping track of what is happening will also help your attorney negotiate the best settlement for you.

Whiplash? Should You Get An Attorney?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

How Long Will Whiplash Symptoms Last?

If you have never had an auto accident injury, I am sure you are currently a bit shocked by how much everything actually hurts, and how difficult it is to do normal daily activities.

Your soft tissues, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and muscles were stretched, strained and sprained during this trauma. Oddly these soft tissue injuries normally will take longer to heal than if you had broken bones. The injury and pain you experience is part of what an attorney will look at in helping you determine what financial compensation you will be entitled to from the insurance company.

After treating patients for 25 years who had been in a car accident, this chart is what I found to be the most accurate predictor of how long whiplash symptoms were going to last.

Minor Car Accident

Even minor accidents can cause serious whiplash symptoms. Your car is slightly damaged or in some cases shows no noticeable damage, and you have pain that may arrive 10 days - too two weeks after your accident. With this type of accident, you can expect up to 3 months to heal.

Medium Accident

This is an accident where there is significant damage to your car, sometimes even totaled. You may have been taken to the emergency room, and your pain may be immediate or up to show up 10 days to 2 weeks after your accident. Expect 3 to 6 months to heal. You need an attorney to receive a fair settlement.

Serious Accident

In this type of accident your car is heavily damaged, often totaled, and you are always injured, you may have lost consciousness, or suffered a concussion. Expect 6 months to a year to heal. For these accidents, please call an attorney as soon as you read this. Your case is complicated and you should not try to negotiate with the insurance company on your own.

Extreme Accident

In this accident you usually need surgery, you leave the accident site in an ambulance, and unfortunately there are often fatalities in this level of accident. The healing of this accident for your medical care, may take a year or more. This accident can also leave very serious emotional scars, you may find that psychological counseling eases some of your pain and trauma. It goes without saying, if you were involved in an accident of this nature, an attorney is essential, and should be brought into your case as soon as possible.

Brain Injury and Whiplash

Before we go any further, please know that some of the whiplash symptoms above are more serious than others. If you or someone you love has been in a car accident and have symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, memory problems, speech disturbances (stuttering, forgetting words, misplacing words), or severe personality changes, it's very important for you or your loved one to seek out a neurologist.

Sometimes during a car accident, the whipping motion to the head can also cause mild and occasionally severe brain injury. You do not need to be diagnosed with a concussion to have brain injury symptoms. The brain can become injured when it hits the inside of the skull during a car accident. Real and lasting damage can happen without a person hitting their head.

Please do not ignore any symptoms that may indicate an injury to the brain. Do not accept that you are depressed nor that you have a lack of Prozac in your system. If the first doctor does not take you seriously, make sure you continue to search for a doctor who will exam your brain injuries and help you find a solution. Continue to tell your doctors you were in a serious car accident.

What Do I Do Now?

When you have whiplash symptoms, you must seek out treatment. And this means you have to put yourself first. I know that before this accident you were already super busy, and finding time to fit in treatment can feel impossible. Treatment now can help you prevent long term chronic problems.

My advice: Got to your doctor, document your pain, consult a lawyer to help you get your bills paid, and who will help you deal with the insurance companies.

On the next page we will discuss whiplash injury treatment and how to find the right treatment for your pain and your injuries.

Head Over here for more information on whiplash injury treatments.

Do you have a question about your car accident for me?

Go ahead, ask me a question! I will do my best to answer you within 24 hours, (but I usually take weekends off)...To see what others have asked and to see my answers, just scroll down a little further...

Monday, November 26, 2012

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...(no obligation)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Your Car Accident Claim

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...

10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

Do you have a question about your car insurance claim?

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...

Go Directly to Your Doctor IF You answer yes to any of the below:

Getting The Help You Need: Treatment

Solutions For Pain Relief At Home

Back Pain Myths

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Hi there, Michelle here...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Hi there, Michelle here...

Hi there, Michelle here...

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...

Monday, November 19, 2012

Hi there, Michelle here...

Hi there, Michelle here

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...(no obligation)

Neck Pain Treatment: Chiropractic

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...

Neck Pain Treatment: Physical Therapy

Neck Pain Treatment: Acupuncture

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Your Auto Accident Claim

10 Essential Auto Accident Claim Tips

Injured In An Accident?

FREE Evaluation of your claim...(no obligation)

Your Car Accident Claim

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Ready To Ask An Attorney For Help?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

Friday, November 16, 2012

Hi there, Michelle here...

Hi there, Michelle hereâ€¦

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Hi there, Michelle here...

Hi there, Michelle here...

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Your Car Accident Claim

Attorney? Or No Attorney?

Ready To Ask An Attorney For Help?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

10 Essential Car Accident Claim Tips:

Whiplash Symptoms

Whiplash? Should You Get An Attorney?

Ask One Here...(no charge, no obligation)

How Long Will Whiplash Symptoms Last?

Minor Car Accident

Medium Accident

Serious Accident

Extreme Accident

Brain Injury and Whiplash

What Do I Do Now?

Do you have a question about your car accident for me?

Other questions about car accident injuries ...