Highlands Ranch Auto Accident Treatment

Yes, and most of the time it is MedPay, which is one of those services that we believe everyone should have. It’s incredibly affordable insurance, and it is designed to protect you in the event of a crash. The reason everyone should have it is because it doesn’t matter who is at fault to use MedPay. Having regular health insurance is not a suitable replacement for MedPay even if your insurance agent says so, or manages to save you a couple bucks on your premium. Make sure to have MedPay and consider adding more. We recommend $10,000.

Not always. For example, we need to determine if there’s joint instability. With a ligament injury, you have an unstable joint in your neck. We want to know if you have that condition prior to treatment. So in some cases, it’s not appropriate to adjust on that first visit.

Some chiropractors will adjust an auto accident patient on the first visit, just to get them out of pain. However, doing so can actually cause bigger injury to those ligaments. In our clinic, we will do everything we can to properly begin the healing process and pain relief on your first visit.

Depending on the severity of injuries and the site(s) of pain, it can be as short as 30 to 45 minutes. For a patient with more serious injuries, we can spend upwards of two hours, as we have to address multiple areas of their body, perform proper evaluations, and order appropriate testing.

There are many types of injuries, but we’re going to focus on the most common types of injuries: a self-resolving injury and a permanent injury. A self-resolving injury is like a simple sprain/strain. For example, in the case of somebody who steps off a curb and mildly tweaks an ankle, 2-6 weeks from now, they forget they even did it. Those types of injuries can occur in a car crash. They also require minimal treatment.

The reason we do a thorough exam is that we want to answer whether you avoided serious injury or not. For example, in the case of a more significant ligament injury, the body may have a permanent injury, and thereby rateable by AMA Guidelines, that will require future care. In these cases, your attorney will fight for your long term status and not just a quick settlement. Unfortunately, these are the injuries missed by most treating chiropractors. We go the extra length to objectively identify the presence of these injuries.

It’s crucial to report an accident to authorities as soon as possible. To report the accident here in Colorado, file the report online using the 2489 form. This option allows you to report the accident if a police officer wasn’t at the scene. By doing so, the report will reach the legal system if necessary.

It’s a good idea to include photographs in your report. Also, be sure to get the contact information for anyone involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses at the scene. In the report, you can also note weather conditions, whether poor or good.

While it’s not always a bad idea to see a primary care physician after an accident, if they’re not trained in injury treatment, they can refer you to a chiropractor like Dr. Hicks, who doesn’t need a referral. It is helpful in the documentation process that the PCP recommends you seek chiropractic care, because the injuries can be hidden.
“Even without that appointment, it’s necessary to see a doctor like myself trained in the biomechanics of injury. I can identify those injuries that don’t show up for days after a collision. It can take even a few weeks for some of these injuries—and they can be serious—to show up,” said Dr. Hicks.

It’s also important to keep your appointments and follow up with all referrals that Dr. Hicks will offer. He has a large network of physical therapy, massage, and pain management providers that he works with that can help you in your case.
Please note that even if you are at fault, if you have MedPay, that coverage will pay for services, as Colorado is a no fault state. Being at fault for a car crash means you can still use your MedPay.

We also work on liens when the need for care goes beyond what MedPay will cover. There are usually no upfront out-of-pocket costs, and any fees are paid through the settlement.

It’s important to find out if you have MedPay, how much it is, and that you are seeking at least an exam to identify if there are hidden injuries that go beyond what you’re feeling.

You’ll be asked a series of questions. It’s important not to minimize what you experienced. A person’s natural instinct is to minimize injuries, because the disruption to their life is usually greater than what their initial symptoms warrant. They just want it over with.

Just report in broad-based terms what your symptoms are. If you’re not sure, it’s okay to say “I’m not sure,” as to whether the other person is at fault. You can always say, “I don’t know, I haven’t heard from insurance yet.”

If during the exam, we identify that the injury is a sprain or strain, minimal care is needed, and you will fully recover and return to normal, attorneys are not needed.

“However, when we identify those injuries with a higher risk of permanence or long-lasting symptoms, it’s important to establish with an attorney. We work with numerous lawyers in the area, and can always recommend one that fits your needs,” said Dr. Hicks. All of them will give you a free consultation.