A car accident can leave you shaken, confused, and unsure of what to do next. Even when a collision seems minor, injuries may not always be immediately obvious. Knowing what steps to take after an accident can help protect your health, document what happened, and make sure you receive appropriate medical care.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Car Accident?
First, check yourself and your passengers for injuries and call 911 when emergency assistance is needed. If you can safely move away from traffic, do so without leaving the accident scene. Follow instructions from law enforcement and emergency personnel, particularly if you are experiencing significant pain, dizziness, confusion, weakness, bleeding, or other concerning symptoms.
If you are able, exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Take photographs of the vehicles, visible damage, roadway, traffic signals, and surrounding area. It can also be helpful to write down what happened while the details are still fresh in your memory.
Why Should You Get Checked Even If You Feel Fine?
Not every motor vehicle accident injury causes immediate pain. The stress and adrenaline surrounding a collision may make symptoms less noticeable initially, while neck pain, back pain, headaches, stiffness, soreness, numbness, or tingling may become more apparent later.
Whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries can also occur without broken bones or obvious external injuries. For this reason, new or worsening symptoms following an accident should be medically evaluated rather than ignored.
Common Injuries After a Car Accident
Motor vehicle accidents can affect several areas of the body. Patients may experience neck and back injuries, muscle strains, joint injuries, headaches, shoulder or knee pain, and symptoms related to irritated nerves.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the injury. After appropriate evaluation, conservative care may include chiropractic treatment, physical therapy and rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise, or other treatments based on the patient’s examination findings and functional limitations.
What to Expect During Treatment
Spinal decompression sessions are comfortable and non-invasive. Patients remain fully clothed while positioned on the decompression table, and the amount of traction is carefully adjusted based on the area being treated and the patient’s individual needs. Many patients describe the treatment as a gentle stretching sensation. The number and frequency of sessions will vary depending on the condition, severity of symptoms, and response to care.
Keep Your Accident and Medical Records
Keep copies of photographs, police reports, insurance correspondence, medical records, bills, referrals, and other documents related to your accident.
Most importantly, follow through with recommended medical care and report any new or changing symptoms to your healthcare provider.
Getting Care After a Motor Vehicle Accident
At Easy Reach Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, we evaluate and treat appropriate musculoskeletal injuries following motor vehicle accidents. Treatment is individualized based on your injuries, symptoms, examination findings, and functional needs.
If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident and are experiencing neck pain, back pain, headaches, stiffness, limited movement, or other musculoskeletal symptoms, contact our Lake Worth or Fort Lauderdale office to schedule an evaluation.