If you need chiropractic care following a car accident, you may wonder if the cost can be a part of your claim for compensation. Often, the answer is yes. However, you must take the right steps to claim it.
Our Greenville car accident lawyer at Bobby Jones Law explains chiropractic care and car accident settlements.
Can a Car Accident Settlement Include the Cost of a Chiropractor?
A car accident settlement can include the cost of a chiropractor. However, insurance companies often contest the amount and the need for care.
Car accident settlements can cover chiropractic care if the care is reasonable and necessary to treat injuries. The victim bears the burden of proving the cost of care and that the treatments were appropriate.
An experienced car accident lawyer can assist you in documenting the need for chiropractic care and negotiate your settlement.
What you should know about car accidents and chiropractors
- If you need a chiropractor after a car accident, you may receive compensation for it.
- Insurance companies often contest whether chiropractic treatment is necessary.
- Your medical records should thoroughly document your injuries and the need for treatment.
- Our law firm can assist you with independent medical expert testimony to verify the need for chiropractic treatment.
- We can negotiate your compensation with the insurance company.
What if the insurance company refuses to pay for chiropractic treatment after a car accident?
If the insurance company refuses to pay for chiropractic treatment following a car accident, you may take your claim to court. You must show that the care you received is reasonable and necessary. You may continue to negotiate your claim, or you may have a trial where the jury decides. You may have a lawyer represent you at all stages of your case.
What if I have future chiropractic needs following a car accident claim?
The injuries you sustain in a car accident may last for years to come. You may continue to improve, and treatment may improve your quality of life. The need for care may continue long after your car accident claim is resolved. You may wonder how you can be compensated for the cost of future chiropractic care.
Future chiropractic care must be included in your claim. You can’t reopen a case once it has settled. You must prove the need for future medical care and the cost. The cost will be reduced to current value. Our law firm can assist you in identifying future chiropractic needs for your claim for compensation.
Does a Chiropractor Count as Medical Care After a Car Accident in South Carolina?
Chiropractic care is accepted as medical care after a car accident in South Carolina. To be recoverable, the treatment must be reasonable and necessary. See Luchok v. Vena, 391 S.C. 262, 705 S.E.2d 71 (S.C. Ct. App. 2010).
South Carolina courts recognized chiropractic as a field of medicine in State v. Barnes, 119 S.C. 213, 112 S.E. 62 (1922). South Carolina Code § 15-32-210 includes chiropractic care in a list of healthcare providers along with physicians, dentists, optometrists, and podiatrists. The law discusses damages in medical malpractice claims. However, it is still instructive that chiropractic care is generally considered medical care.
Chiropractic Care as a Field of Medicine
State v. Barnes was a case about unauthorized practice of medicine in the form of chiropractic services.
The court defined chiropractic care as anatomic displacement by manipulation. Treatment most often targets the spinal column.
The court explained that medicine is the prevention, cure and alleviation of disease and restoration to health. A medical care provider treats people for physical ailments or they diagnose or cure disease.
In Williams v. Capital Life Health Ins. Co., 209 S.C. 512 (1947), the court said that a chiropractor stands in the place of a physician when their activities are limited to the scope of their profession. The case involved an insurance claim and whether a chiropractor counted as a duly licensed and practicing physician for the purposes of complying with policy provisions.
Are chiropractors safe after a car accident?
Whether a chiropractor is safe after a car accident depends on the nature of your injuries. Not every spine injury benefits from chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic care may assist with soft tissue treatment, but it may not be appropriate if you have destabilizing spine injuries. Your care provider can recommend a course of treatment for your situation.
Chiropractic care following a car accident may reduce inflammation and pain. It may promote healing and reduce scar tissue. Range of motion may improve. Chiropractic care may be preferred because it is not invasive. However, chiropractic care is not right for all injuries. Medical care providers can determine the needs of the patient.
How We Can Help
Getting the medical care that you need is important following a car accident. It’s also important that you are fairly compensated for your medical expenses. That includes compensation for the cost of chiropractic care. Bobby Jones Law can assist you in making your claim for chiropractic care following a car accident.
We can:
- Work with care providers to ensure that the need for chiropractic care is documented.
- Secure experts to speak to the benefits of chiropractic care.
- Help you establish a course of treatment and record of expenses.
- Include the cost of future care.
- Negotiate with the insurance company, letting them know that you’re serious about getting your compensation.
- Take your case to court.
- Address chiropractic care as part of your overall claim for compensation.
Chiropractic care may be an important part of a complete claim. Our team of legal professionals can address all aspects of your case.
Talk to a lawyer
If you have been in a car accident, we invite you to talk to lawyer Robert “Bobby” Jones of Bobby Jones Law. He helps victims get fairly compensated for car accidents. He can help you address any concerns about chiropractic care and your medical damages following a crash.
Call or message us now to talk about your case.
