There is a good chance that you will not feel any pain immediately following your accident. However, this does not mean you do not need to see a doctor or are not injured.

Many people do not feel pain or injuries after a car accident because of the sudden release of adrenaline. These endorphins mask pain and block signals telling you that you are injured and in pain.

Plus, many crash victims suffer non-visible injuries, like whiplash, and these injuries sometimes take a few days to present their symptoms.

Therefore, it is in your best interest to see a doctor following your accident regardless of the presence of pain. A car accident chiropractic doctor specializes in diagnosing injuries that you may have suffered in the crash, even if they are not present yet.

Additional Resources:

Common Myths About Car Crash Injuries

NOLO Explain Why Injuries Do Not Always Show Up Immediately

When you have been involved in an auto accident, the other driver's insurance company is almost certainly going to try to contact you, and it is not in your best interest to accommodate them.

While your own insurance company probably requires you to cooperate when you file a claim, you are never required to talk to the other driver's insurance claim adjuster.

The other side's insurance company will attempt to get you to make a statement by enticing you with settlement offers, but their true intentions are to extract information from you that will later be used against you and your claim.

Additionally, these adjusters attempt to contact you right after the accident, before you know the extent of your injuries, car damage, medical expenses, and other out of pocket expenses. Therefore leaving you unqualified to even tell the insurance adjuster the extent of the damages and your injuries.

For these reasons, you are better off politely declining a claims adjuster's request to provide a statement about the accident and your resulting injuries and leaving the negotiating to your attorney and own insurance company.

Additional Resources:

Know Your Rights After a Car Accident

You Are Not Required to Talk to the Other Insurance Adjuster 

Whether or not you need an attorney depends on the details of your specific accident, but if the accident was caused by a negligent driver, it is always a good idea to seek legal help to guarantee your medical bills, personal property damage, lost wages, and other expenses are paid for.

An attorney has the experience necessary to file a claim and help you obtain the maximum amount of compensation when the insurance company tries to refute your claim or lessen the severity of your injuries to pay out less for your pain and suffering.

Additional Resources:

Understand When an Attorney is Necessary

How an Attorney Will Help

1. Soft Tissue Injuries
2. Whiplash
3. Back and Neck Pain
4. Bruises and Lacerations
5. Broken Bones and Fractures
6. Head Injuries and Concussions
7. Chest Injuries
8. Arm and Leg Injuries

Additional Resources:

Most Common Auto Accident Injuries 

Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries and Whiplash

1. Medical Bills for Treatments, Medications, and Procedures.
2. Car Repair or Car Replacement
3. Rental Car
4. Lost Wages
5. Miscellaneous Out of Pocket Expenses

Additional Resources:

Biggest Expenses After a Wreck

What Does Insurance Pay For?

If you were hurt in a car accident, your medical insurance will usually not cover any of the treatment you have to receive. Therefore, unless you want to pay cash out of pocket, you will require medical benefits on your car insurance policy.

Now, if you were not at fault in your accident, you could be compensated by the other driver’s insurance for your necessary medical procedures and treatments. For this to happen, the at fault driver’s insurance company will need to put something in writing stating they will pay for your medical bills. Unfortunately, they usually will not sign this agreement.

Finally, your last, and best option, is to hire an attorney. Your attorney will then sign a lien with your treating chiropractor or doctor agreeing to cover any medical bills while they pursue your settlement from the accident. When your lawyer signs a lien, that relieves you of all stress and financial responsibility concerning your medical bills.

Then, when you receive your settlement, it should more than cover the cost of those medical treatments, damages, pain and suffering, and other expenses.

Additional Resources:

Understanding "No Fault" States 

How to Handle Medical Bills After a Car Accident

Injured Car Crash Victims are entitled to receive several types of damages in a personal injury lawsuit.

First and foremost, a claim for all of your medical treatments, procedures, and medicines are chief among these, but you may also claim damages for pain and suffering, property loss and lost wages if you missed work due to your injury.

If the car accident was not your fault, you should be able to obtain compensation for any expenses incurred as a result of the accident, because they would have been non-existent if the accident had not happened.

Additional Resources:

Damages You Can Claim After an Accident

How to Obtain Your Maximum Payout

If an injury that you suffered in a car accident that was not your fault is keeping you from returning to work and earning money that you would have otherwise normally received, then you are owed compensation for your lost wages.

Compensation for lost wages can include,

• Wages for hours, days, weeks, or months in which you could not work.
• Lost earning capacity, if the accident left you with a long-term or permanent disability preventing you from ever being able to return to work or a specific type of work.
• Lost opportunities, like missing a job interview or promotion for example

To file a claim for lost wages, you need to provide the following paperwork and documentation,  

• A letter from your physician describing your injuries and how long they kept you from working.
• A letter from your employer verifying the exact amount of work missed due to your injuries.

Calculating lost wages should normally be straightforward, the amount is based on your pay rate and the amount of time you missed at work. Your reimbursement could potentially be increased depending on if you missed promotions or interview opportunities.

Additional Resources:

Understanding Lost Wages After a Car Accident

FOX Explains What To Do If You Are Injured and Unable to Work

• Speeding
• Distracted Driving
• Texting or Talking on the Phone
• Tuning the Radio
• Selecting Songs on an MP3 Player
• Programming a GPS
• Driver Fatigue
• Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs  
• Defective auto parts 
• Rubbernecking
• Poor Weather Conditions

Additional Resources:

How to Prevent Car Accidents

Forbes Tells You the Most Dangerous Times to Drive

Where Accidents Most Commonly Occur

Chiropractors treat a wide variety of conditions that afflict the musculoskeletal system and cause pain in areas like the neck, head, and back.

Anything that hinders function or causing pain to these areas of the body can usually be treated by a licensed chiropractor. 

Additional Resources:

How a Chiropractor Can Help You Heal Faster After an Accident 

List of Disorders that Chiropractors Treat

Chiropractors are usually recommended after a motor vehicle accident because chiropractic doctors specialize in treating soft tissue injuries, nerve damage, and spinal misalignments, which are the most common after a car wreck.

Most people hurt in car accidents usually sustain back and neck injuries, like whiplash, and these types of injuries are effectively treated by chiropractic manipulation and other natural therapies.

Additional Resources:

Understand How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help 

Complete Guide to Chiropractic Care After an Accident