What to do when in a recent car accident in Woodbury MN?

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How we can help in Woodbury MN

Over the last couple of years, I have noticed that it is quite common for those who have gotten into a car accident, but there was no apparent damage to their vehicle or the other person's vehicle, so they skip the initial and very important act which is to follow through with the police or open a claim for the accident with the insurance company. I ask the question, "Did you open up a claim?" They reply "It didn't do too much damage so I thought I would be okay." As a chiropractor, this makes me cringe at the thought of it. Sometimes it can take weeks sometimes even months in order for your body to respond to the accident.

There are many things that can happen to your body in a vehicle accident, usually whiplash is involved and there are different levels of whiplash.

Type 1) Whiplash Injury:

• Characterized by stiffness and discomfort
• No ROM loss nor Dermatome loss
• Cranial Nerves fine
• No nerve traction problems
• Compression tests normal
• Loss of motor unit alignment as well as fixation. (Subluxations found)
• X-ray findings: Normal

Type 2) Whiplash Injury:

• Palpable tenderness and muscle guarding
• No ROM loss nor Dermatome loss
• Cranial Nerves fine
• Nerve irritation resulting in headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness limited to the first week
• Mild instability to the first week
• Mild instability
• Mild to moderate muscle spasm
• X-ray findings: hypolordosis

Type 3) Whiplash Injury:

• Swelling, Spasm, Loss of ROM in all planes
• Never injury with deficit for 7-10 days
• Moderate signs of instability
• Radiculopathy w/out motor of DTR loss
• Abnormal orthopedic findings
• Evaluate for cervical disc and TMJ
• X-ray findings: Soft tissue swelling, No osseous abnormalitlies

Type 4) Whiplash Injury:

• Pain, Spasm, Severe restriction of ROM in all planes
• Nerve injury with head, face and eye disturbances
• Moderate to severe instability
• Disc, joint and soft tissue injury
• Unilateral or bilateral radiculopathy
• Orthopedics produce severe generalized pain and spasm
• X-ray findings: soft tissue swelling, need to rule out ligamentous disruption, fracture, and anatomic subluxation (anterior vertebral translation)

Type 5) Whiplash Injury:

• Severe spinal trauma, disc herniation with fragmentation common
• Loss of motor function common
• Myelopathy and spinal cord compromise
• Multiple injury sites often with deformity
• X-ray findings: Ligamentous instability on lateral films, fracture or facet dislocation possible, immediate follow up with advanced imaging to rule out occult fractures, disc injury, spinal cord compromise

Sustaining these injuries can result in high medical bills, especially the more severe the case is. Research shows that it can take anywhere from a week to quite a few months for your body to respond to an accident. That is why it is very important for you to make sure that you seek counsel and talk about how you should proceed in order to protect yourself financially in case you do need medical assistance.

Seek out and do your research when it comes to PI and Auto cases. It is very important for you to find the right attorney who will represent you!

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Christine