Been in an accident? Here's exactly what happens when you come to Coal Creek — from your first visit through a full recovery.
Book an Appointment 📞 (720) 765-2664Common Injuries
The most common auto accident injury. The rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck strains or tears muscles and ligaments, causing pain, stiffness, and headaches that can persist for months without treatment.
Spinal joint dysfunctions from crash forces compress nerves and strain surrounding tissues. Even low-speed impacts can shift vertebrae enough to cause significant pain and limited mobility.
The force of a collision can push spinal discs out of position, pressing on nearby nerves and causing radiating pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs.
Sprains, strains, and muscle tears in the neck, shoulders, and back are extremely common after accidents. These injuries often don't show up on X-rays but cause significant pain and impairment.
Cervicogenic headaches — originating from the neck — are a frequent complaint after accidents. Chiropractic adjustments to the upper cervical spine can dramatically reduce their frequency and intensity.
Impact with the steering wheel, door, or dashboard can injure shoulders and knees. We evaluate the full kinetic chain to identify injuries beyond the spine that may be contributing to your pain.
Your Care Plan
Every patient who comes to Coal Creek after an auto accident receives individualized care — but the process follows a clear, structured path designed to get you better as efficiently as possible.
Comprehensive initial evaluation — We perform a thorough assessment of your spine, joints, and soft tissues to identify all injuries, including those not yet causing pain.
Personalized treatment plan — Based on your injuries, we create a structured care plan with clear goals, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
Spinal adjustments — Targeted manipulation to restore proper spinal alignment, reduce nerve irritation, and relieve pain caused by the impact.
Soft tissue therapy — Massage, myofascial release, and manual therapy techniques to reduce muscle spasm, inflammation, and scar tissue formation.
Rehabilitation exercises — Guided exercises to rebuild strength, restore range of motion, and stabilize injured areas as you recover.
Ongoing documentation — We maintain detailed records of your injuries, treatment progress, and functional improvements throughout your care — essential for your insurance claim or legal case.
Insurance coordination — We work directly with your auto insurance provider and, if applicable, coordinate with your attorney to ensure billing and records are handled correctly.
Important
Seek care within 72 hours of your accident if at all possible. There are two important reasons for this:
First, early treatment produces better outcomes. Inflammation and muscle guarding set in quickly after an injury. The sooner chiropractic care begins, the more effectively we can reduce inflammation, restore proper alignment, and prevent scar tissue from forming around injured tissues.
Second, delayed care can affect your insurance claim. Insurance companies sometimes use gaps in treatment as evidence that your injuries weren't serious. A prompt initial evaluation creates an unambiguous medical record tying your injuries to the accident.
At Coal Creek Chiropractic, we offer same-day appointments for accident patients. Don't wait — call us as soon as possible after your accident.
Answers to the questions we hear most often after an accident.
Yes — this is very common. Adrenaline released during the accident can mask pain for 24 to 72 hours. Inflammation, muscle guarding, and nerve symptoms often emerge days later. More importantly, a gap in treatment — or no treatment at all — can hurt your insurance claim even if you develop symptoms later. An early evaluation documents your condition from the start.
If you have signs of a serious emergency — head injury, loss of consciousness, severe chest pain, or obvious fracture — go to the ER first. For the soft tissue and spinal injuries that make up the vast majority of car accident cases, a chiropractor specializing in accident injuries is the right first call. We conduct a full evaluation, order imaging if needed, and create a documented treatment plan — exactly what your insurance claim requires.
You can see a chiropractor at any point, but sooner is strongly better. Most personal injury attorneys and insurance professionals recommend being evaluated within 72 hours of the accident. Waiting weeks can make it harder to connect your injuries to the accident and may reduce the value of your claim. If it has been a while, come in anyway — we can still help, and documentation is better late than never.
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck caused by rapid back-and-forth movement — the defining motion of a rear-end or T-bone collision. It strains the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the cervical spine. Symptoms include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, shoulder pain, and sometimes numbness or tingling. We treat whiplash with spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy, therapeutic exercise, and targeted rehabilitation to restore full range of motion and prevent chronic pain.
No — you can receive chiropractic care regardless of fault. If you were not at fault, the at-fault driver's liability insurance typically covers your medical care. If you were at fault, your own MedPay (Medical Payments) coverage kicks in to cover treatment costs — often $5,000 to $25,000. We help you understand your options and work directly with insurers on your behalf.
Consistent chiropractic treatment typically strengthens your claim by creating a clear medical record linking your injuries to the accident and documenting the course and cost of your care. We provide detailed SOAP notes, functional assessments, and narrative reports that attorneys use to substantiate damages. Many of our patients work with personal injury attorneys, and we coordinate with legal teams routinely.
Coal Creek Chiropractic is here to help. Call us or request an appointment online — same-day appointments available.
Request Appointment (720) 765-2664