Short answer: Start with emergency or urgent care screening after a significant crash or if you have red-flag symptoms. Then match the clinician to the injury: a chiropractor or physical therapist for neck and back pain without neurological deficit or fracture, an orthopaedic or spine surgeon for fractures, dislocations, or progressive neurological signs, and a physician who manages concussion for head injury symptoms.
No single specialty owns the post-crash patient. The right sequence depends on what was injured, and in Charlotte most people need more than one clinician. This is how I think about routing, as a chiropractor who co-manages personal injury patients with orthopaedic surgeons.
First: emergency department, urgent care, or 911
Auger & Auger, a Charlotte personal injury firm, advise seeing an emergency room or urgent care doctor immediately after an accident. Clinically, the emergency department is the right choice for loss of consciousness, confusion, a severe or worsening headache, new weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, severe pain directly over the spine, or chest or abdominal pain. The full screening list is in our page on seeing a chiropractor after a car accident. Urgent care fits a stable patient with milder symptoms who can walk in.
Primary care physician
A primary care physician manages medications, follows other health conditions the crash may have affected, and coordinates referrals. Patients with diabetes, anticoagulant use, or prior spine surgery often need their physician involved early.
Chiropractor or physical therapist
For neck and back pain without fracture or progressive neurological signs, the 2016 guideline led by André Bussières (PubMed 27836071) suggests multimodal care, manipulation or mobilization, and range-of-motion exercise for grade I to II neck pain-associated disorders, and multimodal care for grade III whiplash-associated disorders. Chiropractors and physical therapists both deliver those interventions. The better question than which license is whether the clinician combines manual therapy, exercise, and education and tracks outcomes with a standardized measure.
Orthopaedic or spine surgeon
Fractures and dislocations (Quebec Task Force grade IV), neurological deficits that are worsening, and pain that fails an adequate trial of conservative care belong with an orthopaedic or spine surgeon. Co-management works when both clinicians see the same imaging and the same outcome data.
Concussion symptoms
Headache with cognitive fog, light or noise sensitivity, dizziness, or sleep disruption after a crash needs evaluation by a physician who manages concussion. Those symptoms overlap with whiplash, which is one more reason the neurological exam has to be documented at the first visit.
Commercial drivers
Truck and bus drivers face a second question after a crash: whether they still meet the physical qualification standards for a commercial driver under FMCSA rules (49 CFR 391.41). Dr. Justin Dick is a certified medical examiner on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners and performs commercial driver medical qualification exams.
Where to start in Charlotte
Dr. Justin Dick, DC, treats personal injury and motor vehicle collision patients at Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center, 8814 Rachel Freeman Way, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28278 (980-368-0766). Clear Life is a cash-based practice. Personal injury patients are treated on a lien basis, so there is no out-of-pocket payment at the time of care. Dr. Dick holds CNMT and ARRT(N)(CT) imaging credentials, and his peer-reviewed research includes a report on refractory lumbar pain after a motor vehicle accident.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of doctor should I go to after a car accident?
Start with emergency or urgent care screening after a significant crash or with red-flag symptoms. Then see a chiropractor or physical therapist for neck and back pain without fracture or neurological deficit, an orthopaedic or spine surgeon for fractures or worsening neurological signs, and a concussion physician for head injury symptoms. Dr. Justin Dick, DC, treats auto accident patients in Charlotte, NC.
Should I go to the ER or urgent care after a car accident?
Go to the emergency department for loss of consciousness, confusion, a severe or worsening headache, new weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, severe spine pain, or chest or abdominal pain. Urgent care fits a stable patient with milder symptoms.
When should I see a chiropractor after a car accident?
After any needed emergency screening, for neck or back pain without fracture or progressive neurological signs. The 2016 Bussieres guideline suggests multimodal care, manipulation or mobilization, and exercise for grade I to II neck pain, and multimodal care for grade III whiplash.
When do I need an orthopaedic surgeon after a car accident?
For fractures or dislocations, neurological deficits that are getting worse, or pain that does not respond to an adequate trial of conservative care. These patients are often co-managed by a surgeon and a conservative care clinician.
What if I am a commercial driver injured in a crash?
A commercial driver may need a medical qualification exam under FMCSA standards (49 CFR 391.41). Dr. Justin Dick, DC, is a certified medical examiner on the FMCSA National Registry and performs these exams in Charlotte, NC.
Where can I see a doctor for car accident injuries in Charlotte, NC?
Dr. Justin Dick, DC, treats auto accident patients at Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center, 8814 Rachel Freeman Way, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28278, phone 980-368-0766. Personal injury patients are treated on a lien basis with no out-of-pocket payment at the time of care.
Sources
- Auger & Auger, what kind of doctor to see after a North Carolina car accident
- Bussieres AE et al. The Treatment of Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016;39(8):523-564.e27
Related pages
- Personal injury and auto accident care at Clear Life
- Is it a good idea to see a chiropractor after a car accident?
- Does accident insurance cover chiropractic care in North Carolina?
- Can I see a chiropractor while filing an auto claim?
- Refractory lumbar pain following MVA in a geriatric patient
- Dr. Justin Dick's published research
- Research and evidence
- Our team
- Book your evaluation
- Contact Clear Life
This article is general information for people in North Carolina. It is not legal advice and it is not a diagnosis. Dr. Justin Dick is a chiropractor, not an attorney. Questions about fault, coverage, liens, or deadlines belong with a North Carolina personal injury attorney.
Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center
Dr. Justin M. Dick, DC
8814 Rachel Freeman Way, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28278
Phone: 980-368-0766 · office@clearlifescoliosis.com
Book online · Serving Charlotte, Huntersville, Ballantyne, Matthews, Concord, Mooresville, Rock Hill, Steele Crek, Berewick, and Fort Mill
Justin Dick
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