In Utah, the “greatest snow on earth” leads to an exponential increase in Auto accidents  on snowy / icy weather day.  Auto accidents result in injuries such as whiplash.  Auto accidents in Utah are a common cause of neck pain, back pain, headaches and radiating pain from disc injury.

Often times auto accident injuries are less visible (whiplash) that one would expect, however these unseen injuries are still serious.

After an Auto Accident in Utah

After an auto accident in Utah it is best to see a specialist physician – regardless of initial symptoms.  Certified auto accident occupant injury physicians are different from general MD’s, ER doctors, Pediatricians or even other “Spine Specialists.”

These doctors are specifically trained in whiplash detection and rehabilitation and work together as a team with your physicians and other specialists in this area of specialty.

The right specialist for the right condition

Going to the wrong physician after a auto accident can be detrimental to your health.  We wouldn’t go to an Ear, Nose, Throat specialist for Brain surgery… neither should we just see our MD or Pediatrician after an auto accident in Utah.  Seek out a Chiropractic Physician who is CERTIFIED in auto accident occupant injury diagnosis and recovery.

The Utah Whiplash Group

Only the Utah Whiplash Group offers a team approach to your health and recovery with Certified specialist Physicians, Massage Therapists, PT’s and Attorneys all working together for your benefit.

 After and Auto Accident be sure to find the specialists…

because the Greatest Snow on Earth causes some serious auto accidents resulting in whiplash, neck pain, back pain, headaches and disc herniation.

Why Worker’s Compensation Fund need a serious legislative overhaul

Yes, Worker’s comp is difficult to deal with.  It is minimal insurance with horrendous hoops to jump through to “help” employees injured on the job get some (minimal) treatment of injuries in order to get the worker back on the job.  WCF pays no attention to research guidelines for recovery from any given injury.  When the patient/employee is able to work again, regardless of pain or reduced quality of life, WCF fights hard to close their case.  How WCF is structured for when an individual is involved in an auto accident while at work is nothing short of criminal, in my opinion.

Worker’s Compensation and Auto Accidents on the Job – The nightmare scenario

Imagine you are driving in your car or a company car and are “on the clock.”  Without warning, a motor vehicle collision takes place.  Lets say it is not even your fault.  Because you were “on the clock” your insurance protection changes dramatically…and not in your favor.

“Off the clock” vs. “On the clock”

1. Driving a Utah insured vehicle you would have a minimum of $3000 for medical expenses.  This is called “PIP” or Personal Injury Protection insurance.  It covers medical expenses regardless of who is at fault.  PIP covers 100%

2. If you were not at fault, your insurance can go after the other or ‘at fault’ driver’s insurance for reimbursement above and beyond those medical expenses.  They will also reimburse your insurance for property damage meaning damage to your vehicle.  If you sustained injuries requiring medical treatment beyond the PIP that potentially will also be covered nearly 100%.  A personal injury attorney may be needed on your case to help recover the funds but the money is there to help you get fully compensated.

3. If the other driver was not insured you should have “uninsured/under-insured motorist” as a rider on your insurance policy.  This protects you to have the medical and financial coverage necessary should the other driver not be responsible enough to have insurance.

4. If the case is complicated slow healing injuries or drawn out litigation, your own health insurance can help once the PIP is exhausted.

As you can see, with the current auto insurance system in place we have ample coverage should a motor vehicle collision take place. (Don’t short change yourself by trying to get the cheapest policy available or you may drop your uninsured/under-insured without even knowing it.)

 ”On the Clock”

If you are “on the clock” during a motor vehicle accident, Utah Law dictates that all the great insurance coverage that you as a respectable citizen initiated for your own protection, goes right out the window and WORKER’S COMPENSATION FUND becomes the primary insurance.  It does not just put your auto and health insurance in second and third place, it wipes clean their responsibility to help you at all!

Now an individual involved in the same motor vehicle collision (regardless of who is at fault) is left with bare minimum insurance help to pay for medical expenses.  With Worker’s Compensation Fund you get the following:

1. Poor coverage

2. Excessive paperwork

3. To be treated like your injuries are not serious or important (they think you are most likely faking the injury)

4. Limited choice of doctors.  You can only change your primary physician once then you are at the mercy of “the system”

5. Excessive amount of paperwork and hoops to jump through

6. Pushed out of care as soon as possible

Voluntarily Forfeiting our Rights

As you can see, regardless of the steps we take to protect ourselves and our family with personal insurance; when WCF is involved it strips away our contracted insurance protection and leaves us victims of a system designed, NOT to help us fully recover but rather to get an employee back to work at minimal cost.  There is no thought or concern as to  the detriment of the employees future health/quality of life.

Example: How WCF Reduces Health Care Services following an Auto Accident

In the medical and rehabilitation world every diagnosis has a treatment protocol.  Rehabilitation has an expected number of therapies base on the type of injury to get the patient back to as close to “pre-injury status” as possible.

With auto accidents or more appropriately titled motor vehicle collisions the injury types are specifically classified.  Injuries should be assessed by a certified motor vehicle occupant injury specialist then “graded” as to their severity.  Following this some 60 plus years of research in rehabilitation is applied and a treatment protocol is suggested.  Often times the physical medicines are used for maximum patient recovery.  According to the research-based Croft Guidelines, it is not uncommon for a:

Grade I injury to require upwards of 20 visits to a chiropractor, massage therapist and physical therapist.  WCF might allow 6 visits.

A Grade II injury might require 33 visits.  WCF might allow 6-12 visits.

A Grade III injury typically requires 50 to 76 visits over the course of a year.  WCF typically ignores the research and follows their own protocols allowing 12-14 visits.  In extremely lucky cases 24 visits might be allowed.  Similarly for Grade IV and V.  This author has yet to see WCF allow more than 28 visits for physical medicine.

According to The Journal of Orthopedic Medicine; Volume 21(i), 1999, pages 22-25 “Chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic [whiplash] cases.”  Chiropractors who specialize in motor vehicle occupant injury usually work with massage therapists and physical therapists to maximize the benefit and minimize the recovery time for patients.  Research and treatment standards are thrown out by WCF to follow their own mysterious allotted care guidelines.

 We Should Have a Choice

We are far more likely to have an injury behind the wheel that on-site and MOST job locations.  We should have a choice as to whether we want to use our auto insurance  or  WCF following a motor vehicle collision.  It is unjust to allow the penalization of our own safety and protection (both health and financially) by negating insurance policies we have paid to put in force with an inferior product (WCF).   Lets move to change Utah legislation regarding this issue.

Neck pain.  Back pain.  I didn’t hurt before!  Now I have to get a rental car, find a new car, I still have to work but it hurts do anything.  What do I do?

Find a Certified Specialist

The first thing anyone should do after an accident is find a Certified Motor Vehicle Occupant Injury Specialist physician and to help you on your road to recovery. (877) 7-whiplash  The right physician can not only help you get feeling better fast but properly document you case for the insurance or the attorney.

Who pays?

Utah is a “No-fault” state meaning we all have a portion of our insurance called “Personal Injury Protection” that covers our initial medical expenses.  Everyone who is insured in Utah has a minimum of $3000 in PIP.  Auto insurance pays 100%.  Regardless of who is at fault, your own PIP covers the initial medical expenses.  Getting checked and using your PIP insurance does not raise you monthly premiums.  So really, there is no reason to wait to get checked after an accident by a CERTIFIED Motor Vehicle Occupant Injury Specialist.  CMVOIS are different from ER doctors.

Will I need an Attorney?

If the auto accident was not your fault it is definitely a good idea to talk with a CERTIFIED personal injury specialist attorney.  The consultation is FREE.  Personal Injury attorneys do not charge retainers or up-front fees like typical attorneys.  Also, if your insurance is being difficult and not paying from your PIP, an attorney can help the insurance company remember their legal responsibility to take care of you after an accident.

What About My Car and a Rental Car?

Most insurance policies have coverage to supply a replacement rental car for a short time.  However, many of the “pick a payment” and inexpensive on-line insurance companies take “car rental” out of the policy to save a few bucks on the monthly fee.

Under certain conditions The Utah Whiplash Group will provide/reimburse for a rental car.  Typically we allow one week to patients and clients as our gift to make sure you have the piece of mind in having transportation to get the day-to-day details worked out following an auto accident.

What should you do after an auto accident in Utah?

Call the Utah Whiplash Group right a way! 877-7-whiplash

Personal injury, auto accident, permanent impairment, accidental loss or accidental death these are all life changing scenarios that require professional help.

“Self-Proclaimed” Auto Accident or Personal Injury Specialists

When it comes to your heath and recovery or that of a personal friend or loved one, it is important to make the right decisions in their recovery and/or restitution.  Many physicians and attorneys dabble in one area or another but the personal injury arena requires a specialist.  To the general public’s dismay, any health care provider or attorney can “claim” to be a specialist.  Certainly their licensing states that they are legally qualified to treat a patient or take a Personal Injury case.  However, the difference from a professional CERTIFIED to work in this area of health care/rehab or law vs. the average practitioner who simply states they are a specialist is immeasurable!

Don’t make the devastating Personal Injury mistake of thinking…

“All lawyers are the same.”  

Or “All chiropractors are the same.”  

This can be a fatal mistake to a Personal Injury/auto accident case and a devastating mistake in the proper recovery and rehabilitation of a patient following an auto accident or other type of personal injury.

Piece of Mind

Rest assured the chiropractic physicians, medical doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists and attorneys who work together in the Utah Whiplash Group stand out from the rest!  Most importantly they have your best interests in mind and actually communicate with each other (within HIPPA guidelines)  in the rehabilitation and advancement of your care and your case.

See the difference for yourself.  If you or someone you love has been involved in any type of auto accident, pedestrian injury, or other Personal Injury then call the Utah Whiplash Group today!

Neck pain, back pain, headaches, shoulder pain, reduced range of motion…these are all common symptoms after an auto accident. Whether these symptoms are felt immediately or some time later, an underlying problem begins the day of the collision.

Healthy Tissue

Healthy muscle, tendon and ligament fibers are parallel providing tensile strength and optimal tissue function. Once an injury has occurred (regardless of the age of the individual) scar tissue begins to form. Scar tissue is criss-cross ‘super glue’ type fibers designed for “survival repair.” Whether on a visible surface like the skin or in the underlying tissues, scar tissue is rarely pretty. Scar tissue certainly does not function as well as regular tissues.

Scar Tissue

Whiplash and other hidden soft tissue injuries often caused by auto accidents create unwanted scar tissue in places we certainly do not want. We may not feel the effects right a way but for 12 to 18 months following a whiplash type injury the body is laying down criss-cross scar tissue fibers. Scar tissue is often times stronger than original tissue fibers but it lacks “function”, reduces mobility, sensation or can even cause pain by putting pressure onto adjacent nerves.

The Cure for Unwanted Scar Tissue

The first step in reducing or preventing unwanted scar tissue following a motor vehicle collision is utilizing the “Physical Medicines.” Chiropractic, Physical Therapy and Massage are vital for optimal tissue recovery and minimal scar tissue formation. Neither of the three replace the other. Each play a pivital and specific part of tissue recovery. All three help stretch tissues in the appropriate manor during the healing phase which in turn creates more formation of healthy parallel replacement tissue versus the criss-cross scar tissue that forms when there is NO physical medicine intervention.

Even if symptoms are not present immediately after a motor vehicle collision that does not mean soft tissue injury did not occur. Soft tissue injury leads to scar tissue. Statistically, most motor vehicle injuries left untreated by the physical medicines result in chronic pain by the third year after the date of collision.

The cure for car wreck injuries, whiplash and hidden soft tissue injuries in in the early diagnosis and treatment by Chiropractic, Physical Therapy and Massage.

For detailed information check out “The Physician’s Guide to Whiplash and Hidden Soft Tissue Injuries.” available at amazon.com

Chiropractic, Massage and Physical Therapy

After an auto accident – Chiropractic, Massage and Physical Therapy are the most successful treatment methods known to accelerate recovery, maximize full recover and minimize long-term negative symptoms.  They are also the most cost effective.

According to the article, “A Symptomatic Classification of Whiplash Injury and the Implications for Treatment,” The Journal of Orthopedic Medicine: Volume 21(1), 1999, pages 22-25…

“Chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in whiplash cases.”

Early intervention is key.  Getting chiropractic care and massage soon following a motor vehicle collision is important.  These two “passive therapies” help to relieve pain and reduce scar tissue formation in areas where it is not wanted.  Shortly thereafter, implementing “active therapy” or  physical therapy is fantastic to help further increase proper range of motion and rehabilitate or restrengthen injured tissue.  Non of these three physical

medicines are a replacement for the other.  Each plays a specific roll in the rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries.

AUTO ACCIDENT – BROKEN VS. INJURED

Crash test dummies are expensive pieces of equipment.  They can get damaged or broken.  However, unlike you and me, they can be replaced!  Regardless of the speed of a motor vehicle collision ( 5 mph or greater), human occupants should always be seen by a CERTIFIED motor vehicle collision occupant injury specialist physician.   Auto insurance covers the exam 100%

AUTO ACCIDENT DOCTORS – MISSING DETAILS

Doctors train in a variety of specialties.  Though most doctors have the best interest of their patients at heart, a doctor can not specialize in every area of medicine and rehab.  Missing important findings such as soft tissue injuries, nervous system involvement, ligament or muscle damage, subdural hematoma or cranial nerve injury can be a ‘life changer.’  Symptoms may not always show up right away but objective findings discovered in a proper exam will catch these problems early.  After an accident, find a Certified specialist physician.

AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If the motor vehicle collision was not your fault and you doctor did find injuries that require treatment and rehabilitation, you may need an attorney specializing in PERSONAL INJURY.  Personal injury attorneys help you navigate through the confusing and often times stressful process of dealing with insurance companies.  Your doctor can help you find a qualified personal injury attorney.

Whiplash Symptom Guide

Common symptoms after and auto accident may include, headaches, head feeling too heavy, jaw pain, neck pain, neck stiffness, shoulder pain, pins and needles in the arms, upper back pain, low back pain, chest pain. At times these symptoms may not present right away. Regardless of speed or damage to the vehicles soft tissue and whiplash type injuries can occur.

Whiplash Symptoms often Missed by Physicians

Whiplash symtoms often missed: Tenitis (ringing in the ear), dizziness, fainting, Photophobia (sensitivity to light), Phonophobia (sensitivity to sound), fear of traveling in a car, flashbacks, anxiety, stress, mood swings, personality changes, difficulty sleeping, problems focusing, congnative challenges (head feels foggy), digestive problems, even sexual dysfunction. Doctors not trained in soft tissue injury diagnosis may not correlate these symptoms with a whiplash or auto accident injury.

Late Symptom Onset

It is not uncommon for symptoms to build over time. An individual may or may not have symptoms immediatly following an accident. Objective findings of an injury can still be detected by a Certified Specialist Physician.

Whiplash and Auto Accident Specialists

The right physician make all the difference in a whiplash or personal injury case. Not only can they help with symptoms and recovery but they can help you find the right attorney should you need legal representation in your case. The right personal injury attorney is just as important as the right personal injury doctor.

Auto Insurance Pays 100%

Utah PIP covers the initial exam following an auto accident, regardless of who is at fault for the collision. Whiplash is serious. Make sure ALL passengers in the vehicle are checked by a Certified Occupant Injury Specialist Physician. It there are hidden injuries they will be found. If there are no injuries it will be documented and you can have piece-of-mind.

Auto Accidents are stressful. Car repairs, getting a rental car, calls from insurance companies, finding the right doctors that treat and rehabilitate, not just cover up symptoms with medicine…the list goes on.

CERTIFIED Specialists

It is so important to find a Chiropractor or physician CERTIFIED in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of Motor Vehicle Occupant Injury.

DMX or Motion X-ray

A powerful tool for Certified Auto Accident Injury Specialists is DMX or Motion X-Ray. Utah Whiplash Group on Motion X-ray This 3 minute video illustrates how many injuries (even from low-speed collisions) can be missed by standard x-ray or even MRI.

If you have questions about your recent auto accident, call today!

“The Physician’s Guide – Whiplash and Hidden Soft Tissue Injuries: When, Where and Why to Refer Auto Accident Patients” is the newly published book sure to rock the Medical and Chiropractic professions relating to patients who have been involved in Motor Vehicle Collisions.

The most elegantly simple book written, bridging the referral chasm between medical doctors and chiropractic physician. This book will help revolutionize a team effort among health care providers much to the benefit of millions of patients over the next decade and beyond.

The research provided in The Physician’s Guide to Whiplash and Hidden Soft Tissue Injuries spans from 1953 to present answering pressing questions such as:

* How does and MD or DC properly diagnose an auto accident injury?
* How long should a physician treat an auto accident patient?
* When should an MD or DC refer?
* Which physicians/specialties could best help me co-care this patient?
* How does Auto Accident Insurance pay for medical bills?
* When should the case involve an attorney?
* When is Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, MUA or Surgery warranted?
* Do children in the vehicle need Physical Therapy or Chiropractic care?
and much more…

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Buy it on-line today. Multiple book purchase discounts are available.