Waldorf, MD Car Accidents: Are Costs for Chiropractic Treatments Recoverable?
The answer is “probably yes,” depending on the circumstances and whether chiropractic treatment is considered a necessary and beneficial treatment for injuries caused by a car accident in Waldorf, Maryland. In Maryland, a victim injured in a car accident has the right to make insurance claims and file personal injury lawsuits to recover compensation. Generally, the right to compensation includes the right to recover all medical costs including ambulance fees, ER charges, fees for doctor’s visits, costs for hospitalizations, medication, medical devices, and more. Even the costs for physical and rehabilitative therapies are generally recoverable.
However, chiropractic treatments exist in a sort of “gray zone” where the costs are not automatically recoverable. Why? The general rule is that medical treatments are recoverable after a Waldorf, Maryland auto accident. However, there remains an ongoing debate in the medical field about whether chiropractic treatments are medical, since, for example, they are not given by licensed medical doctors and physicians or provided under the supervision of such medical professionals. Because of this, some insurance company representatives might try to exclude the costs of chiropractic treatments from any negotiated claim settlement. Likewise, lawyers for the at-fault party will try to exclude such costs from any judgment that might be awarded in a personal injury/car accident lawsuit.
What Can Be Done?
A couple of things can be recommended by the top-tier Waldorf, MD car accident lawyers here the Law Office of Robert Castro. The first strategy is to “tie” the chiropractic treatments as closely as possible to what is traditionally deemed as medical. Thus, three steps can be employed: visit a medical doctor for evaluation and treatment, obtain a medical recommendation for chiropractic treatments, and then obtain those treatments.
It should also be understood that the treatments must be relevant to the injuries suffered in the accident. Chiropractic treatments for your back will not be covered if the only demonstrable injury from the accident was a broken ankle.
Another strategy is to “tie” the chiropractic treatments to pain alleviation and management. Some types of chiropractic treatments focus on releasing pressure on nerves in order to alleviate and manage pain. If it can be shown that such pain management was necessary and beneficial in helping the victim recover, then such treatments should be fully recoverable. Another strategy is to “tie” the chiropractic treatments to the victim to ing full mobility of muscle groups including arms, shoulders, back, and lower extremities. These treatments are often used for what is commonly called “soft tissue” injuries (injuries to ligaments, muscles, etc.). Again, it will be important to show that such treatments were necessary and beneficial to recovery for the victim.
On a final note, a victim cannot generally recover compensation for duplicative treatments. Chiropractic treatments are similar in many ways to physical therapy treatments. It is unlikely that a victim can have both types of treatments and recover the costs for both.
Contact Waldorf, MD Personal Injury Attorney Robert Castro Today
This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.
