5 Steps to Take After A Car Accident

• There are about 10 million car accidents that happen every year according to the National Safety Council. 2 million people are injured each year in car accidents. If you got your license at age 16, statistically you should have some kind of crash before the age of 34 and a total of about 3-4 throughout your driving lifetime.

• Injuries are very common with crash victims. Research shows that crashes as slow as 5-10 miles per hour are enough to cause damage to the spine. These are often referred to as “fender benders” and should be treated with the same level of caution as faster moving crashes.

• What do most victims feel following a car accident? Most people feel nothing to only mild symptoms directly following the accident. Some people don’t feel symptoms until weeks and sometimes months after a car crash. The typical progression of symptoms following injuries sustained after an accident will start with these mild symptoms and then develop into neck pain, tightness, muscle soreness, headaches, back pain, reduced range of motion, and in some severe cases, burning, tingling, numbness, shooting sensations, and instability.

Now let’s get into the 5 steps to take after a car accident:

1. Call the police
   • Do not discuss fault
   • Have the officer file a report
   • Get a copy of the report
2. Exchange information
   • Driver’s name
   • Address
   • Phone number
   • Plate number
   • Insurance provider and policy number
3. Document
   • Take pictures of damage to your car and theirs
   • Did airbags deploy?
   • Was there any witnesses?
   • Take pictures of any cuts, scrapes, bruises, burns or other injuries that are visible
   • File a claim with the liable party’s insurance company
4. Seek medical attention 
   • Get checked by a trained crash specialist like a chiropractor
   • Bring claim numbers and police report
   • Could include x-rays or other tests
5. Hire an experienced personal injury attorney
   • Will make sure that your case is handled properly
   • Fights for fair compensation for your injuries and well being

• Finding a chiropractor that knows how to properly work a personal injury case and treat crash injuries appropriately can be challenging. Dr. Ezell is a chiropractor in St. Charles, MO that specializes in treating crash injuries and provides a thorough consultation and examination including x-rays, if necessary. These detailed results will allow the doctor to completely understand the complexity of your injuries and to develop an appropriate treatment program to correctly heal damaged areas.

• We are trained to work with insurance companies and attorneys to make the process simple for you and allow you to get the maximal amount of attention you need to get back to proper health.

Consultations are always free to discuss your case, our office staff can often let you know when scheduling exactly what to expect and what to prepare for before we see you for the first time.

Yours in optimal health,

Dr. Glenn Ezell