Many times people are involved in auto accidents and don't even realize they are hurt. (See prior blog post on the subject) They feel stiff and sore but don't look for help until they have chronic pain and it’s too late to seek compensation. While it is true that filing claims against insurance can raise your rates, if you’re involved in an accident, your insurance will pay for care related to the accident. That is part of what you pay for. I'm not suggesting your abuse the benefits, but any time you are injured in an auto accident there is a possibility that you have more problems than you will know at first glance. These people find their way into my office 10 or 15 years later with degeneration of the neck or lower spine: with no other explanation except an auto accident that they were never treated for.

In addition, besides fixing the car and paying for medical expenses, you are entitled to other compensation for missed work, pain and suffering etc. Most people do not know they have those benefits or rights when they have been hurt. The amount of compensation depends on the severity of the injury, but if you don't file you can't get anything. In most cases you have two years to file a claim, but to be absolutely sure you should ask an attorney what the legal limits are. If the accident was not your fault, the other driver’s insurance is responsible for the expenses you incur, and for your pain and suffering.

It is always better to seek advice from an expert than to just deal with it all yourself. In my experience, patients who have an attorney do receive larger settlements than those who handle the claims without one. So if you are in an accident, don’t just get your spine checked for injuries and your car repaired: see what other things you are legally entitled to before you settle too quickly.

As always, when in doubt, you can always reach us here at Krumme Clinic of Chiropractic by calling 513-759-6500 or you may click here to email me.

While degeneration of intervertebral discs is called Degenerative Disc Disease, it is not actually a disease as such. It is not contagious nor hereditary, but rather, caused by changes that occur as a result of the aging process. Degeneration is often found in people who engage in more physically-demanding jobs or activity, but these are not the only people who suffer from this condition. Some degeneration is inevitable, but there are a few steps you can take to minimize this phenomenon and improve your spinal health.

No, really: is it? It doesn't have to be. While there are numerous causes for neck pain, much of the time it isn't serious, and neck pain is one thing we do not need to suffer from.

Our necks are comprised of seven vertebrae (the cervical vertebrae), which are the chunky bones of the spine that surround its spinal cord and canal. Cushioning the vertebrae are spongy discs of cartilage, and the nerves of the neck run nearby. There are other structures within your neck; including the arteries, esophagus, larynx, muscles, skin, trachea, and veins as well as three types of glands: lymph, thyroid, and parathyroid. Any diseases or conditions that involve these various tissues can lead to neck pain.