The Balanced Spine's Auto Injury Program
No Appointment Needed...Chances are you need immediate care
The Balanced Spine allows an auto injury patient to walk into any of our locations and get evaluated by one of our doctors immediately. No appointment necessary. PIP is a part of your car insurance policy. It is designed to take care of you immediately after an accident.
Is this what you are feeling?
Muscle Stiffness, Neck Pain, Numbness and Tingling, Low Back Pain, Fatigue, Spasms, Headaches, Mid-Back Pain, Difficulty Sleeping
Use your no-deductible PIP coverage
You have PIP unless you rejected/waived it in writing.
By law, your insurance company cannot cancel your rates for using your PIP.
Open the PIP claim immediately. It is no-fault so it doesn’t matter who caused the accident.
PIP covers reasonable, necessary and related treatment for 3 years or $10,000, whichever comes first. Some policies have higher limits ($35,000).
PIP covers medical bills, a portion of your weekly lost wages, and household care and cleaning.
If you have coverage on your auto policy, your medical bills get paid on time and you can maintain your treatment schedule uninterrupted.
There is no deductible for using PIP.
Effortless claim management
The Balanced Spine’s concierge insurance department will guide you through the simple process of opening up your claim. The Balanced Spine will work closely with your insurance company and other agencies such as your attorney to get you the care you need and deserve.
Auto Accident Myths
Myth: Minor damage to the vehicle means inconsequential injury to the occupant.
The biggest challenge for the subject of an auto accident is to understand that a big dent does not always mean injury nor does a small dent rule out any injury. It is noted that the severity of an impact cannot predict the degree of injury of a person involved in a motor vehicle accident. [i.] There has been a great deal of research done over the last several years, which proves that injury, can and does occur in low impact collisions. The most common of these injuries is "whiplash". When low-speed crash tests were performed with sudden changes in vehicle speed of only 2.5 mph, 29% of occupants experienced symptoms of neck or back injury, while a sudden change in speed of 5 mph resulted in 38% of occupants being injured.
Myth: I only felt stiff and sore for a couple of days, so if there was an injury, it must be slight.
A delay in the onset of pain is also extremely common, and is very well documented in scientific literature. The delay in symptoms frequently reported by the patient is probably related to the gradual effusion and microscopic hemorrhage in the neck flexor muscles. [ii.] There have been several studies that discuss delay in onset of symptoms following rear-end collisions. A 1995 study found that 21% of whiplash subjects did not appear to be injured at the scene of the collision. [iii.] In 1993 a study reported 14% of people reported onset of symptoms 24 hours to one week post-accident. [iv.] In addition, due to joint injuries, auto accidents can cause posttraumatic osteoarthritis. For those that have been in a traumatic accident, the arthritic process often develops much more quickly (at an earlier age) than in people who have not experienced auto accident trauma.
[i.] MacNab I: Acceleration Injuries of the Cervical Spine. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1964; 46A(8):1797-1799.
[ii.] Cailliet, Rene: Neck and Arm Pain, 3rd Ed., F.A. Davis Co., 1991, at page 88.
[iii.] Quebec Task Force on Whiplash - Associated Disorders, Spine, Vol. 20, No. 8S, April 15, 1995.
[iv.] Robinson DD and Cassar-Pullicino VN: Acute neck sprain after road traffic accident: a long term clinical and radiological review. Injury (1993) 24(2), p 79-82
[v.] Baker, Douglas: The Permanency of Whiplash, by Doug Baker, Integrity Seminars, Inc., P.O. Box 995, Eagle, Idaho 83616
[vi.] Mertz HJ Jr., Patrick LM: Investigation of the kinematics and kinetics of whiplash. In: Proceedings, 11th Stapp Car Crash Conference, SAE 670919, Detroit MI, Society of Automotive Engineers, 1967.
[vii.] Otremski I, Marsh JL, Wilde BR: Soft tissue cervical spine injuries in motor vehicle accidents: Injury (1989), 20, 349-351.
[vii.] Olney DB, Marsden AK: The effect of head restraints and seat belts on the incidence of neck injury in car accidents. Injury (1986), 17, 365-367.
[viii.] Kahane CJ, Evaluation of Head Restraints: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 202, NHTSA DOT HS 806 108, 1982.
[ix.] Nordhoff L: Motor Vehicle Collision Injury for the 1990’s Doctor \ Attorney, Automotive Injury Research Institute, 1994.
Myth: My car bumpers will “cushion” the blow.
Automobile bumpers are built to the government standard of being able to withstand a 5 mph crash without damage. These standards are not related to the safety of the occupant, but are to protect and limit the damage to the bumpers, keeping the cost of repair to a minimum. Many times, vehicles can sustain an impact at 8-9 mph before there is recognizable damage. This varies by vehicle model as each manufacturer has a different method for building bumpers. The point is that when the bumper (and other metal) doesn't crumple and absorb the force of the impact, more of that force is transferred directly to the occupant of the vehicle.
Myth: With a high seat back or head restraint, it is impossible to get neck or back injury.
When the impact occurs from the rear, the vehicle tends to lift in front, which lowers the seat 2-3 inches. This causes a “ramping” effect. The force of the collision, combined with the forward momentum, causes the occupant to “ride up” the seat back. As a result of this “ride up” or “ramping”, the head and neck may no longer be protected by the head restraint, which may now act as a fulcrum, increasing the forces on the person's neck.[v.] Further, head restraints are only effective when properly positioned. At a starting point of greater than two inches, the ability of the head restraint to protect against neck injury drops off sharply.[vi] If properly used, headrests can reduce the incidence of cervical acceleration deceleration injury by 10-17%.[vii] A head restraint that is positioned too low may increase the seriousness of the neck injury by acting as a fulcrum for the head.[viii.] A study by the United States government found that only 25% of adjustable head restraints are properly positioned.[ix.]
[i.] MacNab I: Acceleration Injuries of the Cervical Spine. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1964; 46A(8):1797-1799.
[ii.] Cailliet, Rene: Neck and Arm Pain, 3rd Ed., F.A. Davis Co., 1991, at page 88.
[iii.] Quebec Task Force on Whiplash - Associated Disorders, Spine, Vol. 20, No. 8S, April 15, 1995.
[iv.] Robinson DD and Cassar-Pullicino VN: Acute neck sprain after road traffic accident: a long term clinical and radiological review. Injury (1993) 24(2), p 79-82
[v.] Baker, Douglas: The Permanency of Whiplash, by Doug Baker, Integrity Seminars, Inc., P.O. Box 995, Eagle, Idaho 83616
[vi.] Mertz HJ Jr., Patrick LM: Investigation of the kinematics and kinetics of whiplash. In: Proceedings, 11th Stapp Car Crash Conference, SAE 670919, Detroit MI, Society of Automotive Engineers, 1967.
[vii.] Otremski I, Marsh JL, Wilde BR: Soft tissue cervical spine injuries in motor vehicle accidents: Injury (1989), 20, 349-351.
[vii.] Olney DB, Marsden AK: The effect of head restraints and seat belts on the incidence of neck injury in car accidents. Injury (1986), 17, 365-367.
[viii.] Kahane CJ, Evaluation of Head Restraints: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 202, NHTSA DOT HS 806 108, 1982.
[ix.] Nordhoff L: Motor Vehicle Collision Injury for the 1990’s Doctor \ Attorney, Automotive Injury Research Institute, 1994
Contact Us
The best way to find out if you can benefit from care after an auto accident is to contact The Balanced Spine or to visit us!
Scheduling is not necessary after an auto accident, you will be seen by one of our doctors when you walk in. Stopping by and getting a quick evaluation at our office is quick and convenient.
The Balanced Spine offers a variety of office hours including Saturdays, we are near major freeways and plenty of parking is available.
Please feel free to call or stop in to get a no-cost evaluation.
(425) 369-1040
22525 SE 64th Place, Suite 110
Issaquah, WA 98027