A car accident chiropractor examines the injuries a crash causes, treats them without surgery or opioids, and keeps the records your claim needs. We see crash patients at three clinics in Oregon City, Milwaukie and Troutdale, with same-day visits when the schedule allows and on-site digital X-ray. Oregon PIP usually covers the care.
Auto Injury Chiropractic
Same-day visits at three clinics
Oregon City
1404 Molalla Ave
Oregon City, OR 97045
Serving Oregon City, West Linn, Canby, Beavercreek and Redland.
Mon to Thu 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
Fri 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Milwaukie
13152 SE Rusk Rd
Milwaukie, OR 97222
Serving Milwaukie, Oak Grove, Clackamas, Happy Valley and Gladstone.
Mon to Thu 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
Fri 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Troutdale
233 E Columbia River Hwy
Troutdale, OR 97060
Serving Troutdale, Gresham, Fairview, Wood Village and Corbett.
Mon to Thu 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
Fri 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
What a car accident chiropractor does
A crash throws the head, neck and spine faster than muscles can brace. The result is often whiplash, strained back muscles, irritated joints and nerves, and headaches. Read more about what happens to the body in a crash. A car accident chiropractor is trained to find these injuries, including the ones that are not obvious yet, and to treat them with:
- Gentle spinal and joint adjustments, including flexion-distraction for irritated discs.
- Soft-tissue work, such as trigger-point therapy and therapeutic massage with our licensed massage therapists, plus electrical stimulation to calm pain and muscle spasm.
- Active rehab: guided exercises your provider prescribes and moves up phase by phase to rebuild strength and support your return to normal activity (see our home exercise library).
- Concussion screening at every auto-injury exam, with telehealth counseling available for accident anxiety and post-concussion symptoms.
Read more about the techniques we use for auto injuries.
We also write it all down. Every exam, finding and change in your condition goes into your record, which matters for your PIP claim and, if you have one, your attorney.
Signs you should be seen after a crash
Come in for an exam after any car accident, even if you feel fine. Make it sooner if you notice:
- Neck pain or stiffness, which can be whiplash
- Back pain, or muscles that feel tight across the shoulders and upper back
- Headaches, dizziness or trouble concentrating
- Numbness, tingling or pain running into an arm or leg
- Less range of motion when you turn your head or bend
- Shoulder, hip, knee or ankle pain, swelling or stiffness (joint pain after a car accident)
Go to an emergency room or call 911 first if you have severe head or neck pain, weakness or numbness on one side, confusion, repeated vomiting, loss of consciousness, or loss of bladder or bowel control. We see you after the emergency care.
Why sooner is better
Adrenaline masks pain, and inflammation builds over hours and days. It is common to feel fine at the scene and wake up sore one to three days later. A 2019 review in PM&R notes that prognosis studies show about half of people with a crash-related neck injury still have neck pain a year later, and it found that a neck injury from a crash raises the risk of future neck pain about 2.3 times (Nolet et al., 2019). An early exam finds these injuries, records them close to the crash date and starts your treatment plan once serious injury is ruled out.
There were more than 2.8 million U.S. emergency department visits for crash injuries in 2023 (CDC). Many more people never went to the ER and found out about their injuries later. For local numbers, see our 2024 crash report for Gresham, Oregon City, Happy Valley, Milwaukie and Troutdale.
Your first visit
- Forms. Complete your new-patient forms online before your visit at forms.autoinjurychiropractic.com (about 15 minutes), or arrive 10 minutes early and fill them out in the office. Plan on about an hour for your first visit.
- Exam. Your chiropractor checks your spine, joints, muscles and nerves, screens for concussion, and scores your symptoms with standard questionnaires so progress can be measured.
- Imaging when needed. All three clinics have on-site digital X-ray. When your exam calls for other imaging, such as an MRI, we refer you.
- Your plan. You leave with a written plan: how often to come in, what treatment to expect and what you can do at home.
- Treatment. In most cases, treatment starts the same day.
How many visits you will need
It depends on the injury and how you respond. Most patients start with 2 to 3 visits a week, then taper to 1 to 2 a week as symptoms improve. For a moderate to severe car accident injury, plan on about 8 to 12 weeks of active care; complex soft-tissue and post-concussion cases can take up to 6 months. Re-exams show whether the plan is working, and care ends when you’re back to your pre-injury status or further care no longer helps. Full details: How often to see a chiropractor after a car accident.
How Oregon PIP pays for your care
Every Oregon auto policy on a private passenger vehicle includes Personal Injury Protection (ORS 742.520). PIP pays reasonable and necessary medical expenses from your own policy, at least $15,000 per person, for care within two years of the crash, no matter who caused it (ORS 742.524). We bill your PIP claim directly and tell you before your first visit what, if anything, you will owe. If PIP runs out or is denied and you have an attorney, care can often continue on a lien or letter of protection. Full details: Oregon PIP coverage.
Your records and your claim
Insurers, independent medical examiners and attorneys all read your chart. Ours is built for that: standard outcome measures at your first visit, re-exams that score the same measures, and a discharge exam at the end. If you have an attorney, we send records with your signed authorization and coordinate directly. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Is chiropractic care safe after a crash?
For most crash injuries, yes. Your exam comes first, and we only adjust once we have ruled out injuries that need a different kind of care; we refer you out when they do. Treatment is gentle and adjusted to how you feel that day. More: Is chiropractic care safe after a car accident?
Common questions
How soon should I see a chiropractor after a car accident?
Within a few days, even if you feel fine, once serious injury is ruled out. Symptoms often appear one to three days after a crash, and an early exam documents your injuries close to the crash date.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly with any of our three clinics.
Will I have to pay out of pocket?
Usually not for crash care. Oregon PIP pays reasonable and necessary care from your own policy. We verify your coverage and bill PIP directly.
What if the crash was not my fault?
PIP still pays first. Fault is sorted out later between insurers.
Do you work with attorneys?
Yes. With your signed authorization, we send records and coordinate with your attorney.
Can I get massage too?
Yes. All three clinics have licensed massage therapists, and massage is often part of a crash-injury plan.
Related reading
- Whiplash recovery timeline
- How often to see a chiropractor after a car accident
- What to do after a car accident in Oregon
- Does Oregon PIP cover chiropractic care?
- Chiropractor for headaches
- Shoulder, hip and knee pain after a car accident
Sources
- Nolet PS et al. Exposure to a motor vehicle collision and the risk of future neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PM&R 2019;11(11):1228-1239.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle injury data, 2023 emergency department visits.
- Oregon Revised Statutes 742.520 and 742.524.