Part of our list of Top 5 Tips to Becoming a Total Auto Accident Chiropractor
From a $27,400 Offer to a $2.5 Million Judgment: An Interesting Jeffco Auto Accident Injury Verdict
In this case, a 29-year-old plaintiff in Jefferson County, CO, was involved in a single car crash caused by a distracted driver running a stop sign. The plaintiff, who was in near-perfect health at the time of the accident, suffered several neck injuries, including a complete tear of her alar ligament, sprains of her cervical ligaments at multiple levels, three disc herniations, and facet damage/dysfunction. As a result of the accident, the plaintiff suffers from life-altering cervical instability at several levels.
The plaintiff sought medical attention with a chiropractor who conducted a digital motion X-ray, which showed AOMSI at multiple levels and facet gapping. An MRI by another doctor revealed the further depth of her injury, and her doctors recommended a diagnostic steroid injection then PRP injection, which led to a 90% improvement in her pain for three months. Following this treatment, the doctor recommended continuing PRP injections or going for bone marrow concentrate injections. The plaintiff chose the latter and continued to see her doctors, with one visit weekly to the chiropractor. Between the time of the crash and the trial, the plaintiff had nearly 220 chiropractic visits, costing around $42,000. Combined with all her other medical tests and treatments, her total past medical bills at the time of the trial were approximately $88,000.
The at-fault driver had a policy limit of $250,000. The plaintiff’ demanded the policy limits of $250,000 based on the digital motion x-ray, before the MRI was done. However, Progressive Insurance only offered $27,400 to settle the claim. A lawsuit was then filed. After hearing all the evidence, the jury chose in favor of the plaintiff, awarding her a total judgment after interest of $2.5 million.
This verdict included an award for physical impairment in the amount of $ 1,003,179. It was premised primarily on the DMX results and the Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (8 % impairment.) This test was conducted and the results read by the plaintiff’s chiropractor and he testified accordingly.
The Tip, Broken Down
If you expect ligament instability, send your patient out for a DMX (Digital Motion X-ray). It could make all the difference in their bodily injury claim and/or jury verdict.