Treatment Strategy: Seeing a Chiropractor

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Chiropractors can provide enormously valuable treatment to those suffering from motor-vehicle accident-related injuries. What once was viewed as an alternative medical treatment has gained widespread acceptance amongst traditional medical practitioners. If you have been injured in a car accident, ICBC recognizes the value in receiving treatment from a chiropractor – it is one form of medical treatment that is explicitly covered in your insurance policy. These medical service providers often have years of specialized experience that make them adept at identifying and treating the types of injuries resulting from car accidents.

A recent agreement between ICBC and the BC Chiropractic Association (BCCA), however, can affect how you decide to receive your chiropractic treatment. This article describes the agreement and how it may influence your treatment decision-making process.

The new agreement creates two systems for obtaining coverage for chiropractic treatment. Some chiropractors have opted-in to the agreement and some have not. You will decide whether you want to see one who is “in” or one who is “out.” If you choose treatment with a chiropractor that has opted-in, ICBC will pay $150 for the first two treatments, $750 if you require more than two but less than roughly 15 treatments and $900 if more than 15 treatments are required. In other words, the amount that is covered for chiropractic treatment is capped at $900. Even if you need treatment in excess of $900, ICBC will not automatically cover that amount. If you choose treatment with a chiropractor that has opted-out, then you will receive the number of treatments the chiropractor deems necessary. You will be covered up to a certain amount through ICBC, and then you will be required to pay any additional “user fees” above this amount. These costs may be recoverable if you sue ICBC.

The drawbacks to this agreement are more apparent the more severe your injuries are. If your injuries are severe and you need more than 15 treatments then you will be responsible for paying for each additional session. Moreover, the agreement may lead to some chiropractors providing you with as few treatments as possible, since with the tier system they receive the same amount of money for providing three treatments as they would for ten treatments. Obviously, you may need more treatments and you will want a system that allows a chiropractor to supply you with the number of treatments you need.

Because of the way the agreement is structured, if you require more than two treatments, you should probably opt to work with a chiropractor outside of the agreement. However, before making this decision you should speak with a BC personal injury lawyer who will help you find a suitable chiropractor and ensure the total cost of your chiropractic and medical treatment is covered by ICBC or recouped in your total damage award.

Mike Coric is a personal injury lawyer who has represented victims of motor vehicle accidents throughout British Columbia for over 15 years. Mike has appeared at every level of Court in British Columbia and conducted trials before a judge and a jury. He acts only for plaintiffs and restricts his practice to BC car accidents and other personal injury circumstances. If you or someone you know has been injured and would like to speak with a lawyer, please call Mike at 604-736-3333.

Follow Coric Law on Instagram at coric.law and on other social media platforms!

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Seeking Therapy: Traditional vs New-Age Treatment

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If you have been injured, whether that is in a motor-vehicle or a slip-and-fall accident, you must seek prompt medical attention. Your first stop may be to a clinic or in severe cases, a hospital. However, most people who are not seriously injured at the scene of their accident will first go to see their general practitioner. As mentioned in BC Car Law’s last blog “What Type of Doctor Should I See: General Practitioners vs Specialists,” regardless of the severity of your accident, you should see a medical professional right away. Once you have received your initial diagnosis, if you are suffering from an accident-related injury, you may be entitled to receive compensation for the cost of the medical treatments that you receive before your claim with ICBC is settled.

You will choose which doctors treat you. However, your choice of doctor, especially when choosing between traditional and alternative medicine providers, may affect the amount you recover from ICBC.

The bottom line is that unless scientific evidence proves that an alternative treatment plan has concrete benefits for the type of injury you have suffered, ICBC will probably not cover the cost of such alternative treatments.

Be prepared to prove that the alternative treatment of your choosing is actually improving your health. One way you can do this is by getting a medical report documenting the gradual improvements in your health. Also, regularly going to your GP to have him or her document your health status as well as the other medical treatments you are receiving is a good idea.

If you are concerned about being able to cover the cost of your medical treatments and are unsure about whether your ICBC compensation will cover your alternative medical treatments, you should seek legal advice.

Mike Coric is a personal injury lawyer who has represented victims of motor vehicle accidents throughout British Columbia for over 15 years. Mike has appeared at every level of Court in British Columbia and conducted trials before a judge and a jury. He acts only for plaintiffs and restricts his practice to BC car accidents and other personal injury circumstances. If you or someone you know has been injured and would like to speak with a lawyer, please call Mike at 604-736-3333.

Follow Coric Law on Instagram at coric.law and on other social media platforms!

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The General Practitioner vs Specialist Debate: What type of Doctor Should I See?

If you have been injured in an accident in BC; your first step will be to see a general practitioner (GP). This person may be your family doctor, or the doctor on call at a walk-in clinic. After receiving an initial consultation and prognosis of your medical condition from the walk-in clinic doctor, you should ask them to help you find a GP who is currently accepting new patients.

If you have recently been injured, you will need to regularly see your GP so that they can document the start and progression of your injuries. Your ICBC claim for accident damages will likely be strengthened by your GP’s medical opinion. More importantly, you may have to visit your GP more than you feel you need to. This is necessary to accurately and closely document your symptoms and how they have progressed. Part of your post-accident recovery will depend on the extent of your pre-accident functionality. If you can do most of the things you were able to do before the accident, in theory, your functional impairment is relatively small. If you cannot do most of the things you could do before the accident, your functional impairment is comparatively large. Your lawyer can advise you about the different types of damages to which you may be entitled, regardless how much post-accident functionality you retain.

You may need to be referred/assessed by a specialist if you have acute medical issues. Under the BC Medical Plan, you can only see a specialist on the referral of your GP. This is why seeing a GP is the first step you must take in dealing with your injuries. You should do this even if you believe that the accident was small, and your injuries relatively minor. Moreover, even if you do not involve ICBC in your accident, for your own benefit, you should see a GP after an accident to ascertain any possible health issues. The specialists to whom you may be referred could include psychiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation experts.

Under the regulations of the Insured Vehicles Act[1], ICBC has the right to send you for a medical examination. You are thus required to see a specialist, although you may dispute which specialist you actually see. Again, your lawyer can help you navigate the maze of medical specialists and the effects their medical opinions could potentially have on your overall ability to receive compensation for your injuries.

Mike Coric is a personal injury lawyer who has represented victims of motor vehicle accidents throughout British Columbia for over 15 years. Mike has appeared at every level of Court in British Columbia and conducted trials before a judge and a jury. He acts only for plaintiffs and restricts his practice to BC car accidents and other personal injury circumstances. If you or someone you know has been injured and would like to speak with a lawyer, please call Mike at 604-736-3333.

Follow Coric Law on Instagram at coric.law and on other social media platforms

[1]RSBC, 1996, c-231

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