A cyclist is particularly vulnerable when they are on the road. In instances where an automobile collides with a person a bicycle, there is the potential for serious injuries. If you have ever been hit by a car while riding a bike, the situation can be terrifying. Unfortunately, in these moments, the decisions that you make can have a significant impact on your well being and you ability to handle financial obligations that can follow a crash.

At Club West Chiropractic, we have treated patients with all types of injuries that are associated with people being hit from cars or any other types of auto accidents.

Keep the Driver At the Scene

The first things that you need to know are that you need to stay at the scene and you need to keep the driver at the scene. Even if you do not feel like you have been seriously injured, it is important to call the police to the scene and you should not try to make any deals with the driver at the scene.

It is not uncommon for a cyclist to experience injuries as the result of one of these crashes and not realize it until a few hours later. If you and the driver have gone your separate ways, there might not be any way for you to hold them accountable for the damage. As an additional point, you might be causing more damage to injured areas of the body by ignoring them.

Document Everything

Once the police arrive, you need to make sure they are aware of any injuries that you may have. Make sure that they hear your version of the story, and point them to any witnesses that may have useful information. Ask the police about getting a copy of the accident report, and try to document as much about the accident as you possibly can.

Visit a Local Chiropractor

Beyond talking to the police, you should seek immediate medical attention. Even if the injuries seem relatively minor, you should see a doctor to ensure that you do not have any underlying injuries that are not immediately apparent at the scene. Something that just seems like bumps and bruises at the scene could turn out to be much more serious. You might have an injured vertebra in your back or an injured disc; there could be ligament damage at one of your joints; or it could be something like microfractures, which would be hard to identify without an X-ray or MRI.

After you have seen a doctor and had all of your injuries evaluated, you should follow any advice that is given. If your injuries persist or you feel like you need help with recovery, a visit to a chiropractor could be a good idea. Some chiropractors specialize in treating patients that have been hit by cars, and many of the most common injuries can be successfully treated through chiropractic care.

In your first meeting with a chiropractor after the accident, you will want to explain exactly how the injuries occurred and provide them with any diagnosis that came from your initial visit to a doctor. After that, the chiropractor will perform a full examination to assess the damage and build a treatment plan.

Chiropractic adjustments can work well for treating back and neck injuries that are associated with cycling accidents. A chiropractor could also treat joint injuries and injuries to various soft tissue structures of the body. The Doctor of Chiropractic may also build a physical therapy plan to assist with the rehabilitation of any injuries.

An experienced chiropractor can offer a lot to a cyclist that has been hit by a car. In conjunction with the treatment that they receive from other medical professionals, chiropractic care can play a vital role in helping injuries to heal, restoring the physical abilities of the patient and helping the individual to manage and overcome pain.