When to Seek Evaluation After a Car Accident in New Jersey

Even if you feel fine immediately after a car accident, it is reasonable to get evaluated within the first 24 to 72 hours. Pain after a crash often appears days later, as the adrenaline from the moment wears off and inflammation builds in the soft tissues. Prompt evaluation helps you understand what happened and, in New Jersey, helps document any injuries for an insurance claim.

Why the delay? During a crash your body floods with adrenaline and other stress hormones that can mask pain, and the swelling and inflammation of strained muscles and ligaments take time to develop, usually within the first day or two, sometimes longer. This is why it is common to feel stiff or sore the morning after an accident even when you felt okay at the scene.

That is not something to ignore. Whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries are common in even low-speed, rear-end collisions, and the earlier they are looked at, the easier they often are to understand. Standard advice in New Jersey is to see a doctor within the first 48 to 72 hours, and it is never too late to seek care if symptoms develop later.

Chiropractic care may help with the neck, back and other joint discomfort that can follow an accident, and Dr. Greg routinely evaluates patients after car accidents. An evaluation looks at how your neck and spine move and whether conservative care fits your situation. As always, urgent symptoms like severe pain, numbness, weakness, trouble walking or loss of bowel or bladder control need immediate medical attention.

If you have been in an accident in the Sparta, Morris Plains, Sussex County or Morris County area, you do not have to wait for the pain to become severe. Dr. Gregory Martin has practiced chiropractic since 1996 and sees patients at his Sparta office at 283 Sparta Avenue and at Speedwell Family Chiropractic at 520 Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains. Call or text (973) 699-4100 to schedule an evaluation.