Do I Need a Doctor After a Car Accident? Why Seeing a Certified Personal Injury Examiner Protects Your Health and Insurance Claim
Do I Need a Doctor After a Car Accident? Why Seeing a Certified Personal Injury Examiner Protects Your Health and Insurance Claim
Why Choosing a Certified Personal Injury Examiner Matters After a Car Wreck
When you’ve just been in a car wreck, everything feels overwhelming. Between the pain, the shock, and the sudden rush of decisions you’re forced to make, it’s easy to overlook the most important step: choosing the right doctor to evaluate and document your injuries. Not all providers are trained the same. Not all providers understand trauma. And not all providers know how to document personal injury cases correctly.
This is where working with a Certified Personal Injury Examiner (CPIE) becomes one of the smartest decisions an injured patient can make.
Being a CPIE means more than simply being a chiropractor who sees car wreck patients. It means having specialized training in biomechanical injury mechanisms, trauma evaluation, ligament injury identification, concussion screening, impairment ratings, and medico-legal documentation. It also means understanding the insurance process—what adjusters look for, what attorneys need, and what protects the patient.
Most patients assume that "any doctor" will do after a wreck. But the truth is that personal injury care is a specialty. The wrong provider can miss injuries, under-document your case, or discharge you prematurely—all of which can reduce your recovery and damage your claim.
At Dr. Luke Audirsch Chiropractic in Cabot, AR, we approach car wreck injuries differently. Our mission is simple: find every injury, document it properly, and help the patient heal. Here’s why working with a Certified Personal Injury Examiner is critical to your health and your case.
1. A CPIE Knows What Injuries Commonly Get Missed
Car wrecks create forces the body simply isn’t designed to handle. Even low‑speed collisions can cause micro-tears in ligaments, disc injuries, and concussions—none of which show up on standard X-rays.
Most urgent care centers check only for fractures or life-threatening injuries. But the majority of PI injuries are soft-tissue or neurological.
A CPIE understands what else to look for:
Spinal ligament sprains
Whiplash-associated disorders
Facet joint injuries
Disc herniations
Concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs)
SI joint instability
Postural changes due to trauma
These injuries often don’t appear immediately, and without proper testing they get missed entirely. Our evaluations go deeper than basic exams – we assess range of motion, perform orthopedic testing, neurological checks, concussion screening, and detailed documentation of pain patterns and biomechanics.
2. Proper Documentation Can Make or Break a Case
In personal injury, if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.
Insurance companies are not on your side after a wreck. They are trained to minimize payouts, deny claims, or blame injuries on preexisting issues. The best defense you have is a doctor who documents everything accurately, thoroughly, and in PI‑appropriate language.
As a CPIE, I know how to document:
Mechanism of injury
Detailed findings
Functional impairments
Clinical complications
Long-term risk factors
Response to care
Medical necessity
When your documentation is solid, your recovery is protected. Attorneys appreciate it, insurance adjusters respect it, and you benefit from a case that reflects your true injuries.
3. A CPIE Understands the Insurance Process
Most patients have no idea what happens behind the scenes of a PI case.
Insurance adjusters scrutinize every detail.
Attorneys need precise documentation.
And patients need guidance to avoid costly mistakes.
As a CPIE, I help patients avoid pitfalls such as:
Delaying treatment
Gaps in care
Seeing the wrong type of doctor
Not reporting all symptoms
Not following through on referrals
We also help patients understand how the process works so they can stay confident and informed throughout their recovery.
4. Specialized Treatment for Trauma Patients
Trauma patients are different from regular chiropractic cases. Their injuries involve inflammation, instability, and neurological changes. A CPIE is trained to treat gently and progressively.
Our approach includes:
Stabilization of injured tissues
Gentle adjustments when appropriate
Soft tissue rehab
Neurological rehab for concussions when needed
Strengthening and mobility work during recovery
Functional assessments to measure improvement
The goal is simple: reduce pain, restore function, and create long-lasting stability.
5. A CPIE Knows How to Measure Impairments
Insurance companies often use impairment ratings to determine the severity of injuries.
Without proper testing, many patients appear "normal" on paper—even if they’re still dealing with daily pain.
A CPIE uses validated tools such as:
Range-of-motion measurements
Neurological deficit exams
Strength and functional testing
Balance and coordination tests
These tests quantify the injury objectively, which adds legitimacy and value to the case.
6. The Combination of Healing + Proper Documentation Protects the Patient
Most clinics focus on either treatment or documentation. Few excel at both.
Our clinic does.
We provide:
High-level clinical care to get you out of pain and back to life.
High-level injury documentation so you aren’t left paying for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
This dual focus is the foundation of being a Certified Personal Injury Examiner.
7. Why Arkansas Patients Trust Dr. Luke Audirsch After a Car Wreck
At our Cabot office, patients receive:
A thorough PI‑specific exam
Injury detection that goes beyond standard medical visits
Guidance through the insurance process
Help connecting with qualified attorneys if needed
A clear, customized treatment plan
Regular progress evaluations
Compassionate care focused on long-term healing
You don’t deserve to be rushed through care.
You don’t deserve to have injuries ignored.
You don’t deserve to be left dealing with insurance alone.
You deserve personalized care from a provider trained specifically for personal injury.
Final Thoughts: The Right Provider Makes All the Difference
Car wreck injuries can affect you for months—or years—if not handled properly. Choosing a Certified Personal Injury Examiner ensures that your injuries are identified early, your recovery is managed correctly, and your case is fully protected.
At Dr. Luke Audirsch Chiropractic, we combine clinical expertise with PI-specific training to help car wreck victims get the care and documentation they need.
If you’ve been in a car accident and need help, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Please call or text 501-605-6660 to reach Dr. Luke Audirsch Chiropractic for an appointment.
or one can be made at DrLukeCabot.com.
