If you were recently involved in a car accident in Coral Springs or anywhere in Broward County, the next two weeks matter more than most people realize. Under Florida's no-fault insurance law, every driver is entitled to Personal Injury Protection coverage — but that coverage requires you to seek medical evaluation within 14 days of the accident. After that window closes, your right to use those benefits is gone regardless of how your injuries develop.
At Maan Chiropractic, Dr. Maan Dhanjal provides structured, condition-focused care for patients recovering from auto accident injuries. We accept auto accident cases, work directly with PIP carriers and personal injury attorneys, and handle the documentation and coordination that makes the claims process as straightforward as possible for you.
Florida operates under a no-fault auto insurance system. This means that regardless of who caused the accident, your own auto insurance policy's Personal Injury Protection coverage pays for your initial medical treatment — up to $10,000 for an emergency medical condition or $2,500 for a non-emergency condition, covering 80% of reasonable medical expenses.
The critical detail is timing. Florida Statute 627.736 requires that you seek initial medical care within 14 days of the accident to activate your PIP benefits. Missing that window eliminates your access to PIP coverage entirely — even if your injuries become more apparent in the weeks that follow, which is extremely common with soft tissue and disc injuries.
If you were in an accident, the most important thing you can do right now is get evaluated — not because symptoms are necessarily severe today, but because the clock is already running.
One of the most consistent patterns we see in auto accident care is the delay between impact and symptom onset. Patients often feel relatively fine in the hours or even days immediately following a collision, only to experience increasing neck pain, back pain, headaches, or radiating symptoms in the days and weeks that follow.
Several mechanisms explain this:
The force of even a low-speed rear-end collision can place significant stress on the cervical spine, surrounding muscles, and ligaments — particularly through the whiplash mechanism, where the head and neck are rapidly accelerated and decelerated beyond their normal range of motion. The resulting micro-tearing in soft tissue, disc irritation, and joint compression may not produce significant pain immediately due to the inflammatory response developing over time.
Disc injuries in particular are notorious for delayed presentation. A disc that was stressed or partially herniated in a collision may not produce nerve-related symptoms such as radiating pain, numbness, or weakness until it has had time to swell and compress surrounding structures.
Adrenaline and the physical and emotional stress of the accident itself can mask pain signals immediately following the event. Symptoms that seem minor at the scene often become significantly more apparent within 24 to 72 hours.
This is why early evaluation matters clinically — not just for documentation purposes, but because identifying the extent of injury early allows for more targeted, effective treatment before compensatory patterns and chronic inflammation set in.
Dr. Maan evaluates and treats the full range of musculoskeletal injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents, including:
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Whiplash and cervical strain: The most common auto accident injury, involving rapid hyperflexion and hyperextension of the neck that damages muscles, ligaments, and joint structures of the cervical spine
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Neck pain and cervical disc injuries: Including herniated and bulging discs that may produce local neck pain or radiating symptoms into the shoulders and arms
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Low back pain and lumbar disc injuries: Compression and rotational forces during impact frequently affect the lumbar spine, particularly at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels
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Sciatica and radiating leg pain: Disc herniation or nerve compression resulting from accident trauma that produces pain, numbness, or weakness radiating into the leg
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Headaches: Post-traumatic headaches are extremely common following cervical spine injury and may originate from the upper cervical joints, surrounding musculature, or nerve irritation
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Shoulder pain: Bracing against the steering wheel or the restraint of a seatbelt during impact can produce shoulder joint, rotator cuff, or soft tissue injuries
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Thoracic pain: Mid-back pain and rib-related discomfort are common in frontal and rear-end collisions where the thoracic spine is compressed or rotated under load
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Soft tissue injuries: Muscle strains, ligament sprains, and fascial tears throughout the spine and extremities that may not appear on standard imaging but are clinically significant
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Concussion and post-concussive symptoms: While neurological evaluation falls outside chiropractic scope, we identify patients with potential concussion presentations and coordinate appropriate referrals promptly
Auto accident care at Maan Chiropractic follows a structured, documentation-focused protocol from the first visit forward. This matters both clinically and for the integrity of any insurance or legal claim. Your first visit includes:
1. Detailed accident history: A thorough review of the mechanics of the collision, the position you were in at impact, the speed involved, and the trajectory of force — all of which directly inform the injury pattern and documentation.
2. Comprehensive physical examination: Orthopedic and neurological testing of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, and any symptomatic extremities to establish a clinical baseline and identify all structures involved.
3. Diagnostic imaging: In-office digital X-rays are available when clinically indicated to evaluate alignment, rule out fractures, and document structural findings at the time of initial evaluation.
4. Injury documentation: Detailed clinical notes documenting your injuries, mechanism of trauma, examination findings, and functional limitations — necessary for both your insurance claim and any potential legal case.
5. Treatment plan development: A condition-focused care plan based on your specific injury findings, not a preset auto accident protocol applied uniformly to every patient.
Treatment for auto accident injuries may include chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, Active Release Technique, soft tissue therapy, cold laser therapy, shockwave therapy, mechanical traction, interferential current therapy, and rehabilitative exercise — selected based on what your examination findings indicate, not a standard menu.
We are experienced in working within the Florida auto insurance system and understand the documentation and communication requirements that PIP claims and personal injury cases involve.
Our office can assist with:
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Verifying your PIP coverage and explaining your benefits before your first visit
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Documenting injuries in a format appropriate for insurance carriers and legal representation
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Coordinating with your personal injury attorney when applicable
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Communicating with adjusters and case managers as your care progresses
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Providing medical records and narrative reports when requested
If you are working with a personal injury attorney, we are accustomed to that coordination and can work within a letter of protection arrangement when appropriate. If you do not have an attorney and are unsure whether you need one, we can point you toward resources to help you make that decision without pressure.
Your first visit is focused on evaluation and documentation. Treatment may begin during the same visit if clinically appropriate, or we may choose to complete a thorough assessment first and begin treatment at a follow-up appointment depending on your presentation.
Care frequency and duration vary based on the severity of injury and your response to treatment. You will be re-evaluated at regular intervals so that your care plan is adjusted based on your progress — not extended indefinitely without clinical justification.
We communicate transparently throughout your care. If your injuries require evaluation or treatment beyond what we provide — such as MRI imaging, pain management, or surgical consultation — we will recommend that promptly and help coordinate the appropriate referral.
The short answer: as soon as possible. You should seek evaluation at Maan Chiropractic after an auto accident if:
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You are experiencing any neck pain, back pain, headache, or radiating symptoms following the collision — even if mild
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You are not yet symptomatic but want to establish a clinical baseline and protect your PIP benefits within the 14-day window
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You were seen in an emergency room after the accident and discharged without a follow-up care plan
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You have symptoms that have been present since the accident and have not resolved on their own
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You are working with a personal injury attorney and need structured chiropractic documentation
Do not wait to see whether symptoms resolve on their own. If they do resolve, you have lost nothing by being evaluated early. If they worsen — which is common with disc and soft tissue injuries — early documentation and treatment significantly improves both your recovery and your claim.
If you were injured in a car accident in Coral Springs or Broward County, our team is ready to help. We accept PIP claims, work directly with auto insurance carriers and personal injury attorneys, and can often schedule same-week or next-day evaluations.
Call or text our office directly at (954) 225-4007 or schedule online below. Let us know you were in an accident when you contact us so we can prioritize your intake appropriately.
