Benefits Of Physiotherapy And Chiropractic Treatment Following A Personal Injury

If the event occurs that you have accident and you suffer an injury, this can potentially lead to life changing situations where you will need various support and or treatment. This can be from an Accident at Work, Road Traffic Accident or even a Slip and Trip.

Rehabilitation is a crucial aspect within the personal injury process of ultimately getting better quicker and therefore we understand the importance of finding the right support for you.

Types of treatment and therapy available to you

There are many different treatments and types of therapy available to you depending on what type of area you need support in. Here are just a few types of different treatments/therapy:

• Physiotherapy: This helps to restore movement and function of your physical body which have been affected as a result of a personal injury whilst also helping to prevent further injuries.
• Chiropractic treatment: This is a treatment where a chiropractor uses their hands to help relieve problems with the bones, muscles and joints. This can also help to prevent mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
• Pilates: This is a form of strength conditioning exercise that can help to strengthen your body as well as your mind. It helps to improve muscular endurance as well as strengthen muscle tissue, preventing further risk of injuries. What’s more, you can do Pilates from the comfort of your own home. Click here to view a Pilates tutorial:

Can I get treatments and therapy on the NHS?

Most treatments are not widely available on the NHS, however there are some exceptional circumstances. In order to find out whether you are eligible, you can speak to your GP or contact your local integrated care board.

More specifically in relation to chiropractic treatment, most people who have this treatment pay for it privately. It usually costs around £30 to £80 per session. You do not need to speak to your GP prior to an appointment but it is advised that you do as they may be able to direct you to more suitable treatments and/or types of therapy.

Physiotherapy is also available on the NHS, however you may need a referral from your GP and waiting lists for the NHS treatment can be long. People may choose to direct themselves directly and pay for a private treatment as most physiotherapists accept direct self- referrals.

How therapy can help to mitigate losses

In personal injury claims, the amount of compensation that is awarded is based on the nature and extent of the injury in a claim for compensation. With this in mind, you have a duty to do mitigate your losses. This means that you have a duty to keep your losses to a minimum.

As a result of an accident, you could suffer various losses such as, loss of earnings or you may even need extra assistance to be able to do the things that you could do before. This duty to mitigate losses also extends to your physical injury, for example, trying to minimise and/or reduce the length of your injury, i.e., through physiotherapy.

It is likely that the Defendant will pay for your treatment, therefore, if this is offered and you decline the treatment then the Defendant will most likely argue that you are failing to mitigate your losses, so it is important that you take the offer so that you can be fully compensated for the extend of injuries suffered.

Summary

To summarise, therapy, may it be psychological or physical, can be beneficial to people who have been injured in an accident. The whole idea is to ultimately reduce the risk of further injuries, reduce recovery time and ensure that you receive the support you need. Therefore, it is important to start as sooner rather than later so that you can get better sooner and back to your everyday life.

At Hodges Jones and Allen, we always ask the Defendant Insurer/Solicitor to engage in the Rehabilitation Code to see if an Immediate Needs Assessment can be arranged to consider treatment that may aid the recovery of injuries. If you’ve been involved in an accident, contact our expert Personal Injury Solicitors now on 0330 822 3451 or request a call back. 

This blog has been written by Kiomi Reintjes, Legal Clerk in our Personal Injury team.