Personal Injury & Workers Compensation
Don’t be misled by the minimal damage to your car. People react much differently than glass, plastic and metal!
Have you been hurt in an auto accident and/or injured while at work?
At Damato Chiropractic Center of Glastonbury patients no longer have to worry which type of doctor or facility they should go to Dr. Nick Damato and Dr. Bobby Abate believe in providing each patient the most comprehensive and logical knowledge to injury treatment and rehabilitation to ensure that you are in good hands. We are the premier choice when seeking professional medical help.
Whether you’ve been injured in an auto accident, slip and fall or were hurt at work, you don’t need to suffer!
We are a full-service chiropractic office located in Glastonbury, CT with vast experience treating and helping patients recover from whiplash and other symptoms that come along with car crashes, slip and falls and Work-related injuries. In addition to chiropractic care, our office offers therapeutic massage by Licensed Massage Therapists and Whole-Body Cryotherapy!
We at Damato Chiropractic Center of Glastonbury understand how overwhelming this process is and the stress this causes on you, physically, emotionally, and mentally. That’s why we have a Personal Injury/ Workers Compensation Case Manager that will oversee your case from beginning to end and help you every step of the way. We are here to help make this process easier and less overwhelming for you.
Injured?
Lin Moctezuma Personal Injury/Work Comp Case Manager (860) 266-1167
Dr. Nick Damato and Dr. Bobby Abate at 730 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury treat all types of injuries, including Auto and Work-related injuries. We are in-network with your Work Comp insurance carrier and also have a dedicated Workers Compensation Case Manager who will work with you directly to get your treatments authorized and covered.
Even if your car accident left your vehicle with minimal damage, you might have not been so lucky—our bodies are, of course, significantly different than the components of a car.
Perhaps your auto accident was on a simple trip to pick up groceries.
Before you knew it, tires screeched, and metal made contact with metal. Before you could even determine what was happening, you were in an auto accident.
In the event that an accident wasn’t “major” in terms of how much damage the cars involved received, it might be easy to assume that you weren’t damaged. However, research has indicated that drivers can be injured and not even be aware of it right away even after a minor car accident.
If you were in an accident you might be suffering from neck pain, headaches, back pain, dizziness, or even experiencing numbness and tingling.
A Clean Bill of Health? Not so Fast.
It’s possible that you went to the hospital after your accident just to get checked up. It’s also possible that you were told that there was nothing wrong with you. But just because you didn’t have any broken bones doesn’t mean that you didn’t have back injuries which were unseen at the time.
After an experience like this, you would be well advised to visit a medical provider who knows exactly what soft tissue problems look like.
Auto Injuries Are Unique and Deserve Special Care
If you have been injured in an auto accident, carelessness of another, a slip and fall or injured while at work, you deserve to be compensated for your pain, suffering, loss of wages and medical expenses paid. You also deserve your vehicle damages to be fixed and provided with a rental car if your car is not drivable. It’s important to not only know your rights but to also know what to do and not to do at the time the injury occurs – as well as during and after medical aid is administered. If in pain, seek medical attention.
Many soft-tissue injuries are going UNDOCUMENTED
Unfortunately, many soft-tissue injuries arising from auto accidents are going UNDOCUMENTED. We objectively document both the injuries and improvement based on AMA and AAPM “Gold Standards” for auto injury cases. We believe that patients deserve nothing less.
- According to the Insurance Research Council, 85% of automobile accident injuries entail injuries to the ligaments which “hold” the skeletal system together.
- The AMA has issued a clear directive on ligament injuries – ligament injuries need to be measured and quantified with exacting precision.
- The American Academy of Pain Management has also published standards for objectively documenting soft-tissue injuries and improvement.
- In my practice, I aim to follow AMA and AAPM “Gold Standards” relating to soft-tissue injuries.
We Can Help
At Damato Chiropractic Center of Glastonbury, we specialize in healing injuries caused by automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents, and work-related injuries. Our treatments are personalized to address the needs of our individual patients. We provide each patient with a complete and thorough examination, report of findings, physical therapy modalities, manual therapy, chiropractic adjustments and X-rays on site. Our techniques are designed and proven to achieve maximum results possible.
Auto injuries entail “real world” considerations – considerations like, “Do you provide GENTLE musculoskeletal care?” … “Can you treat me even if I don’t have insurance?” … “Do I HAVE to get an attorney?” Many of our patients know they have a condition and just want to get better – sometimes without an attorney. We can help either way.
To discuss how Damato Chiropractic Center of Glastonbury can help you heal after an accident or injury, please call today! (860) 266-1167.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What Is the Difference between Personal Injury and Workers Compensation?
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a personal injury claim and a worker’s compensation claim. In fact, some people classify workers compensation claims as personal injury claims, when technically this is not actually the case.
While injuries can happen during work hours, filing them as a personal injury vs. a worker’s comp claim depends on different factors. For instance, a slip and fall at work or a Motor vehicle accident while on a company car or during work hours can either be a personal injury suit or a worker’s comp claim, depending on the situation. Worker’s comp usually covers very specific injuries or conditions that are clearly listed by law or under contract.
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What are the 3 main components to determine whether or not I have a case?
Determining Fault: Someone needs to be liable or at fault in order to file a personal injury claim. In most cases, this will involve some form of negligence. In comparison, workers compensation can often cover specific injuries even if the employer or a supervisor were not at fault.
Damages: In a personal injury case, you are entitled to all forms of damages that you have experienced, including pain and suffering if it can be proven. In contrast, worker’s compensation does not include pain and suffering. Also, worker’s comp usually involves weekly or periodic payments, while injury damages can sometimes be collected in lump sums.
Right to Sue: Technically, you cannot file a lawsuit against an employer once you have filed for workers comp. In most cases a worker forfeits their right to sue an employer if they have filed for or are currently collecting workers compensation for that particular injury. However, in some workers’ compensation claims, there may be a third party involved in the accident or injury. These are called combination cases. If the accident or injury was the result of a 3rd party, (person at fault for causing the accident) then a personal injury claim can be filed against the 3rd party who was liable for the injury. Thus, the main difference between the two usually has to do with liability. Once you get a basic idea of who might be liable for the injury, it quickly becomes clear whether to file an injury claim or a worker’s comp claim.
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What Are the Damages I Can Recover?
The difference in damages between a personal injury and a workers’ compensation claim is that an employee is not entitled to benefits for pain and suffering in a workers’ compensation claim. In a personal injury claim, you are entitled to recover all the damages that you suffered.
This includes lost wages and earnings, lost future wages and earnings, medical bills, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
You can choose to represent yourself in a personal injury claim or you can hire an attorney to do all the legal work for you, the choice is yours.
What you do need is medical treatment showing the cause of your injuries. Follow your doctor’s recommendations (to the letter) and don’t be afraid to ask your Doctor questions to help you understand your injuries and treatment.
In a personal injury case, the insurance adjuster will be looking for ways to devalue your claim. If they see that there is a gap in your medical treatment, they will try to use this as evidence that your injuries are not as severe as you are claiming. That is why it is important not only to meet with your doctor regularly, but you should also keep a journal of your visits, pain, and symptoms new or existing.
You should never consider settling your case until all your symptoms have disappeared and you are back to normal. At Damato Chiropractic Center of Glastonbury we offer Proper medical, orthopedic, and neurology referrals if needed for your case. Diagnostic tests may also be needed in order to diagnose your condition. Tests are chosen based on what your doctor suspects is causing the problem.
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My arms and hands hurt. Why?
Because the nerves to the arms and hands exit the spine through the injured area of the neck, numbness and tingling are common. Even lower back pain can result directly from the trauma, or as a reaction to the loss of proper spinal curves. -
I had an accident and over a week later I began experiencing headaches. Why?
Your body will adapt to its environment and things that have happened to it. So whether you’ve been in a car accident or you’re experiencing stress in the workplace, you’ll adjust—but the body can only adjust so much. When your capacity to adapt is exhausted, symptoms can appear. This can take days, weeks, months or years to occur. -
Can I expect to return to normalcy again?
Many chiropractic patients report improved spinal function and a reduction of their symptoms. Those who delay seeking appropriate care often discover that scar tissue and long-standing spinal instability increases the recovery period.