What to Do in the First 72 Hours After a Car Accident (A Holland Chiropractor’s Guide)

You just got rear-ended on US-31. Your car is dented, your hands are shaking, and your neck feels “a little off.” You tell the other driver you’re fine. You tell the officer you’re fine. You go home, take some ibuprofen, and figure you’ll feel better tomorrow.

Three days later, you can barely turn your head.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. As an auto accident chiropractor in Holland, MI, Dr. Phillip Maletta sees this pattern every single week at McAlpine Chiropractic. The crash happens, adrenaline masks the pain, and by the time symptoms show up, the window to start proper treatment is already closing.

Here’s exactly what you should do in the first 72 hours after a car accident to protect your body, your recovery, and your insurance claim.

Step 1: Get Evaluated Within 24 Hours (Even If You Feel Fine)

This is the most important thing on this list. Do not wait to “see how you feel.”

After a collision, your body floods with adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones are designed to help you survive a threat, not to give you an accurate damage report. Whiplash, disc injuries, and soft tissue strains routinely take 24 to 72 hours to produce noticeable symptoms.

A 2014 study in The Spine Journal found that delayed treatment after whiplash injury was associated with significantly worse outcomes at one year compared to patients who began care within the first week (Ritchie et al., 2015, The Spine Journal). The longer you wait, the harder it is to recover fully.

At McAlpine Chiropractic, we offer same-day and next-day auto injury evaluations so you don’t have to wait weeks to be seen. We’ll assess your spine, run orthopedic and neurological tests, and determine exactly what’s going on before symptoms spiral.

Step 2: Document Everything From Day One

Your health and your insurance claim depend on documentation. Start building your paper trail immediately:

• Get a police report. Even for minor fender-benders, this is critical.
• Take photos of vehicle damage, the intersection, and any visible injuries (bruising, swelling).
• Save every medical receipt from day one forward.
• Keep a symptom journal. Write down what hurts, when it started, and how it affects your daily life.

Michigan’s no-fault insurance system covers your medical treatment after an accident regardless of who caused it. But insurance adjusters look for gaps in care. If you wait two weeks to see a doctor, they may interpret that you weren’t really hurt. A same-day evaluation creates a documented medical record that connects your injuries directly to the crash.

Step 3: Understand What’s Actually Happening in Your Body

Most car accident injuries don’t show up on a standard X-ray. That’s because the real damage is often to soft tissues: muscles, ligaments, tendons, and the discs between your vertebrae.

Whiplash is the most common auto injury. Your head snaps forward and back at forces your neck was never designed to handle. The ligaments stretch or tear, muscles spasm to protect the area, and the joints of your cervical spine can shift out of alignment. A study in JAMA found that roughly 50% of whiplash patients still reported neck pain one year after their accident (Borchgrevink et al., 1998, JAMA).

Other injuries we commonly see after car accidents include:

• Herniated or bulging discs that press on spinal nerves
• Mid-back and low-back strains from seatbelt forces
• Headaches that start days after impact
• Shoulder and arm pain from bracing against the steering wheel
• Sciatica symptoms from lumbar disc injuries

If any of these sound like what you’re experiencing, don’t brush it off.

Step 4: Start Treatment Before Scar Tissue Sets In

Here’s what most people don’t realize: your body starts laying down scar tissue within 48 to 72 hours of an injury. Scar tissue forms faster than healthy tissue, and if you don’t address the underlying misalignment and inflammation early, that scar tissue locks in dysfunction. Range of motion drops. Pain becomes chronic. What should have been a six-week recovery turns into six months.

At McAlpine Chiropractic, our auto injury treatment approach combines multiple therapies to address every layer of the injury:

• Chiropractic adjustments restore proper joint alignment and take pressure off irritated nerves
• Non-surgical spinal decompression gently stretches the spine to relieve disc pressure and promote nutrient flow to damaged discs
• Class IV laser therapy reduces inflammation at the cellular level and accelerates tissue healing. A randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet found that laser therapy significantly reduced neck pain and disability in chronic whiplash patients (Chow et al., 2009)
• Therapeutic exercises rebuild stability so the injury doesn’t come back

Starting this combination early, within the first week, gives you the best shot at a full recovery.

Step 5: Don’t Settle Your Claim Before You’re Better

Insurance companies may want to close your file as fast as possible. They may call you within days of the accident offering a quick settlement. If you close early, you may be missing the coverage for treatment you need.

Here’s why: many auto injuries take weeks or months to fully reveal their scope. That “minor neck stiffness” could turn into a disc herniation that needs months of care. If you’ve already settled, you’re paying out of pocket for the rest of your treatment.

Keep treating. Keep documenting. Your chiropractor’s treatment notes, progress exams, and outcome reports become the medical evidence that supports your claim.

Why Holland Drivers Trust McAlpine Chiropractic After a Car Accident

Dr. Ann McAlpine, Dr. Ben De Young, Dr. Phillip Maletta and the team at McAlpine Chiropractic have treated hundreds of auto injury cases in the Holland, MI area. We understand Michigan’s no-fault system, we work directly with your auto insurance, and we build the documentation your case needs from visit one.

We also know that car accidents affect more than your spine. The stress, the paperwork, the pain that won’t go away. Our goal is to take the treatment piece completely off your plate so you can focus on getting your life back to normal.

FAQ: Car Accident Chiropractic Care in Holland, MI

How soon after a car accident should I see a chiropractor?
Ideally within 24 hours. Even if you feel fine, adrenaline can mask symptoms for days. An early evaluation creates a medical record and catches injuries before they worsen.

Does insurance cover chiropractic care after a car accident in Michigan?
Yes. Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance covers medically necessary treatment, including chiropractic care, regardless of who caused the accident. We handle the insurance paperwork for you.

What if I already went to the ER and they said nothing was broken?
The ER checks for fractures and life-threatening injuries. Soft tissue damage like whiplash, disc injuries, and ligament sprains typically don’t show on standard X-rays. A chiropractic evaluation assesses the injuries the ER isn’t designed to find.

Can I see a chiropractor and my regular doctor at the same time?
Absolutely. Chiropractic care works alongside your medical doctor’s treatment plan. We coordinate care and share records when needed.

How long does auto injury treatment usually take?
It depends on the severity of the injury. Minor whiplash cases may resolve in four to six weeks. More complex injuries involving disc damage or nerve irritation can take three to six months. We’ll give you a clear treatment plan after your first evaluation.

What if my accident was weeks ago and I’m just now feeling pain?
It’s not too late. Delayed-onset symptoms are extremely common after car accidents. The sooner you start treatment, the better your outcome, but we treat patients at every stage of their recovery.

Don’t Wait Until the Pain Gets Worse

The first 72 hours after a car accident are the most important for your recovery. Every day you wait is a day your body compensates, scar tissue builds, and your claim gets weaker.

Call McAlpine Chiropractic today at 616-392-7031 or book your auto injury evaluation online. Same-day and next-day appointments are available.

We’re located in Holland, MI, and we’re ready to help you recover the right way.