Car accident chiropractor
in Petaluma
Documented injury care for car accident victims on Lakeville Highway. Lien-based treatment with no upfront cost, QME-certified evaluations, and medical-legal reports that protect your case.
Should you see a chiropractor after a car accident? Yes, unless you have an emergency. Go to the ER first for loss of consciousness, severe neck pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg, or trouble breathing. Otherwise, see a chiropractor within 72 hours, even if you feel fine. adjust.clinic on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma sees crash patients the same week, on a lien with no upfront cost.
Go to an emergency room first if you have:
- Passing out or losing consciousness, even briefly
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
- Weakness in an arm or leg
- Numbness or tingling in an arm or leg
- Changes in bladder or bowel control
- Trouble with balance
- Severe neck pain
If none of these apply, book an evaluation this week at our Petaluma clinic or call (707) 658-2534.
Sources: CDC HEADS UP; NHS; Mayo Clinic Health System; Canadian C-Spine Rule (Stiell 2001, PMID 11597285).
Why Chiropractic Care
Why see a chiropractor after a car accident?
Car accidents generate forces that the human body is not designed to absorb. Even low-speed collisions at 10 to 15 miles per hour produce enough deceleration force to damage cervical ligaments and compress spinal discs. The musculoskeletal injuries that result from these forces (whiplash, disc herniations, facet joint sprains, and soft tissue damage) are what we examine and treat. Guidelines for neck pain after a crash build care around exercise and staying active, and we use adjustments as one part of that plan.
The critical window for evaluation is within 72 hours of the collision. Many car accident injuries do not produce immediate symptoms. Adrenaline masks pain. Swelling develops gradually. Disc herniations may not compress nerve roots until inflammation peaks 48 to 72 hours after impact. Patients who wait weeks to seek care create gaps in their medical record that insurance adjusters use to dispute whether the accident actually caused the injury.
Petaluma sits along one of Sonoma County's highest-volume accident corridors. The Highway 101 interchange at Lakeville Highway, the Petaluma Boulevard intersections near downtown, the Washington Street corridor, and McDowell Boulevard all see regular collision activity. If you have been involved in an accident anywhere in Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Novato, Cotati, or southern Marin County, early chiropractic evaluation documents your injuries when the clinical evidence is most clear.
At adjust.clinic, car accident care is not a sideline service. It is the primary focus of the practice. Dr. Ryan Todd Lloyd is a Qualified Medical Evaluator whose practice centers on personal injury patients, and every step of your care, from the initial examination to the final impairment rating, is documented to the standard your case requires.
Hidden Injuries Are Common
Whiplash, disc injuries, and ligament sprains often produce no immediate pain. Clinical examination detects objective signs of injury that you cannot feel yet — before delayed symptoms appear 24 to 72 hours later.
Documentation Starts Day One
Every examination finding is recorded with objective measurements. Range of motion, orthopedic test results, and neurological status establish the baseline that your personal injury case depends on.
Insurance Requires Timely Care
Delays between your accident and first treatment create causation disputes. Early evaluation closes the gap and creates a direct documented connection between the collision and your injuries.
Located on Lakeville Highway
3100 Lakeville Hwy, Ste D — directly off Highway 101. Same-week appointments available for new car accident patients throughout Petaluma and Sonoma County.
Car Accident Conditions
Conditions we treat after car accidents
From whiplash to radiculopathy, we diagnose and treat the full spectrum of musculoskeletal injuries caused by motor vehicle collisions.
Whiplash
The most common car accident injury. Cervical hyperflexion-extension damages ligaments, discs, and facet joints. Symptoms often appear 24 to 72 hours after impact.
Learn more →Neck Pain
Pain and stiffness after a collision. Neck movement is often reduced for the first weeks, and the neck muscles tend to work harder than normal. For most people, movement comes back within about three months.
Learn more →Back Pain
Lumbar disc compression, sacroiliac dysfunction, and thoracolumbar strain from axial loading and seatbelt forces during impact.
Learn more →Shoulder Pain
Rotator cuff strain, shoulder impingement, and referred pain from cervical radiculopathy. Seatbelt loading and bracing injuries are common mechanisms.
Learn more →Headaches
Cervicogenic headaches, which come from the neck. Post-traumatic headache patterns that persist weeks or months after collision.
Learn more →Concussion
Post-concussive syndrome from head impact or rapid deceleration. Cognitive symptoms, dizziness, and visual disturbance require specific evaluation and management.
Learn more →Radiculopathy
Nerve root compression from disc herniation or foraminal narrowing. Radiating pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms or legs following spinal trauma.
Learn more →TMJ Disorders
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction linked to cervical spine trauma and jaw impact during collision. Jaw pain, clicking, and limited opening.
Learn more →Chest & Rib Pain
A seatbelt can bruise or break the ribs or breastbone, or injure the rib cartilage. Breathing, coughing and moving can hurt, sometimes for months.
Learn more →View All Conditions
Complete guide to every car accident condition we diagnose and treat at adjust.clinic in Petaluma.
See all conditions →Treatment Modalities
Our treatment approach
Treatments combined into one plan built around exercise, with your progress rechecked at every visit.
Chiropractic Adjustments
A quick, short push by hand to a sore, stiff spinal joint. Right after an adjustment, many people with neck pain feel less pain and tenderness and can turn their head further, a window for exercise. After each adjustment, we recheck by hand how the joint moves.
Learn more →Shockwave Therapy
Short pressure pulses from an applicator on the skin, used for some long-lasting tendon and muscle pain. Trial support is strongest for calcium deposits in a shoulder tendon and long-lasting heel pain. No trial has studied it after a car crash.
Learn more →Vibration Therapy
Short, supervised sessions on a whole-body vibration platform, used alongside exercise-based rehab. Your legs absorb much of the vibration, and your muscles respond to it by reflex.
Learn more →Rehabilitation Exercises
Progressive exercise protocols designed to rebuild strength, stability, and range of motion after injury. Individualized programs address specific functional deficits identified during examination and re-evaluation.
Learn more →Soft Tissue Therapy
Hands-on work for sore, tight muscles and the tissue around them: myofascial release, instrument-assisted soft tissue work and kinesiotaping. Used alongside adjustments and exercise.
Learn more →Tour the Clinic
See the Petaluma office before your first visit. An interactive map shows the front desk, the exam room and each piece of treatment equipment, with a short note on what it is and how it feels.
Explore the clinic →No Upfront Cost
Lien-based care: no out-of-pocket expense
Financial barriers should not prevent you from receiving the injury care you need after a car accident. At adjust.clinic, we offer lien-based care for personal injury patients — meaning you pay nothing out of pocket during treatment. Your care is paid from your personal injury settlement when your case resolves.
This model allows you to focus on recovery without worrying about medical bills piling up during treatment. Your treatment plan is based on your exam findings and your progress, and we explain the lien terms before you sign anything.
If you carry MedPay (Medical Payments Coverage) on your auto insurance policy, that coverage can be applied immediately — regardless of who was at fault in the accident. MedPay typically covers between $1,000 and $25,000 in medical expenses, and using it does not affect your insurance rates. We handle the MedPay billing directly so you do not have to navigate the claims process yourself.
For patients working with a personal injury attorney, we coordinate directly with your legal team. If you do not yet have an attorney, we can provide referrals to experienced personal injury attorneys who handle cases throughout Sonoma County and the Bay Area.
- ✓ No copays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket costs during treatment
- ✓ Treatment costs paid from your personal injury settlement
- ✓ MedPay coverage applied immediately when available
- ✓ Direct coordination with your attorney's office
- ✓ No health insurance required to begin treatment
Medical-Legal Documentation
Documentation that protects your case
At adjust.clinic, every clinical finding is recorded with the precision required for medical-legal proceedings. This is what transforms treatment records into evidence that supports your settlement or trial.
Dr. Lloyd is a state-certified Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME), credentialed by the California Division of Workers' Compensation to perform independent medical evaluations. This certification means your treating doctor is trained in AMA Guides impairment rating and medical-legal report writing.
Reports are completed within 48 hours and delivered directly to your attorney. Every report connects your clinical findings to the specific mechanism of injury, creating the causation narrative that personal injury cases depend on.
- ✓ Narrative medical-legal reports With 48-hour turnaround
- ✓ Impairment ratings Based on the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment
- ✓ QME evaluations By a state-certified Qualified Medical Evaluator
- ✓ Objective range of motion data documented at every visit with calibrated instruments
- ✓ Causation opinions linking clinical findings to collision biomechanics
- ✓ Treatment records structured for demand packages, mediation, and trial
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we hear most from car accident patients in Petaluma and Sonoma County.
Within 72 hours of your accident. Early evaluation serves two critical purposes: it establishes a documented baseline of your injuries before compensatory mechanisms mask symptom severity, and it closes the gap between accident and treatment that insurance adjusters exploit to dispute causation. At adjust.clinic on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma, we offer same-week appointments for new car accident patients. The sooner you are evaluated, the stronger your clinical record becomes.
Delayed symptom onset is one of the most common patterns in car accident injuries. Adrenaline and endorphins can suppress pain for 24 to 72 hours after a collision. Soft tissue injuries including whiplash, disc herniations, and ligament sprains frequently produce no immediate symptoms but develop into significant problems days or weeks later. A clinical examination can detect objective signs of injury — restricted range of motion, positive orthopedic tests, neurological findings — before you feel them subjectively. Many of the patients we treat along the Highway 101 corridor and Petaluma Boulevard initially reported feeling fine at the accident scene.
No. In California, chiropractors are portal-of-entry providers, which means you can seek chiropractic care as your first point of contact after an accident without a referral from a medical doctor. You can schedule directly with adjust.clinic for a post-accident evaluation. This is particularly important for car accident cases where early documentation of injuries strengthens your case.
If you carry MedPay (Medical Payments Coverage) on your auto insurance policy, it covers chiropractic treatment regardless of who was at fault. MedPay typically provides between $1,000 and $25,000 in medical expense coverage, and using it does not affect your insurance rates. If you do not carry MedPay or your coverage is exhausted, we offer lien-based care where treatment costs are paid from your personal injury settlement. Either way, there is no out-of-pocket cost to begin treatment at adjust.clinic. Learn more about MedPay coverage.
Treatment duration depends on injury severity. Mild whiplash and soft tissue injuries may resolve in 6 to 8 weeks. Moderate injuries involving disc herniations, multi-level restrictions, or radiculopathy typically require 12 to 16 weeks. Severe injuries with ligament instability or multiple areas of involvement can require 4 to 6 months of active treatment. Your treatment continues until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), which is determined by objective clinical measurements — not arbitrary timelines or insurance company limits.
Yes. We work with personal injury attorneys throughout Sonoma County, Marin County, and the greater Bay Area. Dr. Lloyd provides detailed medical-legal reports, impairment ratings based on the AMA Guides, and narrative reports that support demand packages. Reports are typically completed within 48 hours. We communicate directly with your attorney's office regarding treatment progress, prognosis, and case strategy. If you do not yet have an attorney, we can provide referrals to experienced personal injury attorneys who handle cases in the Petaluma and Sonoma County area. Visit our attorney resources page for more information.
Ready to start your recovery?
Same-week appointments available. Lien-based care — no upfront cost. Serving Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Novato, and all of Sonoma County.
3100 Lakeville Hwy, Ste D, Petaluma, CA 94954 — Just off Highway 101 at the Lakeville Highway exit