careful-stoat-5625/10/2026

Chiro is making my husband's back way worse — are we stuck with who the lawyer sent us to?

We got hit about two months ago by a driver who ran a red light at full speed — broad daylight, no excuse. My husband took the worst of it. He has two herniated discs in his lumbar spine and one in his neck, confirmed on MRI. We hired an attorney pretty quickly after and she referred us to a chiropractor in her network.

Here's the problem: every single time my husband goes to that chiropractor, he comes home in more pain than when he left. Like, noticeably worse. He's a pretty tough guy and doesn't complain easily, but he's been miserable. We've been going for six weeks and nothing is improving — if anything, the pain is spreading.

The chiropractor basically just does adjustments and sends him home with an ice pack recommendation. Nobody has actually talked to us about the herniated discs specifically or what we should or shouldn't be doing. He works a physically demanding job and nobody has given him any restrictions or guidance on that either.

I'm also still dealing with neck pain and headaches that won't quit, and I feel like we're both just being shuffled through appointments without anyone actually caring whether we get better.

My questions:

Can we ask the attorney to refer us to someone else, or does switching providers hurt the case?
Should he be seeing an orthopedic specialist or a neurologist given the disc injuries?
We don't have our own health insurance right now — does that change our options?

I feel completely lost and honestly a little frustrated. We didn't ask for any of this. Just want my husband to actually heal.

8 replies

Most helpful first

calm-fox-4095/10/2026
We went through almost the exact same thing after our accident. The lawyer-referred chiropractor wasn't helping and we felt too nervous to say anything because we didn't want to mess up our case. Finally we just asked the attorney directly if we could switch providers and she said yes without any drama. Don't assume you're stuck — just ask. You're allowed to advocate for yourselves.
- silent-lynx-8385/10/2026
  Worth knowing: the other driver's insurance is not your friend here, and they will be watching how your treatment progresses. If there are gaps in care or if you switch providers mid-treatment, they WILL try to use that against you. That said, getting the RIGHT treatment matters more than a clean paper trail — just make sure any provider changes are documented and your attorney knows.
brave-raven-7575/10/2026
For herniated discs specifically, chiropractic adjustments can sometimes be contraindicated depending on the severity and location. Some disc injuries actually need a physiatrist (physical medicine doctor) or a spine-specialized orthopedic, not just spinal manipulation. The fact that he's consistently leaving in MORE pain is a real red flag that should be communicated clearly to whoever is overseeing his care. If nobody is listening, push harder or go elsewhere. Pain that's worsening over six weeks is not a 'give it time' situation.
- hearty-stoat-3335/10/2026
  Call the attorney's office tomorrow morning. Not an email — call. Tell them the chiro is making things worse and you want to see a spine specialist. A good PI attorney WANTS you getting proper treatment because it documents your injuries properly. If they push back or dismiss you, that tells you something about the attorney too.
plain-newt-7475/10/2026
To answer your questions as directly as I can (not legal advice, just general info): yes, you can typically request a different provider, and your attorney should be able to facilitate that. Many PI cases are treated on a medical lien basis, meaning providers agree to get paid out of the settlement — so not having health insurance doesn't necessarily mean you can't access other specialists. Talk to your attorney's office about what other referrals are available. That's literally what they're there for.
clear-kestrel-1765/10/2026
I used to work on the insurance side and I can tell you this: gaps in treatment or inconsistent care can and do get used to minimize claims. BUT — and this is important — undertreated or mistreated injuries that get worse over time can actually increase the value of a claim if documented correctly. Your husband's worsening pain needs to be on record with every provider, every visit. Don't just say 'I'm okay' to seem tough. Be specific and honest about what hurts and how much.
careful-heron-4685/10/2026
I'm so sorry you're both going through this. The stress of dealing with all of it while also working and just trying to live your life sounds exhausting. Please don't feel like you have to just accept bad care because you're afraid of rocking the boat. You deserve to actually get better, not just get through the legal process.
gentle-fox-2975/10/2026
Not legal advice, but: you have every right to seek appropriate medical care, and a responsible attorney should support that. The goal of treatment in a PI case isn't just to build a file — it's to actually address your injuries. If the current provider isn't helping, raise it with your attorney. Documented worsening symptoms with an inadequate treatment provider is not a good look for anyone. Switching to a specialist who can properly diagnose and treat the disc injuries is entirely reasonable.