Being involved in a car accident in Mobile, Alabama is a traumatic experience — even when the crash seems minor. In the immediate aftermath, most people are focused on their vehicle, exchanging insurance information, and notifying law enforcement. What many accident victims don't realize is that the decisions made in the first 72 hours after a crash can significantly affect their physical recovery.
As Mobile's most credentialed trauma chiropractor, Dr. Jordan Moore DC, FPSC, CICE, MACIME has treated over 1,000+ trauma patients across Mobile County. Here is the step-by-step guidance he gives every patient.
Don't wait to be seen. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries frequently do not produce noticeable symptoms until 24–72 hours after a collision. If you feel fine right after the crash, that does not mean you are uninjured. Early evaluation is critical for your recovery.
Step-by-Step: What to Do Right Now
Call 911 and Get a Police Report
Even in a low-speed collision, always call 911 and request a police report. This creates an official record of the accident that documents the time, location, parties involved, and often includes the officer's initial assessment. Do not leave the scene without a report number.
Seek Medical Evaluation Within 72 Hours — Even if You Feel Fine
This is the most critical step. After an adrenaline-fueled crash, your body's natural stress response can mask pain and injury for hours or even days. Whiplash, disc herniations, ligament tears, and concussions often do not produce noticeable symptoms until 24 to 72 hours after the accident — sometimes longer.
Get Advanced Diagnostic Imaging — Not Just an ER X-Ray
A general emergency room visit will rule out fractures and life-threatening injuries, but ERs are not equipped to diagnose the soft tissue injuries that are most commonly caused by car accidents. Disc herniations, ligament tears, and annular fissures require advanced imaging and a provider trained to read it.
Begin Treatment as Soon as Possible
Early treatment serves one purpose: speeding your physical recovery and creating a thorough medical record of your injuries. At Optimum Chiropractic Care, Dr. Moore uses digital motion X-ray — the only one in Mobile, Alabama — to capture real-time video of your spine in motion, revealing ligament injuries that standard X-rays miss entirely.
Document Your Symptoms Daily
Keep a daily symptom journal starting the day of the accident. Note your pain levels, sleep disruption, headaches, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, and any activities you cannot perform. This documentation becomes powerful evidence in your medical record.
Why the Digital Motion X-Ray Changes Everything
Optimum Chiropractic Care operates the only Digital Motion X-Ray machine in Mobile, Alabama. Standard X-rays only show bone — they cannot detect ligament tears, disc herniations, or spinal instability. Digital motion X-ray is a real-time video of your spine in motion, capturing the pathology that causes the most pain and the most long-term complications from car accidents.
For patients with auto accident injuries, this technology means your injuries are identified with a level of precision not available anywhere else in Mobile. Dr. Moore also completed mini-fellowships in neuroradiology under Harvard-trained faculty at Stony Brook Medicine, allowing him to interpret your MRI studies directly — not just the radiologist's summary.
Common Symptoms to Watch For After a Collision
In the days following a car accident, watch closely for any of the following:
Neck pain or stiffness · Headaches, especially at the base of the skull · Pain, numbness, or tingling radiating into the shoulders, arms, or hands · Low back pain · Dizziness or balance problems · Difficulty concentrating or memory problems · Fatigue and sleep disruption · Jaw pain or TMJ symptoms · Ringing in the ears
If you experience any of these symptoms in the days following a crash — even a low-speed crash — do not wait. Call Optimum Chiropractic Care immediately at (251) 281-8768.
Treatment Options at Optimum Chiropractic Care
Dr. Moore offers a comprehensive suite of treatments specifically designed for trauma patients, including chiropractic adjustments, non-surgical spinal decompression, Duolith SD1 Ultra shockwave therapy, Aspen Class 4 laser, ArthroStim instrument adjusting, kinesiology taping, and structured physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Auto accident insurance and workers compensation are accepted. Same-day and next-day appointments are available for acute post-accident patients.
Were You in a Car Accident in Mobile?
Don't wait. Call Dr. Moore's office today. Same-day appointments available for auto accident patients. Auto insurance accepted.
(251) 281-8768 Request AppointmentDr. Jordan Moore DC, FPSC, CICE, MACIME — Optimum Chiropractic Care · 7681 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, AL 36608 · (251) 281-8768 · drmoore@optimumchiropracticcare.com