Personal Injury Glossary

Injuries and Conditions

Whiplash

A neck injury caused by the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head in a crash, straining the muscles, ligaments, and discs of the neck. Symptoms often appear one to three days after the accident, not right away. Learn more on our whiplash page.

Whiplash-Associated Disorder (WAD)

The clinical name for whiplash and its symptom set. Graded I through IV based on severity, from neck pain only to fracture or neurological loss.

Soft tissue injury

Damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments rather than bone. Sprains and strains are the common examples, and they frequently do not show up on an X-ray, which is why a focused exam matters. See whiplash treatment.

Sprain vs. strain

A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament, the tissue that connects bone to bone. A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon, the tissue that connects muscle to bone. Both are common after a crash.

Herniated disc (also called a bulging, slipped, or ruptured disc)

When the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through its tougher outer layer and can press on a nearby nerve, causing pain, numbness, or tingling. See disc injury care. Reference: Cleveland Clinic on herniated disk.

Disc bulge

A spinal disc that protrudes outward while the outer ring stays intact. Less severe than a full herniation, and often without symptoms.

Sciatica

Pain that travels from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg, usually because a nerve in the lower spine is irritated or compressed, often by a disc. See sciatica after a car accident.

Radiculopathy

The medical term for the pain, numbness, or weakness that happens when a spinal nerve root is pinched or irritated. Sciatica is one common form.

Cervicogenic headache

A headache that originates in the upper cervical spine (C1 to C3) and refers pain into the head. A common headache type after a car accident.

Concussion (a mild traumatic brain injury)

A brain injury from a blow to the head or from the rapid back-and-forth motion of a crash. You can have one without ever hitting your head and without losing consciousness. A concussion is diagnosed by a physician. See concussion and post-concussion care. Reference: CDC on concussion.

Post-concussion syndrome

When concussion symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, or trouble concentrating last for weeks or months after the injury rather than clearing up quickly.

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar

The regions of the spine. Cervical is the neck, thoracic is the mid-back, and lumbar is the lower back. You will see these words on imaging reports and in treatment notes.

Subluxation

A chiropractic term for a spinal joint that is not moving or positioned the way it should. A chiropractor assesses and addresses joint function within the scope of chiropractic care.

Delayed-onset pain

Pain or symptoms that appear hours or days after a crash, once the adrenaline fades and inflammation sets in. Read why your neck hurts more on day three.

Imaging and Diagnostic Tests

Each of these is a test a physician may order. They are described here so you understand the terms, not because the clinic performs all of them. Plain-English references from RadiologyInfo.org, the patient-education site run by the radiology societies.

X-ray

A fast imaging test that uses a small dose of radiation to show bones. It is good for spotting fractures and checking alignment, but it does not show soft tissue like discs or ligaments well. Reference: RadiologyInfo.org.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Uses a strong magnetic field, not radiation, to produce detailed images of soft tissue such as discs, nerves, ligaments, and the brain. A physician orders it when a soft-tissue or nerve injury is suspected. Reference: RadiologyInfo.org.

CT scan (computed tomography)

Combines many X-rays into cross-sectional images. It is often used right after a serious crash to check quickly for fractures or head injury. Reference: RadiologyInfo.org.

Ultrasound

Uses sound waves, not radiation, to view soft tissue in real time. Reference: RadiologyInfo.org.

EMG and nerve conduction study (NCV)

Tests a physician may order to measure how well your nerves and muscles are working when a nerve injury is suspected.

Care and Documentation

Chiropractic physician

A licensed doctor of chiropractic (DC). In Ohio, "chiropractic physician" is a permitted title. A chiropractic physician diagnoses and treats within chiropractic scope and refers out when something needs a medical doctor.

Scope of practice

The range of care a provider is licensed to deliver. A chiropractor works within chiropractic scope and refers to a medical physician for anything beyond it.

Screen and refer

Recognizing the signs that need a physician's evaluation, documenting them, and sending the patient to the right provider, instead of treating outside one's scope. This is how careful accident care protects the patient.

Treatment plan

A written plan built from your exam findings that lays out the recommended care, the goals, and the expected timeline, and is updated as you recover.

Range of motion (ROM)

How far a joint moves in each direction. Reduced range of motion after a crash is a common sign of injury, and it is measured and tracked over the course of care.

Orthopedic test

A physical-exam maneuver designed to reproduce or rule in specific injuries. Examples include Spurling's test for cervical radiculopathy and the straight-leg raise for sciatica.

Maximum medical improvement (MMI)

The point at which your condition has recovered about as much as it is expected to. It is an important milestone for your care and for any claim.

Narrative report

A detailed written summary of injuries, treatment, and prognosis prepared for an attorney or insurance carrier. More comprehensive than a standard chart note.

Imaging gap

The delay between a crash and the first imaging study. A long gap can be used by adjusters to question whether an injury is crash-related.

Gap in care

A period during active treatment where the patient stops attending. Insurance carriers use gaps in care to argue the injury was minor or already healed.

Referral

Sending a patient to another provider, such as a physician, an imaging center, or another clinician, for evaluation or care beyond the referring provider's scope.

Insurance and Legal Terms

General information only, not legal advice.

At-fault state

Ohio is an at-fault, or tort, state. The driver who caused the crash is responsible for the resulting damages, and there is no automatic no-fault coverage that pays your medical bills regardless of who caused the accident. Learn more about our auto accident care.

Letter of protection (LOP)

A written agreement, signed by your attorney, that lets you receive care now and have the bill paid from your settlement later. It is not insurance and does not guarantee any outcome. See our letter of protection page.

Lien

A claim against a future settlement to repay the cost of care that was provided. A letter of protection is a common way this arrangement is set up.

MedPay

Optional medical-payments coverage on an auto insurance policy that can help pay accident-related medical bills regardless of who was at fault.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal injury protection (PIP) is a no-fault coverage used in some states. Ohio does not use PIP. Ohio is an at-fault state, so the at-fault driver's insurance is responsible for the resulting damages.

MIST claim

Minor Impact Soft Tissue claim. An insurance-carrier label for low-speed crashes with soft-tissue injuries; often disputed despite genuine injury.

Third-party claim

A claim made against the at-fault driver's auto insurance carrier, rather than your own.

Personal injury

The area of law covering injuries caused by someone else's actions, such as a car crash. A personal injury attorney represents the injured person. See our personal injury chiropractor page.