Why Treatment Timing and Documentation Matter
In most personal injury claims, medical records do two jobs: (1) they show what happened to you and when, and (2) they help connect your symptoms to the incident. When care stops abruptly or without a clear discharge note, insurers often argue that you must have been fine, that something else caused the symptoms later, or that the treatment was optional rather than necessary.
That does not mean you should keep treating just to “help the case.” It means you should try to end care in a way that makes sense medically and is easy to explain on paper.
Common Scenarios and What They Often Mean
- “It’s up to you to continue”: This often means your provider believes you’ve improved and can either transition to less frequent visits, a home program, or follow-up only as needed. For a claim, the key is getting that plan documented clearly.
- Finished PT but still seeing a chiropractor: That can be reasonable. But insurers may ask why one provider discharged you while another continued. A brief, consistent explanation in the records (and your own notes) helps.
- Gaps in care: Long breaks can create arguments that you weren’t really hurt or that something else happened in between. If you stop, try to stop with a documented discharge or a documented “as-needed” plan, not by simply disappearing.
- “Done with treatment” / plan changes: When your plan changes, the claim often needs updated documentation showing your current status, functional limits (if any), and what future care (if any) is anticipated.
Practical Documentation Tips (Non‑Medical)
- Ask for a clear end point in the chart: For example, a discharge note, a re-evaluation note stating you’ve reached a stable baseline, or a plan that says follow-up is only “as needed.”
- Make sure your reason for stopping is documented accurately: If you’re stopping because you feel significantly better, that’s different from stopping due to schedule, cost concerns, transportation, or work conflicts. Any of those can be legitimate, but they should be explained consistently.
- Track function, not just pain: Write down simple, real-life markers (sleeping, driving, lifting, sitting at work, household tasks). These details often matter when the claim evaluates how the injury affected daily life.
- Avoid mixed messages: If you tell one provider you’re “100% fine” but tell another you can’t work, that inconsistency can hurt credibility. Be accurate and consistent.
- If symptoms return, document the “why now”: If you restart care later, the records should clearly reflect what changed (new flare, new activity, worsening symptoms) so it doesn’t look like a random gap.
How This Applies
Apply to your facts: Since you’ve completed physical therapy and plan to tell the chiropractor you don’t intend to continue, the cleanest approach is to ask for a final re-evaluation or discharge note that documents your current symptoms, functional status, and the plan (for example, home care and follow-up only if symptoms return). That helps avoid an unexplained gap in care and makes it easier to show you ended treatment for a clear, documented reason rather than simply stopping without closure.
What the Statutes Say (Optional)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 – sets a three-year limitations period for many personal injury claims.
Conclusion
If your chiropractor says continuing care is your choice, focus on ending treatment in a way that is medically sensible and well documented. A final re-evaluation or discharge note can reduce arguments about gaps in care and make your claim easier to understand. Your next step is to ask your provider to document your current status and the plan going forward (discharge, home care, or follow-up as needed) before you stop coming in.
