Insight

Treating Injured Workers: Is Chiropractic Care Covered?

Treating Injured Workers: Is Chiropractic Care Covered?

Daniel L. Deuterman

Daniel L. Deuterman

January 3, 2020 05:01 PM

Can I see a chiropractor for my workers’ compensation injury?

The answer is … maybe.

While we respect the care that chiropractors provide in some injury cases, the insurance companies don’t share that opinion because chiropractors are not medical doctors. Our general recommendation is that you should not seek treatment from a chiropractor without first receiving approval to do some from your treating physician. Doing so could affect your workers’ compensation claim, and you may not be reimbursed for those unapproved chiropractor visits.

That said, the workers’ compensation laws in North Carolina do allow for reimbursement for chiropractic care.

These conditions must be met for chiropractic care to be covered:

  1. Your treating physicians must order chiropractic care and
  2. The insurance company must approve it.

If an injured worker requires lengthy chiropractic treatment, the chiropractor should request authorization from N.C. Industrial Commission (and the insurance company) before continuing treatment. Failure to seek approval could affect reimbursement and negatively impact your workers’ comp claim.

It may actually be easier now to seek chiropractic care than it was only a few years ago. In 2018, the Industrial Commission adopted a set of rules designed to address the growing reliance on opioids to treat pain. These new rules indicate that, in addition to medication, doctors should consider other ways to treat pain. Doctors may prescribe chiropractic treatment as well as things like acupuncture, massage, biofeedback, and functional restoration programs.

In general, chiropractic treatment alone is not ideal in a workers’ compensation claim. It is preferable to seek treatment from a medical specialist, such as an orthopedist. If you do end up seeing a chiropractor, it’s a good idea to regularly check in with your medical doctor who can oversee your treatment and who can provide additional documentation of your injuries and treatment.

Your attorney and the paralegals assigned to your case can help make sure you get the medical treatment you need without jeopardizing your workers’ compensation benefits. Please contact us with any questions you may have about your workers’ comp claim and your medical treatment for your workplace injury.

Related Articles

Changes in California Employment Law for 2025


by Laurie Villanueva

What employers need to know to ensure compliance in the coming year and beyond

A pair of hands holding a checklist featuring a generic profile picture and the state of California

IN PARTNERSHIP

Labour's Lost


by Alan S. Pierce

With apologies to the Bard: When it comes to potential COVID-19 exposure on the job, and the attendant workers’-compensation claims, to pay or not to pay? That is the question.

Workers' Compensation For Employees With COVI

Proposed Rules Could Change Medication Options for Injured Workers in North Carolina


by David E. Vtipil

Injured workers in North Carolina would be limited in the amounts of opioids that they could be prescribed under proposed Commission rules.

NC Injured Workers Medication Options Change

Trending Articles

Introducing the 2026 Best Lawyers Awards in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore


by Jennifer Verta

This year’s awards reflect the strength of the Best Lawyers network and its role in elevating legal talent worldwide.

2026 Best Lawyers Awards in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore

Discover The Best Lawyers in Spain 2025 Edition


by Jennifer Verta

Highlighting Spain’s leading legal professionals and rising talents.

Flags of Spain, representing Best Lawyers country

How to Increase Your Online Visibility With a Legal Directory Profile


by Jennifer Verta

Maximize your firm’s reach with a legal directory profile.

Image of a legal directory profile

Effective Communication: A Conversation with Jefferson Fisher


by Jamilla Tabbara

The power of effective communication beyond the law.

 Image of Jefferson Fisher and Phillip Greer engaged in a conversation about effective communication

Paramount Hit With NY Class Action Lawsuit Over Mass Layoffs


by Gregory Sirico

Paramount Global faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly violating New York's WARN Act after laying off 300+ employees without proper notice in September.

Animated man in suit being erased with Paramount logo in background

The Future of Family Law: 3 Top Trends Driving the Field


by Gregory Sirico

How technology, mental health awareness and alternative dispute resolution are transforming family law to better support evolving family dynamics.

Animated child looking at staircase to beach scene

The 2025 Legal Outlook Survey Results Are In


by Jennifer Verta

Discover what Best Lawyers honorees see ahead for the legal industry.

Person standing at a crossroads with multiple intersecting paths and a signpost.

Safe Drinking Water Is the Law, First Nations Tell Canada in $1.1B Class Action


by Gregory Sirico

Canada's argument that it has "no legal obligation" to provide First Nations with clean drinking water has sparked a major human rights debate.

Individual drinking water in front of window

New Mass. Child Custody Bills Could Transform US Family Law


by Gregory Sirico

How new shared-parenting child custody bills may reshape family law in the state and set a national precedent.

Two children in a field holding hands with parents

The Best Lawyers Network: Global Recognition with Long-term Value


by Jamilla Tabbara

Learn how Best Lawyers' peer-review process helps recognized lawyers attract more clients and referral opportunities.

Lawyers networking

Jefferson Fisher: The Secrets to Influential Legal Marketing


by Jennifer Verta

How lawyers can apply Jefferson Fisher’s communication and marketing strategies to build trust, attract clients and grow their practice.

Portrait of Jefferson Fisher a legal marketing expert

Finding the Right Divorce Attorney


by Best Lawyers

Divorce proceedings are inherently a complex legal undertaking. Hiring the right divorce attorney can make all the difference in the outcome of any case.

Person at a computer holding a phone and pen

The Future of Canadian Law. Insights from Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Honorees


by Jennifer Verta

Emerging leaders in Canada share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Canadian law

Digital eye with futuristic overlays, symbolizing legal innovation and technology

New Texas Law Opens Door for Non-Lawyers to Practice


by Gregory Sirico

Texas is at a critical turning point in addressing longstanding legal challenges. Could licensing paralegals to provide legal services to low-income and rural communities close the justice gap?

Animated figures walk up a steep hill with hand

Is Your Law Firm’s Website Driving Clients Away?


by Jamilla Tabbara

Identify key website issues that may be affecting client engagement and retention.

Phone displaying 'This site cannot be reached' message

Family Law Wrestles With Ethics as It Embraces Technology


by Michele M. Jochner

Generative AI is revolutionizing family law with far-reaching implications for the practice area.

Microchip above animated head with eyes closed