Auto Accident Injury Care in Jacksonville: A Better Way to Recover
You're sitting at a red light. Maybe you're thinking about dinner, or what's left on your to-do list.
Then, BAM. The jolt comes out of nowhere. Your heart races. You check yourself. "I'm okay," you think. "Just shaken up."
But here's what most people don't know: you might not be okay yet. And in Florida, waiting to find out could cost you more than just your health.
The 14-Day Rule That Changes Everything
There are roughly 67 car accidents every single day in Jacksonville. More than half of those result in injuries. But here's the catch, many of those injuries don't show up right away. Whiplash, soft tissue damage, nerve irritation, even concussions can take days or weeks to make themselves known.
Florida law gives you 14 days from the date of your accident to seek medical treatment, or you risk losing your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. Two weeks might sound like plenty of time, but when you're dealing with insurance companies, work schedules, and trying to figure out if you're "hurt enough" to see someone, those days disappear fast.
We've been serving Jacksonville and Palatka for more than 25 years, and we've seen too many neighbors lose their benefits because they waited. Don't let that be you.
Why "Wait and See" Doesn't Work
After an accident, your body floods with adrenaline. It's survival mode. You might feel fine: even energized. But that chemical rush masks what's really happening underneath. By the time the adrenaline wears off and the pain sets in, you're already days into that 14-day window.
Common auto accident injuries that show up late include:
• Whiplash and neck pain – The rapid back-and-forth motion can damage muscles, ligaments, and nerves
• Headaches and migraines – Often linked to neck trauma or even mild traumatic brain injury
• Back pain and spinal misalignment – The force of impact can knock vertebrae out of place
• Shoulder pain – Seatbelt injuries and impact trauma
• Numbness or tingling – Nerve compression from swelling or misalignment
• Dizziness or brain fog – Signs of concussion that shouldn't be ignored
The sooner you get checked out, the better your chances of a full recovery. Early treatment prevents small problems from becoming chronic pain that follows you for years.
A Team Approach to Your Recovery
Here's where we do things differently. Most clinics hand you off to one specialist and call it a day. If that doesn't work, you're back to square one, waiting for referrals, burning through that 14-day window, and getting more frustrated.
At Ortega Chiropractic Clinic, you get a complete team working together under one roof:
Dr. Read is our treating chiropractor with decades of experience in auto accident injuries. He starts with a thorough exam: including digital X-rays when needed: to see exactly what's going on with your spine and nervous system. Gentle, precise adjustments restore proper alignment, reduce inflammation, and help your body heal the way it's supposed to.
Dr. Mirabelli brings neurology expertise to the table. If you're dealing with headaches, dizziness, numbness, or any symptoms that suggest nerve involvement or traumatic brain injury, he's the one who can diagnose and treat those issues properly. That's not something you'll find at most chiropractic offices.
Physical Therapy rounds out your care with hands-on treatment, targeted exercises, and specialized modalities to rebuild strength and mobility. This isn't generic "do these stretches at home" advice. It's personalized, one-on-one work designed around your specific injuries and recovery goals.
This team approach means you're not bouncing between offices or waiting weeks for referrals. Everyone's in the same building, communicating about your case, adjusting your treatment plan in real time based on how you're responding
Same-Day Appointments. No Referral Needed.
Are you supposed to just wait around in pain while trying to get an appointment three weeks out? Not here.
We offer same-day appointments for auto accident injuries because we know time matters: for your health and your insurance coverage. You don't need a referral. You don't need to jump through hoops. You just need to call.
And here's something else you won't find at the big, impersonal clinics: you can reach us directly. We give our patients our cell phone numbers and email addresses. If you have a question at 7 PM on a Tuesday, you're not stuck leaving a voicemail that might get answered three days later. You're talking to real people who actually care about your recovery.
What Makes Jacksonville Care Different
We're not a corporate chain with a dozen locations across three states. We're local to Jacksonville and Palatka, and we've been here for more than a quarter century. We're your neighbors. We shop at the same grocery stores, sit in the same traffic, and care about this community because it's our community too. That means when you walk through our door, you're not a claim number or a slot on a schedule.
You're someone we're genuinely invested in helping.
Personalized care isn't just a buzzword here. It's how we operate. Dr. Read and Dr. Mirabelli take the time to understand your injury, your lifestyle, your goals for recovery. Physical therapy sessions are one-on-one, not you and five other people splitting the therapist's attention. Every treatment plan is built specifically for you, and it changes as you heal.
Getting Back to Your Life
The goal isn't just to make the pain stop. It's to help you get back to living your life the way you did before the accident: maybe even better.
Research shows that physical therapy and chiropractic care can often help you avoid surgery altogether. When your body is aligned properly, when muscles and ligaments are functioning correctly, when inflammation is reduced and nerves aren't compressed, your natural healing kicks in. You rebuild strength. You regain mobility. You start sleeping through the night again.
Can we promise you'll never need surgery? Of course not. But we can promise to give you every possible chance to heal without it.
Don't Let the Clock Run Out
If you've been in an auto accident: even a "minor" fender bender: don't wait to see if you're hurt. Don't let that 14-day window close while you're still trying to decide if it's "bad enough" to get checked out.
It's simple: Call us. Come in for an evaluation. Let our team figure out what's going on and what you need. If you're fine, great: we'll tell you that. But if something's wrong, we'll catch it early when it's easiest to fix.
You've got same-day availability, a complete team of specialists working together, and real people who will pick up the phone when you call. No referrals. No runaround. No waiting.
We've been taking care of our Jacksonville and Palatka neighbors for 25 years. Let us take care of you. Simply call Ortega Chiropractic Clinic today at (904) 425-4545. Your 14 days are ticking, but your recovery doesn't have to wait. And if you’ve got questions, you can contact Dr. Read directly—we’ll make sure you’re not stuck dealing with a faceless phone tree.
Address:
Ortega Chiropractic Clinic 5367 Ortega Boulevard Jacksonvile,FL 32210
Phone