Auto injury care, the steady-hands way.
If you have been in a collision, the clock is already running on your Florida PIP coverage. We respond within 24 hours, get you evaluated this week, document everything the right way for your claim, and start treatment the same day when it is appropriate. Dr. Banman has guided hundreds of auto-injury patients through this. You are not figuring it out alone.
- 24 hrresponse on new cases
- 14 dayPIP window we beat
- 23+ yrsDr. Banman, DC
Miss the window, lose the coverage.
Florida law gives you 14 days from a motor-vehicle collision to be evaluated by a licensed provider. If you wait longer than 14 days, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is reduced to zero. Not partial. Zero. That is true even if you were genuinely hurt, even if symptoms got worse over time, even if you wanted to see whether it would heal on its own first.
This is the single most common way patients lose their auto coverage in Florida. Insurers enforce the 14-day window aggressively. We do not.
If you are unsure whether you are injured, get evaluated anyway. The exam can find that you are fine. What matters is that the visit is on record inside 14 days. Whiplash, concussion symptoms, and disc injuries from rear-end collisions often do not present until 48 to 72 hours after the crash, sometimes longer.
Reference: Florida Statute 627.736 governs PIP and the 14-day evaluation requirement. This page is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your specific claim, talk to your insurer or attorney.
What happens when you walk in.
Straightforward. Thorough. No surprises. Here is the actual sequence from the moment you call us through your first treatment.
24-hour response.
You call or book online. We get you on the schedule within one business day. For most new auto cases, we can see you the same week, often the same day.
- Phone, online booking, or attorney referral
- Insurance details collected before you arrive
- Spanish-speaking intake available
Full intake and history.
How the collision happened. Speed, direction of impact, restraint position, airbag deployment. What you felt at the scene, in the hours after, in the days after. Prior injuries and current medications.
- Mechanism-of-injury documentation
- Pain scales and functional limitations
- Prior records reviewed
Hands-on exam by Dr. Banman.
Range of motion, orthopedic and neurological testing, palpation of the involved regions. We look for the actual driver of your symptoms, not a one-size template. Findings are written down in detail.
- Cervical, thoracic, lumbar assessment
- Neurological screen (reflexes, sensation, strength)
- Joint motion and soft-tissue palpation
Imaging if it changes the plan.
We do not image for the sake of imaging. If exam findings warrant X-ray or referral for MRI, we order it and explain exactly what we are looking for. If imaging will not change your care, we do not waste your time or coverage on it.
- On-site digital X-ray when indicated
- Outside MRI referral when warranted
- Findings explained to you, plainly
Care plan, written and timed.
A clear plan: which treatments, what frequency, for how long, what we expect to see at each checkpoint. You leave the visit knowing what the next 4 to 12 weeks look like. We adjust as you progress.
- Frequency and duration in writing
- Re-exam checkpoints scheduled
- Discharge criteria defined up front
Treatment starts, often that day.
If it is safe and appropriate, your first treatment happens on the same visit. For most patients, that means adjustments, soft-tissue work, electrical muscle stim, and laser. Decompression and shockwave layer in as needed.
- Same-day start when clinically appropriate
- Multi-modality care under one roof
- Re-evaluated regularly, not just billed
Three ways auto cases get paid.
Most auto injuries fall into one of these three paths. Our front desk walks you through which one fits your situation before you start treatment, so you are not surprised later.
PIP / auto insurance.
Florida is a no-fault state. Your own auto policy pays first, regardless of who caused the crash. Coverage runs up to a statutory $10,000 cap when an emergency medical condition (EMC) is documented, and $2,500 when it is not. We document EMC correctly when the exam supports it.
- We bill your PIP carrier directly
- EMC documented when the exam supports it
- You choose your provider, not the insurer
Letter of Protection.
If you are working with a personal-injury attorney, a Letter of Protection (LOP) lets us treat you now and defer billing until your case settles. We coordinate with the attorney directly. They handle the legal side, we handle the medical care and documentation.
- Treat now, bill settled at case resolution
- We coordinate directly with your attorney
- Records and reports provided as requested
Cash / out-of-pocket.
Some patients prefer not to involve insurance or an attorney, or are past the PIP window. Cash and HSA / FSA are both options. We will be upfront about what care is necessary and what each visit involves, no padded plans.
- HSA / FSA accepted
- Plan and pricing reviewed before you start
- Same clinical standard as insured patients
What we document, every visit.
Whether your case is straight PIP or a personal-injury claim, the quality of the medical record carries weight. Sloppy notes lose claims. Clean, specific, mechanism-linked documentation supports them.
Mechanism of injury
Specifics of the collision: direction, approximate speed, restraint and airbag status, and how you presented in the hours after.
Exam findings
Range of motion, neurological screen, orthopedic tests, palpation, with measurable values recorded so progress can be tracked.
Imaging and reports
X-rays where indicated, outside MRI referrals, and a clear written interpretation tied to your exam findings.
Treatment notes
Every visit documented with the modalities used, the patient's response, and updates to the plan.
EMC determination
When the exam supports it, we document an emergency medical condition so your PIP coverage is preserved at the full statutory amount.
Prognosis and MMI
When clinically appropriate, a written prognosis and a maximum-medical-improvement statement that your attorney can use in the claim.
Injuries we treat from motor-vehicle crashes.
A car crash rarely produces just one injury. We evaluate the whole pattern, neck, head, low back, shoulder, and treat what is actually there. The condition pages go deeper on each.
Whiplash
Cervical sprain and strain from rapid back-and-forth head motion, the most common rear-end injury.
About whiplash →Concussion symptoms
Headache, brain fog, dizziness, or visual issues after a head impact or rapid acceleration.
About concussion →Low-back injury
Lumbar strain, disc irritation, sciatica, common in T-bone and rear-end collisions alike.
About low-back →Shoulder & chest
Seat-belt and airbag bruising, rotator-cuff strain, sternoclavicular irritation.
About shoulder →Why Dr. Banman handles your auto case.
Auto-injury care is its own thing. The exam, the documentation, the coordination with insurers and attorneys, the multi-modality treatment plan, every piece has to line up. Dr. Banman has been doing this for over two decades.
- 23+ years in practice.Hundreds of auto cases evaluated, treated, and documented through PIP, LOP, and litigation.
- Documentation quality.Records that hold up to insurer scrutiny: mechanism, exam, imaging, progress, EMC, prognosis.
- Attorney coordination.If you have counsel, we work with them directly. If you do not and need a referral, we can point you.
- Spanish-language capability.Dr. Banman speaks Spanish, important for many of our Manatee and Sarasota County patients.
- Multi-modality under one roof.Adjustments, decompression, Class IV laser, shockwave, EMS, HBOT, all in-house.
- You see Dr. Banman.Not a rotating cast. The same provider does your exam, your plan, your re-evaluations.
The next 72 hours, in order.
Print this. Save it. Send it to the family member who just called you from the side of the road. The right sequence protects your health and your claim.
At the scene Now
- Call 911. Always file a police report, even for low-speed crashes.
- Move to safety. Hazard lights on, off the lane of traffic if you can.
- Photograph everything. All vehicles, license plates, damage from multiple angles, road conditions, traffic signs, your own visible injuries.
- Exchange names, phone numbers, insurance carriers, and policy numbers. Do not discuss fault.
- Get witness contact info before they leave.
- If anything hurts at all, accept paramedic evaluation. Refusing care at the scene complicates claims later.
First 24 to 48 hours Next
- Get a medical evaluation even if you feel okay. Adrenaline masks symptoms; whiplash and disc injuries often present 24 to 72 hours later.
- Call your auto insurer to report the collision. Most policies require prompt notice.
- Save everything: vehicle photos, ER paperwork, prescription receipts, the police report number.
- Write down what you remember about the crash while it is still fresh. Sequence, sounds, your position, what you felt first.
- Do not sign anything from the other driver's insurance without legal review.
- Track every symptom that develops, time-stamped if possible.
Within 14 days Critical
- Book your initial evaluation with a qualified provider. This is the PIP-preserving visit.
- Call us at (727) 213-2982, or book online. We respond inside 24 hours.
- Bring your insurance card, the police report or report number, and any ER records.
- Be honest about every symptom, even the small ones. Headache. Sleep issues. Trouble focusing. Tingling. Anxiety driving.
- If you have an attorney, give us their contact info so we can coordinate from the start.
- Start your care plan. The earlier treatment begins, the better the typical outcome.
Quick answers.
Do I need to use my health insurance?
In most cases, no. Florida PIP is designed to pay first for motor-vehicle injury care, regardless of fault. Your health insurance generally comes into play only if PIP is exhausted or unavailable, or for non-injury-related care. We bill PIP directly so most patients never touch their health plan for the crash itself.
What if I don't have auto insurance?
You may still have options. If you live in the household of someone with Florida auto insurance, you may be covered under their PIP. If you were a pedestrian or cyclist, the at-fault driver's PIP often applies. If none of those fit, we offer cash and HSA / FSA options, and many patients in this situation work with a personal-injury attorney using a Letter of Protection. Call us, we will walk through which path fits your situation.
What if I have an attorney involved?
Good. We work with personal-injury attorneys regularly. Give us their name and number at intake and we will coordinate directly: send records, attend status updates, and provide the prognosis and MMI documentation when your case is ready. You focus on healing, your attorney handles the legal side, and we handle the medical side. Tell us your attorney's info here.
How long does auto-injury treatment usually take?
It depends on the injury, the severity, and how soon care begins. Many soft-tissue and whiplash cases resolve in 8 to 12 weeks of consistent care. Disc and nerve cases can take longer, sometimes 3 to 6 months. We re-examine at set checkpoints and adjust the plan based on how you are actually responding. We will not keep treating once you have plateaued or hit maximum medical improvement.
What if I was the passenger, a pedestrian, or on a bicycle?
You are still likely covered. As a passenger, you can claim under the driver's PIP, your own PIP if you have a Florida auto policy, or a household member's PIP. As a pedestrian or cyclist hit by a vehicle, your own PIP applies first if you have one; otherwise the at-fault driver's PIP often applies. The rules vary; bring whatever insurance information you have and we will sort it out at intake.
Do I need a referral from another doctor?
No. You can come directly to us. Florida PIP gives you the right to choose your own provider for motor-vehicle injury care. You do not need a referral from your primary care doctor, the ER, or anyone else. If the ER sent you home with paperwork suggesting follow-up, that paperwork is useful but not required to book with us.
What does PIP not cover?
PIP is medical and wage-replacement coverage, not a settlement. It does not pay for pain and suffering, vehicle repair, lost personal property, or punitive damages. It also pays 80% of "reasonable and necessary" medical expenses up to the cap, not 100%. Anything beyond what PIP covers is typically pursued through the at-fault driver's bodily-injury coverage, which is where a personal-injury attorney becomes useful. We treat patients in all three lanes: PIP-only, PIP plus attorney, and post-PIP.
Why early, well-documented care matters.
A few things that make a real difference in how an auto case plays out, medically and on paper.
The delay-of-care problem.
Two patients with identical injuries can have very different outcomes based purely on how soon care started. Tissue that begins healing in a guarded, splinted posture stays guarded. The longer it has to compensate, the harder it is to unwind later. Early care, even if symptoms feel mild, lets the body recover into a normal pattern instead of a protective one. This is also a documentation issue: insurers and defense attorneys lean heavily on "gaps in care" to argue that an injury was not serious. A consistent record starting within 14 days closes that door.
The "I feel fine" trap.
Adrenaline and cortisol after a collision suppress pain signals for hours, sometimes a full day or two. Most rear-end whiplash patients we see report that they felt okay at the scene and only noticed neck stiffness, headache, or back pain the next morning, sometimes later. That delayed onset is not a sign of a minor injury; it is the normal pattern. By the time the symptoms show up, the 14-day clock has already used several of its days. Getting evaluated early, before you are sure, is the safe move both clinically and from a coverage standpoint.
What good documentation looks like.
"Patient complains of neck pain" is not documentation. "Patient reports onset of right-sided cervical pain 18 hours post-collision, 6 out of 10 at rest, 8 out of 10 with right rotation; cervical rotation right is 35 degrees (normal 80), Spurling's test positive on the right, with C6 dermatome paresthesia," is documentation. The difference is the difference between a denied claim and a paid one, between an attorney having something to work with and not. We document at this level on every visit, not just the first one.
Get evaluated this week.
You have 14 days. We respond inside 24 hours. Call us or book online and we will get you on the schedule.
