The workers’ compensation attorneys at Markhoff & Mittman, P.C. — The Disability Guys — have been helping injured New Yorkers access the treatment and benefits they are owed for over 85 years. This guide explains chiropractic care, why it matters for work injuries, how it fits within the New York workers’ compensation system, and where to find qualified chiropractors across the state.
Call us for a free consultation: (866) 205-2415. Se Habla Español.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care is a form of complementary medicine focused on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders — particularly those involving the spine, joints, and surrounding soft tissue. Chiropractors use spinal manipulation, adjustment techniques, and other manual therapies to correct alignment, relieve pain, restore mobility, and support the body’s natural healing process.
A Brief History of Chiropractic Medicine
Spinal manipulation has been a component of healing practices for thousands of years, but the modern chiropractic profession was formally established in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer. Palmer observed a janitor whose vertebrae appeared to be out of place following an injury. After manipulating the man’s spine, the janitor reported an improvement in his hearing, which had been lost since the incident. This observation led Palmer to develop a systematic approach to spinal adjustment as a medical discipline.
In 1897, Palmer opened the Palmer School of Chiropractic. He subsequently fought for official professional recognition, and in 1913, Kansas became the first state to formally license chiropractors. Since then, standardized licensing requirements and state board examinations have been established nationwide. Today, millions of patients seek chiropractic treatment annually, and the profession is widely recognized as an important component of musculoskeletal medicine.
What Do Chiropractors Treat?
Chiropractors are trained to evaluate and treat a wide range of conditions involving the spine, muscles, joints, and nervous system. During your first appointment, you should discuss all of your symptoms in detail and bring your medical records so the chiropractor can tailor a treatment plan to your specific injury.
Common work-related injuries treated by chiropractors include:
- Neck injuries and cervical strain
- Back injuries including lower back pain and lumbar strain
- Herniated and bulging discs
- Sciatica and radiating leg pain
- Subluxation (misalignment of spinal vertebrae)
- Shoulder injuries
- Joint injuries from falls or overexertion
- Repetitive stress injuries from prolonged work activities
- Soft tissue injuries and muscle strains
- Whiplash and trauma-related spinal injuries
Why Chiropractic Care Is Important for Work Injuries
Workers injured on the job often need far more than emergency treatment. Depending on the nature and severity of the injury, ongoing treatment including physical therapy and chiropractic care may be necessary to return the injured worker to their pre-injury condition and allow them to go back to work.
It is estimated that 90% of work-related injuries affect the back and neck regions of the body. Workers experiencing chronic neck and back pain typically miss more work and require more medical care than those with other types of injuries. Repetitive injuries are also extremely common in the workplace and often respond well to chiropractic rehabilitation.
Chiropractic treatment can be instrumental in helping injured workers recover more quickly and return to work in a shorter period of time. When workers are not properly rehabilitated after a work-related injury, there is a significant risk that the same injury will recur — sometimes repeatedly — until the worker can no longer remain active. Early and consistent chiropractic care can break this cycle and support lasting recovery.
Chiropractic Care and New York Workers’ Compensation
New York workers’ compensation benefits cover medical care related to injuries sustained on the job. This includes chiropractic treatment when it is medically necessary for your work-related injury. However, the process for accessing chiropractic care through workers’ compensation can involve some complexity, and injured workers should understand their rights.
The Push for Equal Access: Senate Bill 3681
New York State Senator Diane Savino, Chairwoman of the Senate Labor Committee, introduced legislation — Senate Bill 3681 — specifically to address disparities in how workers’ compensation covers chiropractic care versus traditional physician care. The bill was filed to require insurance carriers to allow injured workers to access chiropractors on equal terms with medical doctors when chiropractic treatment is needed for a workplace injury.
Key provisions of the proposed legislation included:
- Requiring that chiropractic fees be set equal to fees approved by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board — ensuring chiropractors are paid on par with physicians for the same services
- Requiring that workers’ compensation policies covering physician services outside of managed care also cover equivalent chiropractic services
- Requiring preferred provider networks to include a sufficient number of chiropractic providers within each geographic region, so that injured workers have reasonable access to chiropractic care in the same way they have access to physician care
This legislation reflected a recognition that chiropractic care is not a luxury but a legitimate and often essential component of recovery from workplace injuries — particularly those involving the back and neck, which account for the overwhelming majority of work injury claims.
Getting Chiropractic Care Covered Through Workers’ Comp
Under New York workers’ compensation, your medical treatment must generally be provided by authorized providers. To ensure your chiropractic care is covered:
- Seek treatment from a chiropractor who is authorized to treat workers’ compensation patients in New York
- Make sure your treating chiropractor submits all treatment plans and bills directly through the workers’ compensation system
- Keep detailed records of all appointments, treatment notes, and any restrictions placed on your activity by your chiropractor
- If your employer’s insurance carrier disputes or denies chiropractic coverage, contact a workers’ compensation attorney immediately
Insurance carriers sometimes dispute the necessity of chiropractic treatment for work injuries. Having an experienced workers’ compensation attorney ensures that legitimate medical treatment is not wrongfully denied, and that your claim for chiropractic care is properly documented and defended.
When Work Injuries Require Long-Term Chiropractic Treatment
Some workplace injuries heal quickly with a short course of treatment. Others — particularly those involving the spine, intervertebral discs, or chronic soft tissue damage — require long-term chiropractic rehabilitation. This is especially common for workers who:
- Sustained back or neck injuries from lifting, falls, or sudden trauma
- Developed repetitive strain injuries from years of physically demanding work
- Suffered herniated discs or nerve impingement that causes radiating pain
- Were involved in workplace accidents that caused spinal misalignment or subluxation
- Have chronic conditions aggravated by a work injury
For these workers, chiropractic rehabilitation is not just about pain relief — it is about restoring function, preventing re-injury, and maintaining the ability to work. New York workers’ compensation benefits are designed to cover the medical treatment necessary to bring an injured worker to their maximum medical improvement, which can include extended chiropractic care.
Workers who do not receive adequate rehabilitation after a work injury are significantly more likely to experience recurring injuries. Each recurrence can be more severe than the last, ultimately resulting in permanent disability if untreated. Proper chiropractic care invested early in the recovery process protects both the worker’s health and their long-term earning capacity.
Finding a Chiropractor for a Work Injury Across New York
The Disability Guys serve injured workers throughout New York State, including New York City, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Westchester County, Rockland County, and the Hudson Valley. Below are some of the areas where our clients frequently seek chiropractic care following a work injury, along with general guidance on what to look for when choosing a chiropractor for a workers’ compensation claim.
What to Look for in a Workers’ Comp Chiropractor
- Workers’ compensation authorization — The chiropractor must be an authorized provider within the New York State workers’ compensation system
- Experience with work injury cases — A chiropractor familiar with occupational injuries understands how to document treatment in ways that support your workers’ comp claim
- Coordination with your treating physician — Chiropractic care works best as part of a coordinated treatment plan, particularly for complex spinal injuries
- Clear documentation — Thorough treatment notes and progress reports are essential for supporting your claim and demonstrating the medical necessity of ongoing care
- Convenient location — Given that chiropractic treatment often involves multiple visits per week, especially in the early stages, proximity to your home or workplace matters
Areas We Serve
Our clients receive chiropractic care for work injuries throughout New York, including the following areas:
- Brooklyn — Including Clinton Hill, Red Hook, and surrounding neighborhoods
- Manhattan — Including Midtown Manhattan and surrounding areas
- Yonkers and Westchester County — Including Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, New Rochelle, and White Plains
- Long Island — Nassau and Suffolk counties
- Hudson Valley — Including Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Goshen, and surrounding areas
If you need help finding a workers’ compensation-authorized chiropractor in your area, our legal team can assist. We work with medical providers across New York and can help connect you with qualified treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions: Chiropractic Care and Workers’ Compensation
Is chiropractic care covered by New York workers’ compensation?
Yes. Workers’ compensation covers medically necessary treatment for work-related injuries, which can include chiropractic care. The chiropractor must be authorized to treat workers’ compensation patients in New York, and the treatment must be directly related to your work injury. If your carrier disputes coverage, an attorney can help you appeal the denial.
Do I need a referral from a doctor to see a chiropractor for my work injury?
In many workers’ compensation cases, you can access chiropractic care without a traditional doctor’s referral, but you must use an authorized workers’ compensation provider. Your attorney or the Workers’ Compensation Board can help confirm the proper process for your specific case.
How many chiropractic visits will workers’ comp cover?
The number of visits covered depends on the medical necessity of ongoing treatment as documented by your chiropractor and authorized by the workers’ compensation insurer. There is no automatic limit on the number of visits, but the treatment must be shown to be necessary for your recovery. Disputes over the duration of chiropractic treatment are common and often require legal assistance to resolve.
My insurance carrier says chiropractic care is not necessary for my injury. What do I do?
Insurance carriers frequently challenge the necessity of chiropractic and other rehabilitative care for work injuries as a cost-saving measure. This does not mean the denial is valid. Contact a workers’ compensation attorney immediately. Your attorney can help you obtain medical opinions supporting the need for chiropractic care and challenge the denial through the appeals process.
Can I choose my own chiropractor for a work injury in New York?
Under New York workers’ compensation law, you generally have some ability to choose your treating healthcare providers, but they must be authorized workers’ compensation providers. Your employer’s insurer may also have a managed care arrangement that affects your provider choices. An attorney can clarify your options in your specific situation.
What work injuries most commonly require chiropractic care?
Back and neck injuries account for approximately 90% of all work-related injuries in New York. These include herniated discs, lumbar strain, cervical strain, sciatica, and spinal subluxation. All of these conditions are commonly treated by chiropractors and may require long-term rehabilitation to achieve full recovery.
Injured at Work in New York? We Can Help.
If you have sustained a work injury in New York and need help navigating the workers’ compensation system — including ensuring your chiropractic care is properly covered — the attorneys at Markhoff & Mittman, P.C. are here for you.
We have represented more than 100,000 injured workers across New York State over our 85-plus years of practice. All consultations are free and confidential. You pay nothing unless we recover benefits for you.
- Call us toll-free: (866) 205-2415
- Text us: (914) 506-5665
- Email: info@thedisabilityguys.com
- Se Habla Español