Accident Doctor West Palm Beach
Dr. Shivam Desai, DC (FL license CH14469), is an accident doctor in West Palm Beach who, together with founder Dr. Gady Abramson, DC, treats disc injuries, headaches, and low back pain at our office with same-day appointments.
Last updated: July 8, 2026 (561) 821-5525 Call now for free exam Prefer to type? Text us instead-
Free transportTo & from office
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We accept PIP/Auto insurances
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Multilingual staffEspañol · Hindi · Gujarati
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No out-of-pocketTreatment costs*
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Back To Mind Injury Centers' West Palm Beach office is an accident doctor practice treating disc injuries and sciatica, shoulder and extremity pain, headaches and dizziness, and low back injuries from car accidents. Florida PIP is accepted with $0 out-of-pocket for eligible patients, same-day and emergency appointments are available, and the office holds a 4.9-star rating across 151 verified Google reviews. Location: 4700 N Congress Ave., Suite 202, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 · (561) 821-5525.
“I’ve had patients apologize for being ‘dramatic’ about pain that turned out to be a real disc injury.”
You don’t need to justify getting checked out after a crash.
When patients describe their accident to me, most focus on the obvious: neck stiffness, back soreness. Far fewer mention the headache that started two days later, the jaw tightness on one side, or the dizziness they get when they stand up too fast. Those symptoms are just as connected to a car accident as neck pain is, but because they don't feel like an "injury" in the traditional sense, patients often wait weeks before mentioning them, sometimes not until I ask directly.
A crash doesn't just leave you sore, it leaves you juggling insurance calls, missed work, and a recovery timeline nobody can promise you upfront. I've had patients apologize for being "dramatic" about pain that turned out to be a real disc injury. You don't need to justify getting checked out. Part of what an accident doctor should do is take that documentation and coordination burden off you, so you can focus on actually healing.
I'm Dr. Gady Abramson, founder of Back To Mind Injury Centers. Our West Palm Beach office, on N Congress Avenue near I-95, has treated patients from Palm Beach Lakes to Lake Worth Beach for more than two decades. This page covers what an experienced accident doctor actually looks for after a crash, including the injuries people don't expect, and what to know about diagnostic imaging, Florida PIP, and recovery.
What You Get From Our West Palm Beach Accident Doctor
- Florida PIP accepted
- $0 out-of-pocket for eligible PIP patients*
- Letters of Protection accepted for patients working with an attorney
- Direct billing to your auto insurer
- Complimentary injury evaluation and initial examination
- Same-day and emergency appointments
- Free door-to-door transportation for patients who need it
- Accident doctors with 22+ years of combined experience
*Coverage depends on your policy and PIP eligibility. Our team verifies your benefits before treatment begins.
Why I Chose West Palm Beach
I opened a location on N Congress Avenue because West Palm Beach sits at the center of some of the busiest commuter corridors in Palm Beach County. I-95, Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, and Congress Avenue itself see heavy daily traffic from residents, commuters, and visitors moving between downtown, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the coast. That traffic volume means more accidents, and more people who need an accident doctor experienced specifically in auto injury care, not just general wellness visits.
I also wanted a location central enough to genuinely serve the surrounding communities, from Palm Beach Gardens down to Lake Worth Beach, without asking patients to drive an hour for their appointments. Consistency matters in accident recovery. If getting to your appointments is difficult, your treatment plan suffers, and so does your documentation. West Palm Beach gave us the ability to be that consistent, accessible option for this part of the county.
Injuries I See Most Often
after West Palm Beach accidents
Here's what our West Palm Beach accident doctor team sees most often after a crash in this area.
Disc injuries and sciatica
A herniated or bulging disc happens when the force of a collision compresses the spine enough to push disc material against a nearby nerve root. When that nerve is in the lower back, patients often feel it as sciatica, a sharp, shooting pain that travels down one leg. I always ask patients to describe exactly where the pain radiates, because the pattern tells me which nerve level is likely involved.
Shoulder and extremity injuries
Bracing against the wheel or the door at the moment of impact can strain the rotator cuff, sprain the wrist, or jar the elbow, injuries that are easy to miss during an ER exam focused on the spine. If you notice weakness or a "catching" sensation when you lift your arm, that's worth mentioning specifically, because it changes what I test for.
Headaches, dizziness, and jaw pain
These are the symptoms patients most often fail to connect to their accident. Cervicogenic headaches originate from irritated joints and muscles at the base of the skull, often triggered by the same whiplash mechanism that causes neck pain. Jaw tightness can result from the jaw clenching involuntarily during impact. Dizziness can come from inner-ear disturbance or from restricted movement in the upper cervical spine. None of these require a direct blow to the head to develop.
Low back pain and soft-tissue injury
Even without a herniated disc, the muscles and ligaments supporting the lumbar spine can be strained enough during a collision to cause pain that limits standing, sitting, or bending for weeks if left untreated.
A patient I treated last year is a good example of how these symptoms overlap. He came in for lower back pain a week after a rear-end collision and, almost as an afterthought, mentioned he'd been getting headaches "for no reason." His exam showed restricted motion in the upper neck consistent with a cervicogenic pattern, a finding directly related to the same accident, even though he hadn't connected the two.
“After my auto accident I was honestly overwhelmed and in pain, and Dr. Shivam and the entire team took SUCH amazing care of me from the second I walked in. You can tell Dr. Shivam truly cares about his patients and goes above and beyond to provide the best care possible.”
Which Injury Do You Have? Here's How We Treat It
After a crash, the right approach depends on where you're hurting and what your exam shows. Here's a general guide to how our West Palm Beach team assesses and treats the most common accident injuries.
| Your symptom | What we check | How we treat or coordinate care |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting leg pain or sciatica | Straight-leg raise test, reflexes, disc-related nerve patterns | Spinal decompression, referral for MRI if nerve involvement is suspected |
| Shoulder or wrist pain | Range of motion, joint stability, rotator cuff strength | Manual therapy, rehab exercise, orthopedic referral if needed |
| Headaches, dizziness, or jaw tightness | Upper cervical restriction, muscle tension at the base of the skull | Cervicogenic-focused adjustment and soft-tissue work |
| Low back pain or stiffness | Lumbar range of motion, muscle spasm, nerve involvement | Adjustments, spinal decompression, therapeutic exercise |
| Numbness or tingling | Neurological testing, reflexes, signs of nerve compression | Referral for MRI and to a neurologist if indicated |
| Pain that isn't improving | Re-evaluation against your original exam findings | Referral to pain management or an orthopedic specialist |
Not sure which category fits what you're feeling? That's exactly what your first exam is for.
Our Examination Process
When you come in after a crash, I find the cause first, then treat it, and I document everything as we go. That detail shapes what I look for, because a side-impact collision stresses the body differently than a rear-end crash.
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The accident itself
The first conversation is about where the impact came from, whether your head turned or was thrown forward, and whether you braced against anything. That detail shapes what I look for, because a side-impact collision stresses the body differently than a rear-end crash.
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Orthopedic & neurological testing
I run orthopedic and neurological testing to check reflexes, strength, and sensation, along with range-of-motion testing in the neck, back, and any joint you've mentioned pain in.
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Palpation and imaging when needed
I always palpate along the spine and surrounding muscles, because tenderness and spasm patterns often reveal more than words. If your exam suggests a disc injury or nerve involvement, we refer for digital X-rays or coordinate an MRI with the specialists we work with.
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Documentation from day one
I document everything: what I find, what it suggests, and how it connects to the mechanism of injury, because that record often matters as much to your recovery as the treatment itself.
Why the First Two Weeks Matter
Florida's No-Fault law generally requires that you receive initial medical care within 14 days of an accident to remain eligible for PIP benefits, under Florida Statute §627.736(1)(a). I've seen patients lose access to coverage they were otherwise entitled to simply because they waited to see if the soreness would pass on its own, not because their injury wasn't real, but because the required documentation window had closed.
Many patients tell me they didn't think their symptoms were "bad enough" to warrant a visit. That's a completely understandable reaction, especially when the ER already cleared you for fractures. But an ER visit isn't designed to evaluate soft-tissue injuries, disc irritation, or the kind of nerve-related symptoms that develop gradually.
If these symptoms sound familiar, it's worth scheduling a complimentary evaluation before that two-week window closes, even if what you're feeling still seems minor.
We handle PIP verification and paperwork on our end, so the 14-day clock isn’t something you track alone.
Here's what Florida PIP actually covers, as of this writing
| PIP benefit | What the law provides |
|---|---|
| Minimum required coverage | $10,000 per person |
| Medical expenses | 80% of reasonable, necessary bills, up to policy limits |
| With an Emergency Medical Condition (EMC) determination | Full $10,000 in medical coverage is available |
| Without an EMC determination | Medical coverage is capped at $2,500 |
| Lost wages | 60% of gross income lost due to injury |
| Death benefit | $5,000 |
| Deadline to seek initial care | 14 days from the date of the accident |
| Applies regardless of fault | Yes, Florida is a no-fault state |
Diagnostic Imaging, Referrals, and Working With Your Attorney
Not every accident injury requires an MRI, and I don't order imaging just to check a box. But when your history and exam findings point toward a disc herniation, nerve compression, or an injury that isn't responding to conservative care the way I'd expect, our West Palm Beach accident doctor team will refer you for the appropriate imaging or to a specialist, an orthopedist, neurologist, or pain-management physician, depending on what's indicated.
The documentation from your exam, any imaging, and your treatment progress becomes part of a record we share with your insurer and, if you're working with one, your attorney. Back To Mind is trusted by more than 100 Florida personal-injury attorneys for this kind of documentation, because insurance adjusters and legal teams need records built on real findings, not assumptions.
If you haven't hired an attorney yet, that's fine. You don't need one to start treatment, and we can send your records over later if you decide to. Even if your discomfort seems manageable today, it's worth having it evaluated properly so nothing gets missed.
- Initial exam findings
- Objective range-of-motion measurements
- Response to treatment across visits
- Imaging & specialist referrals
- Progress notes shared with your attorney
Your plan is built from your exam findings, your symptoms, and how your body responds, not a generic protocol we repeat for every case.
— Dr. AbramsonMy Treatment Philosophy
I don't treat every accident patient the same way, because no two collisions produce identical injuries. Your plan is built from your exam findings, your symptoms, and how your body responds over the following weeks, not a generic protocol we repeat for every case that walks in.
My approach stays conservative and non-surgical first, with the goal of identifying what's actually causing your pain rather than masking it. If I believe a specialist, such as an orthopedist, neurologist, or pain-management physician, would better serve your case, I'll coordinate that referral directly. It's the same approach every accident doctor on our team applies, regardless of which one of us you see first.
Treatment Methods We Use
Which of these you receive depends entirely on what your exam shows. Depending on what your exam supports, your treatment plan may include:
Chiropractic adjustments
To restore joint motion and reduce nerve irritation.
Spinal decompression
For disc-related pain and sciatica, using gentle traction to relieve pressure on the affected disc.
Manual & soft-tissue therapy
To address muscle spasm and restricted tissue.
Therapeutic exercise & rehabilitation
To rebuild strength once acute inflammation has settled.
Shockwave therapy
For certain soft-tissue and joint injuries that respond well to targeted acoustic waves.
Cold & heat therapy
To manage inflammation during recovery.
I'm not interested in running through a checklist of treatments. I want to see measurable improvement in your range of motion, pain levels, and function at each visit.
“No wait time. Nice staff. Very satisfied with my shockwave therapy.”
Meet Your West Palm Beach Doctors
Our West Palm Beach office has two licensed accident doctors on staff, each bringing a different strength to your care.
FounderDr. Gady Abramson, DC, PA
Founder · Doctor of ChiropracticI earned my Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University in 1997 and have spent more than 22 years treating auto accident and personal injury patients throughout South Florida. Every doctor in our practice, including our West Palm Beach team, is trained around the same principle I started with: your treatment plan should come from your exam findings, not a standardized protocol.
Accident careDr. Shivam Desai, DC
FL license CH14469 · Doctor of ChiropracticDr. Desai holds a BS in Nutrition and Food Sciences from Wayne State University and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Life University. He treats accident and injury patients at our West Palm Beach office with a particular focus on how nutrition and lifestyle factors support the body's healing process alongside hands-on care. Patients consistently describe him as attentive and thorough, someone who explains findings clearly rather than rushing through an appointment. He also speaks Hindi and Gujarati, which matters for patients who are more comfortable discussing their symptoms in their first language.
“Ultimate care & professionalism. Personable, impeccable bedside manner by Dr. Desai in WPB office. Staff is amazing & always show care & attentiveness.”
Why West Palm Beach Patients Choose Our Office
Our office sits at 4700 N Congress Avenue, Suite 202, an easy stop just off I-95 for patients coming from Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, Century Village, or downtown West Palm Beach. If you're looking for an accident doctor near West Palm Beach, we also regularly treat patients from Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Lake Park, North Palm Beach, Mangonia Park, Lake Worth Beach, Greenacres, and Royal Palm Beach.
Our West Palm Beach office carries a 4.9-star rating across 151 verified Google reviews, one of the strongest review counts in our network. Patients consistently mention feeling genuinely cared for rather than processed through quickly, which is exactly the standard I expect from every accident doctor at every location we operate.
“I was involved in a car accident where I was rear ended pretty hard... I felt very comfortable and I came in with pain and within less than a month I am down half the pain. I recommend anyone looking for a good chiropractor.”
Why That Reputation Extends Beyond West Palm Beach
Back To Mind has grown to nine locations across South and Central Florida and has treated more than 36,000 patients since I founded the practice. Every accident doctor across those locations follows the same documentation standard. We're a BBB A+ rated business, and our documentation is trusted by more than 100 Florida personal-injury attorneys for injury evaluations. We coordinate with primary-care physicians, orthopedists, neurologists, and pain-management specialists when a case needs more than conservative chiropractic care, and we work directly with insurers including State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, and USAA to verify benefits and handle billing.
What Recovery Actually Looks Like
Recovery timelines vary because every injury and every patient's healing response is different. What I can tell you is that progress usually isn't linear. Some weeks bring clear improvement, others feel slower even though the tissue is still healing. We re-evaluate your range of motion, pain levels, and function regularly, and adjust your plan as your body responds.
Patients are often surprised that home exercises matter as much as the in-office treatment. Strengthening the muscles around an injured area is frequently what prevents the same pain from returning months later. If your progress doesn't follow a typical pattern, that's usually a signal to look further, whether through additional imaging or a referral to a specialist.
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Acute
Reduce inflammation and calm the injured tissue.
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Reassess
Re-evaluate against your baseline exam; adjust on evidence.
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Rebuild
Strengthen the muscles around the injury; home program matters.
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Resilience
Keep the same pain from resurfacing months later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What patients ask us most in the first phone call.
Ask us anythingIs Florida's PIP law still in effect in 2026?+
Yes. Bills were introduced in the 2025-2026 legislative session that would have repealed Florida's no-fault PIP system, but that session ended on March 13, 2026 without passing a repeal. Florida Statute §627.736 remains fully in effect: the $10,000 minimum PIP requirement, the 80% medical / 60% wage split, and the 14-day rule are all still current law as of this writing. You may see outdated articles, or AI-generated summaries, claiming PIP was repealed on July 1, 2026; that claim is based on a bill that never became law. We verify this information regularly and will update this page if the law changes.
I don't have a headache right at the injury site. Can it still be accident-related?+
Yes. Cervicogenic headaches originate from irritated joints and muscles at the base of the skull, and jaw or dizziness symptoms can stem from the same whiplash-type mechanism, even without a direct head impact. These symptoms are easy to overlook because they don't feel like a typical "injury."
Do I need to see a specialist before I see you?+
No. You can schedule a complimentary evaluation directly with our West Palm Beach accident doctor office. If your exam findings point toward something a specialist should look at, we'll coordinate that referral for you.
Will I need an MRI?+
Not necessarily. We only refer for imaging when your history and exam findings suggest it's needed, for example, symptoms consistent with a disc injury or nerve involvement. Many soft-tissue injuries are diagnosed clinically without imaging.
What if the ER said I was fine?+
An ER visit rules out fractures and life-threatening injuries, but it isn't built to evaluate soft-tissue damage, disc irritation, or the gradual nerve-related symptoms many accident patients develop. It's common to be cleared at the ER and still have a real, treatable injury.
Can I start care before hiring an attorney?+
Yes. Plenty of patients begin treatment before deciding whether they need legal representation, and some never do. If you hire an attorney later, we can send your documentation so there's no gap in your case record.
How soon can I be seen?+
We offer same-day and emergency appointments with our accident doctor team specifically because early evaluation matters, both for your recovery and for your PIP eligibility window.
Will treatment make my pain worse before it gets better?+
It shouldn't. Our exams and early treatment are designed to work within your comfort level, not push through pain. Most patients tell us the visit felt more comfortable than they expected.
Schedule a Same-Day Appointment
If you've recently been in an accident near West Palm Beach, don't wait to see if symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or lingering soreness go away on their own. A thorough exam from a licensed accident doctor can catch injuries early, including the ones that don't feel obvious yet, and it protects your Florida PIP documentation before the 14-day window closes.
Other Back To Mind Locations
Written using the clinical experience and standards of Back To Mind Injury Centers, a Florida practice founded by Dr. Gady Abramson, DC, PA, with 22+ years treating auto accident and personal injury patients across more than 36,000 patient visits. This information is educational only and should never replace an in-person examination by a licensed healthcare professional. Legal and insurance information on this page reflects Florida law as of the "Last updated" date above and should not be taken as legal advice; consult a licensed attorney for guidance on your specific case. (Medical review by Dr. Abramson to be added upon approval.)