The answer to the question is an emphatic yes!  Research has shown that spinal injury can occur in accidents at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour.  Any collisions at speeds greater than that should definitely be checked out for possible injury.  Most injuries following an accident are to the deep tissues along the spine.  This is due to the fact that the head weighs about 12 pounds on average and when you have a collision, the head snaps forwards or backwards, putting an incredible amount of force into the cervical spinal segments.  At even modest speeds, this force is enough to damage the deep muscles, ligaments and joint capsules along the spine. The victim may or may not feel immediate pain as the body is able to withstand a lot of damage before pain is felt.  Unfortunately, this damage doesn't go away and eventually rears its ugly head.  When it does, it is harder to alleviate due to the amount of time that has elapsed.  It is always easier to treat someone that came in for care immediately after the accident as it doesn't allow for scar tissue to form and improper motion patterns to become ingrained.

Over the course of my 13 years as a chiropractor, I've seen hundreds of patients come in for treatment of neck pain or headaches, only to discover that they had a car accident years earlier that they didn't seek care for.   X-ray and/or MRI imaging commonly shows premature degeneration of joints following a car accident.  This degeneration could have been prevented if they only had sought chiropractic care right after the injury occurred. 

Another reason to get checked out right away is that your car insurance covers all your medical bills following your accident if you seek treatment in a timely fashion.  If you wait too long, it may not be covered and it will surely take longer to help you alleviate your pain.  So if you, or someone you know, was in a car accident recently, have them call right away for an appointment.