Soft tissue injuries sound minor. However, they can lead to long-term pain.
According to UT Health Austin, common soft tissue injuries include bursitis, tendinitis, sprains, contusions, and strains.
When you have been in a car accident, one of the most common soft tissue injuries is whiplash. While some of these injuries are also more common in those who participate actively in sports, some can occur when you are involved in various types of accidents including roadway accidents, slip and fall accidents, or following an assault.
When you suffered an injury due to the action or inaction of another person, a personal injury lawyer may help you recover compensation.
Auto Accident Soft Tissue Injuries
There are two specific types of soft tissue injuries, acute and overuse. Acute injuries result from an accident.
Car accident victims can suffer from:
- Whiplash – this term often describes a strain or sprain in the neck. In many cases, the victim must wear a brace while they heal. Unfortunately, while healing, victims often must deal with a limited range of motion, pain, and muscle spasms.
- Cerebral Contusions – head injuries can kill. These injuries cause memory loss, numbness, and confusion. Victims may see bruising or redness in the area of a bump, but inside the head, bleeding or more serious injuries may reside.
- Cuts and Gashes – broken glass, flying debris from the road, and even items in your vehicle can result in cuts and gashes on your face or other parts of your body. Some of these injuries may be minor and require only cleaning, but others could be serious enough to require stitches. Some victims could suffer serious infections from debris in a wound.
- Torn ACL or MCL – anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears often occur in a car accident when the victim’s knee gets twisted in the course of an accident. These injuries are common in rollover accidents, as well as rear-end collisions.
- Shoulder Impingement – when an airbag deploys during an accident, the force often results in a shoulder injury. These painful injuries can require surgery. Even after recovery, victims often are forced to deal with a limited range of motion in the shoulder where the injury occurred.
If you suffered a soft tissue injury in a car accident, an attorney with experience handling car accident cases may help you recover compensation for your injuries and the out-of-pocket costs you incurred.
Treatment of Soft Tissue Injuries
Since soft tissue injuries can range from minor to major, a doctor may recommend:
- Immobilization – a doctor may force the injured area to remain stable during your recovery with casts or splints. In some cases, victims of accidents must miss work. Remember, when you file an accident injury claim, you can include your lost wages for possible reimbursement.
- Physical Therapy – forced mobility and rest often means your muscles are deteriorating. This could necessitate physical therapy to regain your strength following an accident. Medical insurance may pay for this treatment, but when it doesn’t, you can hold the person who caused your injury can responsible for this expense.
- Surgical Repair – surgical repair may be required when you have suffered a serious soft tissue injury. Unfortunately, this will also mean you face a longer recovery time.
Seeking the Right Settlement
While not every personal injury claim can resolve successfully, victims who work with experienced lawyers typically get better results than those who try negotiating with insurers on their own. Remember, insurance companies are not on the side of victims; they will protect their own interests.
Enlisting Help From an Experienced Lawyer
When you are involved in an accident and suffer an injury because of someone else’s negligence, you should not deal with the financial costs. You need time to recover physically and emotionally after an accident. Meeting with an experienced lawyer allows you to turn the negotiation of your claim over to someone who has experience handling cases similar to yours.
There is no way to make up for the time you lose with friends and family while you recover from an injury suffered in an accident. While you are recovering, your entire focus should be on regaining your strength and your physical health. This is one reason why you need to contact an attorney as soon after your accident as possible.
Schedule a Free Consultation
When you are suffering soft tissue injuries, you may be uncertain about when you can return to work. Chances are your expenses are the same or higher than they were before your accident. This additional stress can hamper your ability to recover from your injuries.
When you take the time to schedule a free consultation with an accident injury lawyer, you can better understand your legal options to seek compensation for your injuries and other losses. You will also have a better understanding of your rights under the law.
