Are you still working through the process of getting a diagnosis for your injuries after a serious car accident? Has your doctor already told you that you have a soft tissue injury, and you want to know more about what this means? Read on to learn more about common soft tissue injuries and how to protect yourself in a personal injury claim. Soft tissue injuries for car accident victims can be life-changing, so take them seriously and continue seeking medical care.
While some soft tissue injuries get better in a matter of weeks, it’s not always the case. For some soft issue issues affecting an accident victim, they may go on for months. In this case, they can be considered long term injuries.
Understanding the Basics of Soft Tissue Injuries for Car Accident Victims
Victims need to be familiar with the impact of soft tissue injuries when determining their treatment plan, and potentially filing a personal injury claim. Many different kinds of injuries can affect an accident victim, and in the case of soft tissue injuries, you may not even realize the full scope of the problem until days or weeks after the accident. It can take time for a doctor to evaluate your full physical capabilities and to identify your symptoms to connect them to a diagnosis. Although soft tissue injuries may not be as immediately severe as something more life-threatening in an accident, soft tissue injuries can cause consistent and long-term pain. This can be problematic for a victim who is attempting to move forward with their life.
Many different soft tissue injuries are often downplayed by insurance companies when a victim files a personal injury lawsuit, because of the perception that some soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, are not as severe or as painful as other injury types. Soft tissue, however, is extremely vulnerable in vehicle accidents. Even though it is not a bone or an organ, soft tissue damage can still have long-lasting repercussions on a person’s life.
What Is A Soft Tissue Injury?
A soft tissue injury is a phrase simply used to refer to the parts of the body that are not organs or bones. This means; tendons, muscles, ligaments, or skin. Your soft tissue plays a key role in connecting and supporting your structures in your body, providing stability and enabling movement. Your soft tissue is also crucial for everyday activities, allowing you to perform various functions. Healthy soft tissue is crucial for overall well-being, and the impact of a car accident can be significant.
Soft tissue injuries can occur from various types of accidents, including; falls, workplace incidents, sports-related collisions, or car accidents. Here are some of the most common types of soft tissue injuries.
A sprain occurs when a ligament tears or stretches. Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect your bones to one another and are critical for overall joint stability. Ligaments can be torn or stretched, causing limited mobility, swelling or pain. Multiple sprains or severe sprains may require physical therapy, surgery, or immobilization for recovery.
Contusions are another type of soft tissue injury that can happen when the body experiences a direct blow. This causes capillaries to break beneath the skin surface, causing tenderness, discoloration, or swelling in the affected area. Minor contusions may heal with ice and rest, but severe contusions may require more involved medical attention.
Tendonitis refers to the inflammation of tendons or the fibrous tissues that connect your bones to your muscles. Acute trauma or repetitive motion can cause pain, tenderness, or swelling around the affected tendon. Rotator cuff tendonitis and tennis elbow are some of the most common types of tendonitis.
Strains may also occur when tendons or muscles stretch or tear as a result of pulls, twists or overuse. Strains can cause muscle spasms, limited movement, swelling, or significant pain. In many cases, strains may be diagnosed and then treated with physical therapy, compression, rest and ice.
Bursitis is another common type of soft tissue injury. When the fluid-filled sacs that cushion tendons, bones, and muscles become inflamed, this is diagnosed as bursitis. This can cause swelling, limited movement, or pain around your joints. Bursitis is frequently caused by direct trauma, prolonged pressure, or repetitive motion.
How Are Soft Tissue Injuries Diagnosed?
Soft tissue injuries may present numerous types of symptoms, including stiffness, pain, swelling, bruising, or weakness. A physical examination is frequently required to diagnose soft tissue injuries. Untreated soft tissue damage can lead to mobility, chronic pain, or even long-term complication.
Even if you initially didn’t have symptoms when you saw a doctor, report any changes in your overall condition to your doctor as soon as you notice them. Sometimes soft tissue injuries might not have immediate symptoms. Or it could be the case that you continue to suffer from these symptoms long after you expected them to fade away. In either case, notify your doctor to position yourself for the best treatment options going forward.
What Is The Impact Of Long-lasting Soft Tissue Injuries?
If not treated or diagnosed quickly with the right treatment plan soft tissue injuries can have lasting effects for victims. Some injuries may heal with care and time, but others may cause limited mobility, chronic pain, or permanent damage. One of the most common types of soft tissue injuries following an accident is whiplash, which can cause headaches, restricted movement, shoulder pain, or chronic neck pain. Severe sprains or strains may also result in the loss of joint stability or muscle function.
How Is Pain Managed For Soft Tissue Injuries?
The severity of your injuries will determine your doctor’s course and treatment plan. Your treatment may include surgery, support and immobilization, physical therapy and medications. Your doctor may even alter your treatment plan over time based on your response to previous treatments. As with all aspects of your injury claim, document any conversations with your doctor with what they said. Keeping a daily activity log can also bolster your claims of how a soft tissue injury affects your regular life. You might need this information if the insurance adjusters or other parties in the case try to downplay the impact of soft tissue injuries.
You can also do a great deal for yourself by continuing to attend all doctor’s appointments and following through on their treatment recommendations. This supports your case because it shows you have made a solid effort in following all instructions.
For many people, it can be hard to go about living their daily life, especially if they continue to experience problems like chronic pain. If they had a job that required physical labor, they may not be able to do it at all anymore, requiring them to stop working or get trained in a new field. For others, taking the pain medication that allows them to function carries other side effects that make it hard for them to work as they did prior to the accident. A lawyer can help you truly think through all the ways the accident has impacted your life so you can properly calculate future expenses.
What Do I Need To Know About Soft Tissue Injuries for Car Accident Victims When Filing A Lawsuit?
The support of an experienced personal injury lawyer in California can be instrumental in helping you recover compensation for your injuries and getting on the right treatment plan quickly. Our California injury lawyers have extensive experience in this field and are knowledgeable about how to help you navigate the complexities of your next steps. Although it can seem overwhelming to approach this process, the right attorney can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.
Soft tissue injuries for car accident victims can seriously affect their quality of life and their ability to work. If you’re worried about how you’ll move on after being diagnosed with these issues, or if you wonder about the long term impact, you need to talk to an attorney familiar with these concerns about the best way to protect yourself.
A lawyer can handle all of the communication, paperwork, and strategy in a personal injury claim linked to soft tissue injuries. Especially if you have multiple injuries, it’s in your best interest to hire an attorney who knows what it takes to build a strong case as most of your time will be taken up recovering or attending doctor’s appointments.
