Car Accident Injuries (Soft Tissue)

Motor vehicle collisions can result in devastating injuries that can make it impossible to work and can require months or even years of medical treatment and rehabilitation. While most of us might think that the most debilitating car accident injuries are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, and amputations, soft-tissue injuries can also cause substantial pain and disability. It is important to know that soft-tissue injury claims arising out of car crashes are common reasons that plaintiffs seek and obtain financial compensation.

If you have questions about filing a car accident claim, an experienced soft tissue car accident injury lawyer can assist you.

What are soft-tissue injuries? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the ‘term soft-tissue injury’ refers to an injury that causes damage to the soft tissues like “muscles, ligaments, and tendons.” The following are the different ways that soft-tissue injuries can be classified:

• Contusions (also known as bruises);
• Sprains;
• Tendonitis;
• Bursitis;
• Stress injuries; and
• Strains.

When a person suffers a soft-tissue injury, she or he typically experiences “pain, swelling, bruising, and damage.” The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) explains that soft-tissue injuries either can be acute injuries or overuse injuries. When a person sustains a soft-tissue injury in a car accident, such an injury is an example of an acute soft-tissue injury. As the AAOS clarifies, acute injuries “are caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall, twist, or blow to the body.” The most common types of soft-tissue injuries that result from trauma are sprains, strains, and contusions.

Whiplash can be an example of an acute-soft-tissue injury that occurs in a motor vehicle crash. According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash is an injury to the neck that results from the “forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip.” Whiplash most commonly occurs in rear-end collisions.

For many people who suffer acute soft-tissue injuries, recovery is possible with the RICE protocol: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. The RICE protocol typically is effective for sprains, strains, and contusions. However, the effectiveness of this treatment also depends upon the severity of the injury. In some cases, patients require medical treatment in order to “prevent permanent damage to the soft tissues,” according to the AAOS.

Whether you suffer whiplash or another type of acute soft-tissue injury in a crash, it is extremely important to seek medical attention. You might not think your injury is severe enough to require immediate treatment from a healthcare provider, but delaying your visit to your doctor can result in your injuries getting worse.

If you fail to seek prompt medical attention, the negligent driver in the crash may be able to raise the defense of comparative fault, alleging that you are partially to blame for the severity of your injuries. Under California law, a plaintiff can still recover damages regardless of her percentage of assigned fault, but her damages award will be reduced by her proportion of the fault.

If you sustained soft-tissue injuries in a car wreck, you should discuss your options with a soft tissue car accident injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact the Walton Law Firm to get started on your case with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.