Recognizing the Signs of a Soft Tissue Injury After an Accident
There are two main types of soft tissue injuries, acute injuries and overuse injuries. This post is concerned with acute injuries, which are caused by a sudden trauma, like a fall or blow to the body. While considered less severe than other types of blunt force injuries, acute soft tissue injuries are still painful and debilitating and may be compensable after an accident.
Common Acute Soft Tissue Injuries
There are a lot of ways that a person can be injured in an accident, but many walk away with some type of soft tissue injury, such as:
- Sprains, which occur when the ligaments that connect the bones and stabilize the body’s joints are stretched or torn, resulting in pain and instability;
- Strains, which occur when the tendons attaching the muscles to the bone or the muscles themselves are overly stretched or torn, resulting in muscle spasms, cramping, pain, and weakness; and
- Contusions, which occur when a blunt object strikes a part of the body, damaging the underlying muscle fibers and tissues without breaking the skin, causing blood to pool around the site of the injury.
Certain areas of the body are more prone to soft tissue injuries. The ankles, knees, and wrists, for instance, are vulnerable to sprains, while the back and legs, especially the hamstrings, are prone to strains. Unfortunately, the adrenaline rush that so often accompanies car accidents can prevent the body from feeling soft tissue injuries, which can be difficult to diagnose anyway. By understanding how soft tissue damage occurs and what types of delayed symptoms to look for, car accident victims can avoid suffering a much more serious injury and obtain treatment right away.
Signs of a Soft Tissue Injury
While the symptoms of a soft tissue injury will vary depending on the type of injury, the area of the body affected, and the health of the victim, there are some universal signs that accident victims can keep an eye out for, including:
- Stiffness;
- Bruising;
- Swelling;
- Pain;
- Numbness or tingling;
- Muscle spasms and cramping;
- Weakness; and
- Limited mobility.
These symptoms will worsen if left untreated, which is why it’s so important for accident victims to get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. Treatment could include everything from rest, icing, and elevation, to bracing, surgery, and physical therapy. While these costs can quickly add up, they can often be covered by the person who caused the victim’s injury. To learn more about filing a claim for compensation after an accident, feel free to reach out to our legal team today.
Experienced Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyers
Accident victims who were not at fault for their injuries should not be forced to cover the cost of treatment and time off from work. If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, you are not without legal recourse, please call the experienced Florida personal injury lawyers at Boone & Davis to learn more about your options moving forward. You can set up a free consultation by reaching out to our legal team at 954-566-9919 today.
Sources:
orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries/
urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=p00942
