Can I Add Damages for Soft-Tissue Injuries to a Car Crash Claim?

Car crashes, even relatively minor ones, can leave you with painful injuries that impact your ability to move, as well as your daily quality of life. Soft-tissue injuries are especially tricky because even if you do not see any visible damage, they can still be quite severe. Proving this damage in an injury claim is not easy.

This article specifically focuses on the various types of soft-tissue injuries that may occur in a car crash and how you may be able to seek compensation for the resulting damages.

Not sure if you have a valid car crash case? We offer a free consultation with one of our experienced car crash attorneys in Sacramento. We have extensive experience holding at-fault parties liable for the damages they caused. We are here to help you understand your potential legal options after being injured in a crash you did not cause.

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What Is a Soft-Tissue Injury?

Soft tissue exists everywhere throughout our bodies, forming our muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels. This tissue helps us to move, and it helps to stabilize, cushion and protect our bones and joints. The violent force of a car crash can easily damage soft tissue anywhere in your body. Victims with soft-tissue damage may experience swelling and bruising in the affected area, as well as mild to severe pain and reduced mobility.

Can I Include Soft-Tissue Injuries in My Legal Claim?

If another person’s negligent or reckless behavior caused your car crash, resulting in your soft-tissue injuries, you might have a case. However, the burden of proving this negligence rests on you as the injured victim. This means you will need to do more than say the other party caused your damages, you will need evidence to prove it.

Having an attorney manage your case means you have someone who knows what evidence is needed and how to get it. It also means you have someone looking out for your legal interests so you can focus on your recovery.

Proving negligence for soft-tissue injuries can be hard since the damage does not always show up on X-rays or MRIs. This is yet another reason to seek help from an attorney as soon after your crash as possible.

Even before you contact an attorney, however, there are some steps you can take to help protect your case:

• Go to the ER right away to get checked for serious injuries. This is the number one most critical step any crash victim can take. The treating doctor in the ER will document his or her findings in your medical records. This is important to track your diagnosis and ongoing treatment and recovery, of course. However, it also helps to link any injuries to the accident.
• Keep up with doctor visits: Another do-not-ignore item is to continue following your treating doctor’s recommended plan of care, like physical therapy.
• Follow your doctor’s advice: Listening to your doctor shows the insurance company you want to recover from your injuries. On the other hand, ignoring what your doctor says and going against their advice, gives the liable insurance company a reason to devalue or deny your claim. One very common example of this is if you engage in activities your doctor restricts you from.
• Keep a car crash journal: Among other things, you can use this journal to track your daily pain levels, recovery progress and how your soft-tissue injuries are affecting your quality of life.

Doing these things, along with following your lawyer’s advice, can strengthen your compensation claim.

What Are Some Common Soft-Tissue Injuries You Might Get in a Car Crash?

Soft tissue exists throughout your body, which means you can get injured pretty much anywhere throughout your body. For instance, you could injure your neck, chest, shoulders, hips, legs and more.

Here are some common soft-tissue injuries we often see after car crashes:

• Sprains and strains: These injuries happen when ligaments (that connect bones) or tendons (that connect muscles to bones) get stretched or torn because of the crash force.
• Whiplash: One of the most common neck injuries resulting from car accidents. This is caused by the motion of a crash at impact, where your head is suddenly jerked forward and back.
• Contusions: This is just medical speak for bruises, which are likely to happen when you hit parts of your body against something in the car during the crash.
• Lacerations: Deep cuts or wounds may be caused by glass, metal or other sharp objects during an accident.
• Rotator cuff tear: Damage to shoulder tissues from the crash impact can cause extreme pain, reduced mobility, strength and stiffness.
• Knee ligaments: Any of the ligaments surrounding your knee could get injured in a crash due to the force at impact or awkward twisting during the crash.
• Pinched or compressed nerves: When injured tissues swell and press on nerves, it can cause victims to experience a lot of pain or numbness.
• Hernia: When an organ pushes through tissue holding it in place, such as from the force of a crash, it can result in a painful hernia.

How Can I Tell if I Have a Soft-Tissue Injury or Something Else?

Signs of a soft-tissue injury may include pain, swelling, limited movement in the joint, muscle weakness, trouble standing or walking and muscle cramping or spasms in the affected area.

How Will My Doctor Treat My Soft-Tissue Injuries?

It depends on the severity of your injuries. Not every soft-tissue injury is severe. A sprain and strain, for example, may heal with extended rest, physical therapy and other home care. If you have more extensive soft-tissue damage, however, such as a rotator cuff tear, you may need surgery to enable it to heal.

Your doctor may recommend several weeks of rest, along with physical therapy. You may also need ice initially to help reduce any swelling. Some people might need over-the-counter or prescription medicine for pain management. The goal is to heal the injury as much as possible and manage pain while recovering.

Do You Have Legal Questions? Call Our Sacramento Law Firm for Answers

Understanding what to do about soft-tissue injuries caused by a car crash is important. Not only is it crucial for your health and well-being, but it is also a critical part of any legal claim you might have.

If you are hurt in a crash, seeing a doctor and consulting with an experienced lawyer can help ensure you get the treatment you need, along with any compensation you need for your damages. We are dedicated to holding at-fault parties accountable for the injuries they cause California car crash victims.

Call our law offices anytime, night or day to request an initial consultation. If you have a case and choose Arnold Law Firm to represent you, there are no upfront costs or fees to pay. We only get paid if you do.

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