What is Soft Tissue Damage?
9 May 2019 Legal Services
Knowing what soft tissue damage is will help you look for and understand the signs of a potential soft tissue injury after an accident. At Linley Welwood, they understand how complex personal injury cases involving soft tissue injuries can be. That is why their team of personal injury lawyers have extensive training and experience in handling all kinds of soft tissue damage cases.
What is a Soft Tissue Injury?
Soft tissue injury is a broad term used to define tears, pulls, and contusions of ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Unlike broken bones or lacerations, soft tissue injuries may be less noticeable after an accident because soft tissue injuries occur when damage is done to the body’s ligaments, muscles, or tendons. Soft tissue damage is most often the result of a blow, strain, or sprain to a body part.
Common Types of Soft Tissue Injuries After an Accident
While soft tissue injuries can often seem minor compared to other types of injuries, soft tissue damage often takes much longer to heal and can drastically impact your ability to perform everyday activities. Some of the most common types of soft tissue injuries after an accident include:
Whiplash
Whiplash is caused by the sudden movement of the head due to a collision and can often result in spinal injuries. This type of soft tissue injury can lead to a great deal of pain to the neck, shoulders, and upper arms. In some cases, whiplash may even lead to numbness in the hands and headaches.
Sprains
Sprains are caused by ligaments in the body’s joints—elbows, knees, ankles, shoulders, etc.—stretching or tearing due to sudden movement caused by an accident. This type of soft tissue damage can cause joint pain, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, swelling, and cramps.
Strains
Strains are caused by the stretching or tearing of muscles or tendons due to trauma caused by an accident. Similar to sprains, strains can cause pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and cramps.
Contusions and Hemotomas
Contusions and hematomas are painful bruises where blood pools under the skin around an injury after a collision. Contusions, often referred to as bruises, refer to smaller blood vessels that have broken or become damaged, and hematomas refer to the larger blood vessels. In some cases, this type of soft tissue injury can lead to permanent damage.
Determining Compensation for Damages
If you receive soft tissue damage due to an accident caused by another party, chances are that you will be able to file a negligence claim to pursue compensation for your injuries. Filing a personal injury claim for soft tissue damage can potentially provide you with compensation for damages, as well as for lost wages and medical bills. Hiring a legal professional can help you determine which options are available to you for filing a personal injury claim for your soft tissue damages.
If you would like to learn more about what soft tissue damage is, or if you are interested in legal services for serious injuries, please contact Linley Welwood at 604-850-6640 or by filling out a contact form on their website.
