Motor accident victims are bound to sustain a variety of injuries, which can range from minor to major ones. Although many people assume that it is the high impact accidents that cause harm, this is not true. Low impact collisions are primarily responsible for soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue injuries are those that result in the ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Victims experience soreness, stiffness, swelling and bruising, all of which are often very painful.
Soft tissue injuries might take between six weeks and three months to heal. Recovery period varies from an individual to another, and for some they still experience pain even after three months. All this while, the victim suffers pain and is not able to return to normal daily activities. At times it may take two to four days for the symptoms to show, thus always seek medical attention immediately after an accident, however minor it may be.
If you have any of the symptoms above after a car accident, you might be suffering from a soft tissue injury. Here’s what you should do:
1. First aid
Immediately after a soft tissue injury, you ought to carry out a few first aid techniques to manage the damage. The rice method is the most recommended for soft tissue injuries. The method will help reduce the effect of the injury as you wait to get to a hospital.
- Rest: the particular part that is ailing should be rested.
- Ice: Use cold packs on the affected area. Placing the ice packs directly on the skin is not advisable. Instead, use a wash cloth between the skin and the ice.
- Compression: to prevent additional blood loss and excessive swelling, use an elastic bandage to apply gentle force to the area.
- Elevate: to reduce swelling, raise the affected part above your heart’s level.
2. Visit a medical facility
Consulting a doctor is important for two reasons. First, it will help you get well soon. Secondly, you will be able to document the injuries. Prove of injury will be necessary when filing for compensation with a nyc personal injury attorney.
Common soft tissue injuries after an accident
- Sprain- It is an extensive stretch and tear of a ligament. Ligaments are the strong bands of connective tissues that connect bones. Therefore, they ensure the stability of joints. Once a ligament is damaged in an accident, it results in a creep or laxity effect. The laxity may make a part of your spine to shift past its range of motion. The outcome of severe sprain is excessive stress on your vertebral discs.
- Strain- refers to an injury to either a tendon or a muscle. The muscle might only overstretch, or it can tear partially or wholly. A whiplash is a typical example of a strain that results from accidents.
- Contusions- they are bruises caused by a direct impact that affects the underlying muscles without breaking the skin. Usually, there is an accumulation of blood at a bruise. Contusions often result from slamming onto the steering wheel.
3. Get legal assistance
Soft tissue injuries are quite difficult to prove using objective evidence. Insurance adjusters might claim that the victim is exaggerating the injury to increase the amount of compensation. Another problem with proving soft tissue injuries is that they do not physically manifest themselves. They do not appear in common diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT scans or MRIs. Usually, the victim’s grievances of subjective pain help determine the kind of injury. The lesser the subjective evidence, the easier it is for soft tissue injuries to be refuted.
Regardless of these difficulties, it is still possible for accident victims to get compensation for their pain, suffering and physical injuries. However, one ought to show the link between the injury and the accident. That is why seeking medical treatment immediately after the accident is crucial.
How nyc personal injury attorneys can help
If you have suffered soft tissue injuries, consider consulting a nyc personal injury lawyer. Personal injury attorneys will advise you on the kind of evidence that will substantiate your claim. They are also aware of the state laws pertaining personal injuries. Therefore, a nyc personal injury lawyer will use his knowledge to help you prove the link between the injury and the accident.
Comments are closed here.