When making a claim for personal injury from an accident, at some point, you have to identify the kind of injury you are experiencing in order to qualify for it. Among the most common injuries that a person can sustain from an accident are soft tissues injuries. Soft tissue injuries usually include injury to tendons, muscles, and ligaments, and are often difficult to prove.
Soft tissue injuries are often accompanied with bruising, swelling, pain and in severe cases can even cause loss in functionality of a certain part of the body. The kind of soft tissue injuries that people generally suffer can include the following:
Sprains
These happen when the ligaments of the body are stretched or even torn. In some instances, this can greatly harm the joint and cause pain in movement. Sprains are very common in areas such as wrists and ankles, but it is possible to sprain a shoulder or knee as well. Any area that has a joint can be sprained. Depending on how severe it is, the person may have to stay sedentary for a week or more to aid recovery.
Strains
Strains occur when the muscles of the body are torn or over-stretched. While they are similar to sprains, the pain caused is more severe and more time is usually needed to rest and recuperate. Common areas for strains to appear are the hamstring (the back of leg), the foot and the back, since the muscles in these areas are usually put under a lot of stress.
Tendonitis
This is when the tendons of the body are injured. This can be severe, causing swelling of the joints and even inflammation around them. This occurs when a bone has come in contact with a tendon and is irritated. In severe cases, this can cause immobility for months. Tendons are also rather tricky to heal since improper healing of the tendons can distort the muscles as well and cause problems in motor skills in the future, long after the original wound has healed.
Bruising
Bruising is usually caused when there is a surface injury that causes damage to the muscles directly under the skin. Bruising can also occur when there is a serious injury, but sometimes the bruise can look more severe than the actual injury. In some instances, bruising will disappear well before the injury itself has healed.
Determining Compensation for a Soft Tissue Injury
Soft tissue injuries are complex because they can occur with broken bones and other serious ailments, particularly if one was involved in a car accident or was physically assaulted. When it comes to soft tissue damage, the injuries you sustain should always be photographed, particularly if you’re planning to make a claim for personal injury.
Moreover, the amount of discomfort that the injury produces has to be documented as well. Despite their severity, the body can recover from soft tissue injuries very easily and this can mean that by the time the case is resolved, the injury is no longer present, which significantly affects the value of the claim. For this reason, proper documentation and retaining a professional such as the Personal Injury Lawyer is the best way to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
