The moment you get into any type of car accident, your brain releases adrenaline that can mask the pain you might feel from an injury. This is especially true of soft-tissue injuries that might not be readily observable.
Even a minor fender bender accident can cause a jolt that leads to serious injury requiring medical attention.
Soft tissue injuries occur due to the force of impact from a collision with another vehicle. What happens is that your car might come to a sudden stop, but the kinetic energy of the impact snaps your body forward and backward. Depending on the position of your body and the impact point, you could develop a soft tissue injury from the collision.
The worst-case scenario is that you get into a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence.
In that situation, the medical expenses you incur from any type of soft tissue injury should be paid for by the at-fault driver. Collecting that compensation is a task that Barrera Law Group LLC can help with.
Our Albuquerque car accident attorneys understand the challenges of establishing fault in a car accident involving soft tissue injuries.
The first step towards receiving compensation is to detail the extent of your injuries. The following are some of the common soft tissue damage injuries that can occur in a car accident:
Sprains
A sprain happens when a ligament is stretched or torn. Articular ligaments are found in your joints.
They connect bones and stabilize the joint. There are also peritoneal ligaments that hold and stabilize your organs in place. One of the most common types of sprains resulting from car accidents is knee sprains.
You can experience inflammation, swelling, bruising, and pain when moving if the knee is sprained.
Strains
A soft tissue strain can affect your muscles or tendons. A strain can be a mild stretch to a complete rupture of the muscle or tendon. That can limit your mobility.
Contusions
A contusion, or bruise, occurs when your skin is struck directly. The force of the impact can cause you to strike your arms, legs, or head on the steering wheel, dashboard, headrest, or doors.
The impact injures the connective tissues beneath the skin. Blood accumulates around the injury, but the skin doesn’t break. This leads to the classic bruise discoloration. A skin contusion can be tender to the touch, but it isn’t always serious. However, a muscle contusion can mean damage to the muscle or bleeding muscle fibers.
Whiplash
A whiplash is a soft tissue injury that targets your neck when a car collision quickly moves your neck forward and then snaps it back. This type of injury can happen even in accidents where you’re driving at 10 mph. By some estimates, there are three million whiplash injuries each year.
What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
The symptoms of a whiplash injury can include the following:
- Pain in the neck, shoulder, and/or back
- Stiffness
- Limited neck movement
- Muscle spasms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Tingling sensation
It is important to remember that the symptoms from a whiplash injury can often be delayed. You might not feel the full effects of a whiplash injury for several hours or even days.
Back Pain
Your back is especially vulnerable in a car accident. Even when a seat belt restrains you, your back can still suffer from that collision jolt. That can lead to sprains or strains along your spine that often manifest as back pain and muscle spasms.
Lacerations
Lacerations are another type of soft tissue injury that involves tearing or cutting your skin. A deep laceration can damage muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Lacerations can occur in a car accident due to flying debris from shattered windows or other objects.
Should You Document Your Injuries After a Car Accident?
No matter what type of soft tissue injury you suffer from a car accident, you must document what happened. In addition to copies of the medical records, you should also take photos and videos of the injury site if there are visible symptoms.
Those are the details you’ll want to share with the attorneys at Barrera Law Group LLC. We have helped numerous clients involved in car accidents caused by another driver find a remedy. That remedy should include your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The support we provide begins with a free consultation where you get your questions answered. We’ll also present you with all your options for moving forward and help you make the right decision about your claim options.
Call to schedule a consultation today.