If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you have likely experienced one of the most common soft tissue injuries — whiplash. Because the discomfort and stiffness tend to be relatively mild when dealing with this type of injury, it’s common for people to assume that all soft tissue injuries will be just as manageable. That’s not always the case.
Soft tissue injuries refer to any type of wound that involves your body’s connective tissues. These include tendons, ligaments, and muscles. They support your bones and give you the flexibility you need to move. When any of these body parts sustains an injury, the pain can be debilitating and could prevent you from living your life as you used to.
What are the most common soft tissue injuries? Learn more about these wounds and what your options are if you sustain one in an accident caused by another party’s negligence.
Strains
Strains are sometimes referred to as “pulled muscles.” A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon stretches too far and tears. It causes significant pain and leads to difficulty moving the affected tissue. You may notice that the area is bruised, discolored, and swollen. Whiplash is a type of strain.
Strains can result from overuse, such as performing repeated movements at work, or from accidents. Repetitive strain can cause inflammation in your soft tissues, which can damage them if it lasts too long. Motor vehicle collisions, as well as slip and fall accidents, can lead to these.
Sprains
A sprain is an injury to a ligament — a strong band of fibrous tissue that connects two bones together in your joints. Sprains can occur when a joint is forced into an unnatural position, causing tearing or stretching and leading to significant pain. The difference between a sprain and a strain is that a sprain injures ligaments, while a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone (tendon).
Falling is a common cause of these injuries, but workplace accidents often involve sprains that occur because of repetitive motions.
Symptoms that you may have suffered a sprain include pain in the impacted joint, trouble moving the joint, swelling and bruising, a popping sound when you move the area, and reduced range of motion. As with other soft tissue injuries, the symptoms can begin hours or even days after the injury happens.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is inflammation of the tendons, which connect muscles to bones. It can occur in any tendon but is most common in your elbows, shoulders, knees, heels, and wrists. These injuries tend to cause only mild swelling, but they can be painful and limit how much you can move the affected part.
Though tendinitis is often the result of a sudden injury, it can also occur from wear and tear. Treating tendinitis can involve physical therapy, rest, and, sometimes, medications. In the most severe incidents, surgery could be necessary to address what’s causing the inflammation.
Bursitis
Another type of soft tissue injury is bursitis. It impacts the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints, bones, and muscles, causing inflammation and leading to significant pain. It’s usually the result of repetitive motions, but infections can also cause this injury.
Can I File a Lawsuit After Suffering a Soft Tissue Injury?
If you sustained a soft tissue injury because of another party’s misconduct, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim. These civil legal actions allow you to fight for the compensation you need to cover your losses.
Most of the time, these claims will require proof that another party’s negligence was responsible for your injury. This means showing that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it.
For example, every driver on the road owes a duty of care to other road users. If that driver does not operate their motor vehicle safely and reasonably—like if they excessively speed or drive intoxicated—then that could be considered a breach of their duty of care. If that breach then directly causes an accident, the driver will probably be liable for any resulting damages.
With a soft tissue injury, the victim must typically prove that the other person’s negligent conduct led directly to the injury and that the victim suffered losses as a result. If you only suffered a bit of swelling that did not cost you financially or otherwise, you may not be entitled to recover damages.
With help from a Chicago personal injury attorney, you can fight for economic and non-economic damages. These address everything from your medical expenses to your pain and suffering. The severity of the injury will play a significant role in the kind of compensation you receive.
Call Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation With Our Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys
After suffering a soft tissue injury because of another party’s conduct, beginning a claim requires assistance from experienced lawyers. You will be dealing with pain and medical treatments, so you shouldn’t have to stress about legal paperwork as well.
At Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers, our team of Illinois lawyers can assist you through the entire process. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Chicago personal injury lawyer.