If you are living with the symptoms, challenges and expenses associated with a soft tissue injury, you can contact Sevenish Law Firm in Indianapolis to discuss your situation. Whether you tripped on uneven pavement, experienced a car collision or hurt yourself in the workplace, a soft tissue injury lawyer in Indianapolis can help you gather evidence and fight for compensation.
What Is the Role of a Soft Tissue Injury Lawyer?
An attorney who handles soft tissue injury cases can advise you and help you understand your options. With your lawyer’s help, you can compile crucial information to strengthen your claim and create a strategy that protects your interests. If you need to communicate with insurers, an attorney can create important documentation and help you negotiate a settlement. Finally, a lawyer can take your case to court and litigate on your behalf.
What Is a Soft Tissue Injury?
Soft tissue injuries include any physical trauma that damages your tendons, skin, discs, ligaments or muscles. Overuse and accidents can harm your soft tissues, resulting in bruising, swelling and pain. More severe injuries can cause complications such as nerve damage and internal bleeding.
Common soft tissue injury examples
Muscle strains, ligament sprains and contusions are common types of soft tissue injuries. The following conditions are also examples of soft tissue damage:
- Lacerations
- Stress fractures
- Concussions
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
Soft tissue injuries impact many body parts, including hips, ankles, shoulders, knees and necks.
Accidents resulting in soft tissue injuries
Contusions and lacerations can occur in auto collisions, as can injuries to the spine and neck. Property maintenance issues may contribute to slip and fall accidents that cause soft tissue damage, including ankle sprains and hip injuries. Sometimes workers experience on-the-job accidents or repetitive motion injuries that impact the soft tissues.
What Are the Symptoms of a Soft Tissue Injury?
Most soft tissue damage causes pain and inflammation. Other signs of a soft tissue injury include:
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Numbness
- Spasms
- Redness or discoloration
- Stiffness or loss of flexibility
You might experience a lack of stability, coordination or strength when you have a soft tissue injury. Delayed symptoms are also possible, particularly after an accident. Adrenaline can mask early signs of pain or weakness, and inflammation may contribute to symptoms developing over time. A soft tissue injury lawyer can help you demonstrate that an accident caused your delayed symptoms.
Diagnosis of soft tissue injuries
Your physician is likely to take a description of your condition and the events that caused your soft tissue injury before performing a physical examination. Visible signs of damage, such as bruising and swelling, can indicate soft tissue injuries. Your doctor can also check for physical sensations associated with joint instability, dislocation or nerve damage. Finally, an MRI can demonstrate physical harm to the soft tissues in detail.
Soft tissue injury treatment
For many soft tissue injuries, anti-inflammatory medications can relieve pain during recovery. Gentle compression and periodic icing can also lessen the effects of swelling and inflammation. Your doctor might recommend that you rest for a limited time to allow your injury to heal.
Splints, slings and casts can immobilize damaged body parts, which might be necessary for recovery. However, movement can also help treat a soft tissue injury. Stretching and physical therapy exercises can address symptoms like weakness, stiffness and chronic pain. More serious injuries, including tendon tears and severe ligament sprains, might necessitate surgery.
How Does a Soft Tissue Injury Claim Work?
A soft tissue injury can disrupt your life, complicating daily responsibilities like going to work and caring for your family. Furthermore, missed work and medical treatment can be financially burdensome. To receive the support you deserve, you can pursue an insurance settlement that assists with expenses and the difficulties you face after an accident. An injury lawyer can fight for a fair outcome and negotiate with adjusters. You might also pursue a personal injury lawsuit to win damages from an insurance company or the party who caused your injury.
Sometimes insurers resist covering soft tissue injury claims, deeming them less serious. However, the costs and hardships associated with soft tissue injuries are real. Documenting your injuries and recovery in detail can provide valuable evidence. Testimony from witnesses and medical experts can also inform your case.
Discuss Your Soft Tissue Injury Case With an Indianapolis Lawyer
We can talk with you for free about the details of your case. You can explore issues of liability and fault surrounding the incident that caused your injury. Your attorney can also discuss legal fees and potential compensation if you decide to proceed with your claim. For help evaluating your situation and determining an appropriate course of action, contact us at Sevenish Law Firm in Indianapolis for a consultation.
FAQs About Soft Tissue Injuries
How long does it take to recover from a soft tissue injury?
Depending on the nature and severity of the damage, it can take several months to recover from a soft tissue injury fully. In some cases, ongoing pain and permanent impairment can occur.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury that involves spraining the neck. The symptoms of whiplash, which include stiffness, dizziness and cognitive issues, are sometimes delayed in onset.
