What Are Soft Tissue Injuries?

Soft tissue injuries, which be minor and severe, typically occur in the tendons, ligaments, and muscle fibers. Nerve damage is another common soft tissue injury.

While these injuries are not as serious as brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, they can cause prolonged pain. Some victims of soft tissue injuries have to take off from work until their injuries heal. Doctors usually encourage resting, taking medications, and applying cold or heat to the injured area.

If you have suffered a soft tissue injury in an accident, the New York soft tissue injury attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C. can help. Call us today at 855-TOP-FIRM or to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

Soft tissue injuries involve the following structures:

• Tendons: Cords of fibrous tissue made of collagen that attach muscle to bone.
• Ligaments: Ligaments are fibrous connective tissues that attach bone to bone and hold joints together.
• Muscles: Muscles are bundles of fibrous tissue that attach to bones by tendons and contract to move.

Soft tissue injuries are categorized by three levels of severity:

1. Mild: Small tears and minimal swelling.
2. Moderate: Partial tears and more swelling. Increased pain, especially when putting weight on the area that was injured.
3. Severe: Total ruptures with a lot of swelling. Severe pain and inability to use the injured area.

Soft tissue injuries may take weeks or months to heal, depending on the severity. Severity can increase if a mild injury is not properly treated. This is why you must seek treatment if you experience any kind of pain following an accident. A doctor will give you the advice you need to recover.

Examples of soft tissue injuries include:

Sprains

Sprains happen when ligaments stretch or tear. The sudden twisting of a joint is the most common cause of sprains. Ankles, knees, and wrists are especially susceptible to sprains.

Signs and symptoms of a sprain include:

• Swelling
• Pain
• Bruising
• Tenderness
• Limited mobility

Strains

Strains happen when tendons or muscle tissue become stretched or torn. Strains usually happen when the body party is subjected to trauma. The back, hamstrings, and feet are particularly susceptible to strains.

Common symptoms of a strain include:

• Muscle tightness
• Muscle pain
• Muscle weakness
• Swelling
• Spasms

Whiplash

Common in car accidents, whiplash is a neck injury that happens when the head is jerked violently backward and forward. Symptoms may include neck pain, stiffness, muscle tenderness, fatigue, sleep issues, and tinnitus.

Contusions

Contusions are bruises that occur when blood vessels or capillaries leak blood into the surrounding area, resulting in an accumulation of blood outside the vessel. Contusions can occur to skin, muscle, and bone and can develop rapidly or hours after the injury.

Overuse Injuries

Repetitive use and overuse can lead to soft tissue injuries. Pulling, pushing, straining, or twisting can, over time, lead to soft tissue injuries. Symptoms, which typically develop gradually, may include inflammation, pain, or the inability to use the affected body part.

Soft tissue injuries can happen as a result of a wide variety of personal injuries, including but not limited to:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Medical malpractice
• Construction accidents
• Nursing home abuse
• Workplace accidents
• Dog bites
• Assaults
• Product liability
• Premises liability

Treatment for Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries can linger if they are not promptly and properly treated. To speed your recovery and get back to your daily life, you must see a doctor and stick to a treatment plan. Your treatment regimen will depend on the type of injury you have suffered and how severe it is.

Common treatments for soft tissue injuries include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Rest, ice, compression, elevation (the RICE method)
• Physical therapy
• Surgery

It’s important to limit your movement and stay off your feet as much as possible so that your body can fully recover.

How a Soft Tissue Injury Lawyer Can Help

Retaining an experienced soft tissue lawyer attorney can have a huge impact on your case’s value. Insurance companies will try to settle your claim quickly. Insurance companies will do everything they can to limit the amount they pay on your claim. Insurances are for-profit companies. They do not have your best interests at heart. They’re most concerned about their bottom line. Having a skilled attorney to handle your soft tissue injury claim offers you much greater protection.

The insurance company will try to downplay the severity of your soft tissue injury. To improve your chances of a favorable result, an experienced lawyer can help you prove that soft tissue injury is legitimate. Trying to handle your personal injury case alone is risky. Your future medical and personal care needs are too important to leave to chance.

Placing your soft tissue injury case in the hands of an experienced New York City injury attorney will give you the peace of mind you need during this trying time. A personal injury claim is your right under New York law, and you deserve the maximum compensation for your injuries. While no two soft tissue injury cases are exactly alike, you might be entitled to compensation.

Contact a New York Soft Tissue Injury Attorney

Proving negligence in a personal injury case involving a soft tissue injury can be complicated. It takes skills, resources, and experience. The seasoned New York soft tissue injury attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C. have what it takes to help you secure the full and fair compensation you deserve for your injury.

Our compassionate lawyers will be beside you every step of the way, providing you with the legal advice and guidance you need. If you have sustained a soft tissue injury in New York that was due to someone else’s negligence, call Finz & Finz, P.C. today at 855-TOP-FIRM to schedule a free and confidential consultation.