Watch Out for Soft Tissue Injuries After a Car Accident

Soft tissue injuries are naked to the eye, but the pain, discomfort, and other symptoms caused by damaged soft tissue are all too real.

From minor fender-benders to major collisions, any type of car accident can result in soft tissue trauma, including whiplash, sprains, strains, and contusions. Unfortunately, many of these injuries can take hours, days, or weeks to appear, and they often can only be seen with medical imaging, such as ultrasound.

If you’re experiencing soft tissue swelling, pain, bruising, or limited range of motion after a car accident, seeking medical attention and consulting with a personal injury attorney can be the best way to ensure your soft tissue damages receive proper treatment and compensation.

Talk to the personal injury attorneys at Peters Law Firm by calling (712) 261-6513 or contacting us online. We’ll walk you through the details of your case and help you move forward with your claim to obtain any compensation you’re entitled to.

What Are Soft Tissue Injuries?

Soft tissue injuries refer to damage done to the body’s tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs. They primarily affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments and often occur due to sudden force or trauma, like from a car accident, or from overuse.

Symptoms generally include pain, swelling, bruising, and a limited range of movement in the affected area. These types of injuries vary widely in severity but are typically treatable with non-invasive methods.

Examples of Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries fall into two basic categories: acute and overuse.

• Acute injury is caused by sudden trauma, such as a car accident. It can result from a direct blow, abrupt movement, or excessive force that strains or tears the soft tissue.
• Overuse injury occurs gradually when repetitive activity strains the soft tissues beyond their normal capacity and range, leading to persistent pain and inflammation.

Understanding the difference between soft tissue injuries helps in recognizing their impact on your health following a motor vehicle accident. Both types require appropriate medical treatment to heal correctly and prevent long-term damage.

Common Soft Tissue Injuries From Car Accidents

Common injuries from a car accident include whiplash, sprains, strains, and contusions.

• Whiplash from a motor vehicle accident refers to a neck injury caused by the force of a car stopping suddenly due to sudden braking or a crash impact. However, whiplash is not a diagnosis; rather, it refers to a neck strain or sprain.
• Soft tissue sprains occur when a sudden impact violently jolts your body to where the ligaments connecting your bones become overstretched. Most sprains caused by car accidents are to the neck, with symptoms including pain or bruises, swelling and inflammation, and impaired flexibility.
• Soft tissue strains also occur when a vehicle is struck abruptly. The primary difference between a soft tissue sprain and a strain is that strains are tendon injuries. Most strains resulting from a car accident are to the lower back, with symptoms including tenderness or bruising, muscle spasms, swelling or inflammation, and reduced range of motion.
• A deep tissue contusion is severe bruising that occurs when blood vessels or capillaries are struck with such force that blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. Contusion symptoms include discolored skin areas, tenderness, and swelling around the bruise. Bruises can also be a sign of other injuries, like sprains, strains, and broken bones.
• Cerebral contusions and concussions are “closed head” injuries where bruising, bleeding, or swelling occurs inside the skull around the brain. These life-threatening injuries can be particularly dangerous, as they often don’t exhibit visible signs on the body’s surface. Symptoms include memory loss, numbness, confusion, and speech loss.

If you believe you are suffering whiplash from a car accident — or any other injury — professional medical attention is critical to protect your health and obtain the medical records you need for any personal injury claim.

Once you’ve obtained medical care, contact a personal injury attorney at Peters Law Firm to schedule a consultation. We’ll assess the facts of your case and determine whether you might be entitled to compensation. Contact us online or at (712) 261-6513 to begin the process and get the representation you deserve.