Many accident victims have probably heard the terms “soft tissue injury” or “major personal injury”. What do these terms actually mean? An accident attorney can help define soft tissue or major injury for you.
A soft tissue injury is damage to any tissue in the body, but is often referred to as damage to the muscles, tendons or ligaments. Soft tissue injuries are injuries that generally result from sudden traumatic events or physical activities like sports. These injuries can often happen on a physically demanding job or because of a vehicle accident. Soft tissue injuries include, but are not limited to: sprains, strains, tears, bruises, tendonitis, bursitis and stress injuries. Any of these types of injuries can be as a result of a fall, twist or blow to the body. Often times, soft tissue injuries are a result of a single event, unlike injuries that may develop over time due to wear and tear. Soft tissue injuries are often not viewed as serious injuries, but can be extremely painful and life altering and have long recovery times. A torn ACL, for example, is very painful and can take up to a year to fully recover from. Torn cartilage can also lead to lifelong pain.
The spinal cord and the brain are also made of soft tissue surrounded by bone. Injuries to either are life altering events. Spinal cord injuries are often a result of an injury to the spine, which is not a soft tissue injury. However, a spinal cord injury can still be a soft tissue injury. Spinal cord injuries usually result from sudden, traumatic injuries. Even a minor car accident can result in a spinal cord injury. Auto and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries accounting for more than 35% of spinal cord injuries. Falls, acts of violence and sports are other leading causes of spinal cord injuries.
Just because your injury has been classified as a soft tissue injury does not diminish how serious it may be. Soft tissue injuries can be traumatic, life altering and even life threatening in some cases. If you believe you have the symptoms of a spinal cord injury, please see a doctor immediately. Spinal cord injuries can continue to worsen for weeks after the injury causing event.
Suffered a Soft Tissue Injury?
If you have been injured, contact our New Orleans auto injury and maritime lawyers today. Serving clients throughout the Gulf Coast area, we have the skill and experience to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.