How do soft tissue injuries affect my injury claim?

What is a soft tissue injury?

Soft tissue injury is a broad term used to capture injuries ranging from tears, pulls, and/or contusions of one’s ligaments, tendons, or muscles. According to John Hopkins Medicine, soft tissue injuries can result in pain, swelling, bruising, and damage. The following are some of the more common types of soft tissue damage that can occur after an accident:

1. Contusions: Contusions are injuries to muscle tissue often resulting from blunt force, such as a fall, and will result in pain and swelling. There will likely also be bruising around the injured area.
2. Sprains: A sprain is a partial tear of a ligament, often caused by a twisting of the injured ligament.
3. Strains: A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon often caused by overuse, force, or stretching of the muscle or tendon.
4. Whiplash Associated Disorders (“WAD”): Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) is a term is used to describe injuries to the ligaments, tendons, and muscles in your neck and is often caused by abnormal motion or force applied to your neck. Whiplash injuries are classified into four grades of severity. The classification of your whiplash injury can have a major impact on your compensation and help to determine whether your injuries fall within the minor injury cap for your province.

While soft tissue injuries can be minor in nature, they can also leave you with ongoing pain and discomfort for years after your accident. Some may even require you to change your duties at work or how you live your daily life. When pursuing a personal injury claim, it is important that these injuries do not get overlooked and that you receive proper care and compensation for all the injuries you have sustained as a result of your accident.

What is the value of my soft tissue injury claim?

The value of a soft tissue injury claim is based on the losses the injured party suffered as a result of their accident injuries. These losses, or “damages”, fall into categories called heads of damages, such as pain and suffering, lost wages, and cost of future medical care. Learn more about how a claim’s value is evaluated.

The importance of medical documentation for soft tissue injuries

Soft tissue injuries can be more difficult to prove than visible injuries such as broken bones, since they often do not appear on standard medical imaging tests. This makes documentation of your injuries extremely important in pursuing a personal injury claim.

To ensure you have the best chance at receiving fair compensation, you must be proactive with your treatment. Seek medical attention when you first start experiencing pain or other symptoms, and follow through with the prescribed treatment. Thoroughly describe the symptoms you’re experiencing to your doctor, including their impact on your work or daily activities. Do not ignore or play down your symptoms.

Thorough medical documentation and adherence to medical advice are crucial to the success of your claim, especially if your injuries worsen or do not fully resolve.

If you’ve suffered a soft tissue injury at the fault of another, book a free consultation to learn more about your legal options.