Car accidents can cause a wide variety of injuries, including everything from broken bones to brain injuries and more. Many car accidents also cause substantial soft tissue injuries, many of which may not be obvious immediately after the accident. Any time you suffer any type of injury in a car accident, working with a Georgia car accident lawyer can help you better determine your next steps.
What is a Soft Tissue Injury?
Soft tissue injuries involve any type of injury to muscles, tendons, or ligaments. There are several basic types of soft tissue injuries.
Sprains
A sprain occurs when a ligament, often in the knees, ankles, or wrists, suffers a partial tear. A sprain can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness. In some cases, it may be difficult to use or bear weight on the injured limb.
Strains
A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon suffers minor injury. In a car accident, muscle or tendon strain generally occurs because of the extreme force of the accident. A full tear of the muscle or tendon may require surgical treatment.
Contusions
Contusions, also known as bruising, often occur as a result of blunt force trauma to the body. Contusions can lead to significant bleeding into the tissue of the area. In many cases, serious contusions can mean ongoing bleeding into that tissue, which may require treatment from a medical professional.
Treating Soft Tissue Injuries After a Georgia Car Accident
Often, treating soft tissue injuries, regardless of the type of injury, requires the same basic treatment plan.
- See a doctor to fully evaluate the seriousness of the injury and develop a treatment plan.
- Rest the injured area. You may not, for example, be able to fully bear weight on an injured limb, or you may need to avoid some types of movement for a period of time after the accident.
- Use ice to help reduce swelling.
- Use compression to help reduce swelling and provide support for the injured limb. Braces or wraps may be used to help protect sprains and strains, especially while you go about your everyday activities.
- Elevate the injured area above the heart when possible. This may mean, for example, propping a foot up on a chair while it heals. You may also need to prop your injured limb up at night.
In some cases, soft tissue injuries can require surgical treatment, as in the case of a full muscle tear or when a ligament is completely torn away from the body. A doctor can evaluate the extent of your injuries and provide you with more information about your next steps.
Handling Soft Tissue Injuries After a Georgia Car Accident
When you suffer any type of injury in a Georgia car accident, including a soft tissue injury, you may have the right to compensation. However, you may need to follow the right steps to protect that right to compensation following a car accident.
1. Seek medical attention for all injuries, including soft tissue injuries.
You may be tempted to treat a soft tissue injury at home, especially if you have suffered strains or sprains in the past and feel that you have not suffered any more significant injury now. However, any time you suffer an injury in a car accident, you should have a medical care provider look over your injuries and provide you with a detailed diagnosis and treatment plan. Make sure your doctor lays out any important details like how long you may need to stay out of work with a strain or sprain, since you may need to use that evidence to help clearly establish how much income you have lost because of your injuries.
2. Report the accident.
If you suffered any type of injury in a car accident, make sure you report the accident to the police. You will need a police report from the accident to make it easier for you to move forward with an insurance claim. Check the police report later to ensure that it contains an accurate account of what led to your Georgia car accident.
3. Talk to a lawyer about how to best handle your car accident report and claim.
A lawyer can help provide you with a solid understanding of your next steps, from how to show evidence of soft tissue injuries to what compensation you can claim for your injuries. As part of a Georgia car accident claim, you may have the right to include compensation for:
- All medical bills that exceed the coverage of MedPay insurance that you may carry to help protect against high motor vehicle accident-related injury costs
- The wages you lost as a direct result of your injuries
- Pain and suffering for your injuries
By working with a lawyer, you can make sure that you have your suffering and injuries included as part of your injury claim.
4. Document all the costs you may face as you recover from your injuries.
Keep up with all medical bills and any time you may have to miss at work because of your accident. You may want to include any documentation from your doctor that outlines the extent of your injuries and your limitations, since you may need to use that documentation as proof of your injuries and losses.
5. Journal about your journey to recovery.
Make particular note of any difficulties you may have faced as a direct result of your accident, including ongoing physical pain or limitations you may have had to contend with because of your accident and injuries. Your journal can help you provide more accurate timelines related to your recovery as well as making it easier for you to describe the challenges you may have faced along the way.
Did You Suffer Soft Tissue Injuries in a Georgia Car Accident?
At Cambre & Associates, we can help you seek the compensation you may deserve for Georgia car accident injuries, including soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and contusions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.