In Georgia, car accidents are the leading cause of emergency room visits and deaths due to injury. Not all injuries from car crashes are as serious as others–many accidents result only in minor property damage–however, it’s important not to discount soft tissue injuries or shrug them off.
Common Soft Tissue Injuries
Below is a list of some of the most common soft tissue injuries suffered due to car accidents. This list is not comprehensive, but instead is intended to give you an idea of what constitutes a soft tissue injury. If you believe you have suffered soft tissue injuries as a result of a vehicle accident, it’s important to seek medical attention (if you haven’t already) and speak to an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney to learn more about what options are available to you.
- Bruising/contusions;
- Adhesions or damage to the muscle tissue;
- Sprains/pulled or strained muscles;
- Whiplash;
- Back pain, stiffness, or other problems; and
- Neck pain, stiffness, or other problems.
Avoiding the Legal Challenges of Soft Tissue Injuries
Often, soft tissue injuries–for instance, bruises–do not become visible for days after an accident, they also can’t be confirmed by x-ray. Other soft tissue injuries, such as damage to a ligament or muscle, may not feel too bad at the site of the accident, but will get progressively more painful as time goes on. Some ways to avoid these pitfalls include reporting any physical discomfort when asked by officers at the scene if you are injured, and seeking immediate and follow-up medical treatment.
Officers include information about injuries and property damage in the accident report, and it helps to corroborate a soft tissue injury if it is documented from the very beginning. Many people may feel self-conscious or dramatic reporting a slight pain or possible bruise to a police officer, particularly when others were more seriously injured in the accident. But take a deep breath, scan your body, and be honest about what doesn’t feel the same as it did before the accident.
While your soft tissue injuries may not be visible to doctors immediately after the accident, it’s still important to describe to them any pain or discomfort you are having. Your physical complaints will be included in the doctor’s notes, regardless of whether you receive a diagnosis at the appointment. To be sure that the doctor captures everything, it is a good idea to let them know at the start of the appointment that you have been in a car accident and that the documentation from this appointment will be used in litigation so they can be sure to keep a detailed record of the visit. Your soft tissue injuries will likely be more apparent in follow-up visits, and then you will have a solid and documented trail confirming the existence of the injury.
Next Steps
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, contact the experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys at Durham Law Group and schedule a consultation today.
Resource:
dph.georgia.gov/cdc-core/motor-vehicle-crashes
