Soft Tissue Injuries
The term soft tissue is often defined by what it is not: not bones. Thus, soft tissue includes structures that connect, support, and surround bones. When people speak of injuries to soft tissue, they normally refer to injuries to muscles, ligaments, tendons, etc. Injuries to soft tissues, with proper care, often resolve in a relatively short period of time. There are times, however, when an injury that initially appears to be a soft tissue injury develops into a serious and debilitating injury that in the end may require surgical intervention and may leave the injured person permanently disabled.
The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers routinely represent individuals who sustain soft tissue injuries. A common situation in which an individual sustains soft tissue injuries is when he or she is involved in a car accident. As a result of a motor vehicle collision, a person inside may get jolted around resulting in sprains and strains of various muscles and other tissues. It is common for a person whose vehicle is struck in the rear to experience whiplash-like movement of his or her body, often resulting in injuries to the neck and low back.
Often, proper and timely conservative treatment, such as physical therapy and chiropractic treatment, allows the injured person to return to the pre-accident state of health. Sometimes, however, the injuries do not resolve quickly or easily. For example, in certain circumstances, as a result of a car accident, a person may develop abnormalities in his or her spine, such as bulging or herniated disc or other problems. These spinal injuries can develop into serious and painful condition, known as radiculopathy, that may result in pain and other symptoms, such as numbness and tingling, radiating into the person’s arms or legs.
Often soft tissue injuries are concentrated around the spine, but they are not always limited to the spinal region. Vehicle accidents may result in injuries of the soft tissues of other body parts, as well, such as shoulders, knees, elbows, etc. The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have often represented individuals with injuries to these body parts that were caused by car accidents. Again, most of the time these injuries resolve with proper and timely conservative medical treatment. Sometimes, however, soft tissue injuries to shoulders, knees, and elbows may require more involved treatment and, under certain circumstances, may require surgery. It is important to establish a proper diagnosis and receive proper treatment immediately after the injury occurs, which may minimize the chance that the injury that initially appears to be easily manageable develops into a serious, painful and even permanent condition.
The problem with soft tissue injuries is that they are often difficult to prove. Unlike broken bones, less serious soft tissue injuries do not show up on x-rays. Because of that, insurance companies are notorious for denying the existence of soft tissue injuries and many times refuse to compensate victims for such injuries. Even when a soft tissue injury develops into a serious condition, such as a bulging or herniated disc in the neck or low back or a torn rotator cuff in the shoulder, insurance companies argue that the injury preexisted the accident and therefore was not caused by the accident. Insurance companies often argue that if the vehicle was not damaged extensively, the person inside was either not injured or injured only slightly, minimizing or ignoring altogether injuries and complaints that cannot be confirmed with an x-ray or MRI. That is not fair to the injured person, whose life can be seriously disrupted by the pain caused by the accident and who has to incur medical expenses and, perhaps, lose time from work. It is important that the injured person consult with an experienced attorney who can successfully take on the insurance companies. The personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have successfully represented victims who have suffered from various soft tissue injuries and recovered money from both individuals and insurance companies.
If you or someone you know has suffered a soft tissue injury due to a vehicle accident or any other type of accident, Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers can help. We offer a free consultation to all prospective clients. Call us, toll-free, at (800) 654-1949, or e-mail Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen.