West Palm Soft Tissue Injury Attorney
Unlike fractured bones, there is no easy fix (such as a cast or surgical pins) to fix a serious soft tissue injury, such as a torn tendon, deeply lacerated muscle, degloving injury, or serious scarring to the face that leads to disfigurement. Soft tissue injuries can be caused by blunt force to the body, broken glass, or torn and twisted metal. Traffic collisions often end with some form of soft tissue injury, possibly in addition to fractures, traumatic brain injury, or other injuries, and the West Palm Beach soft tissue injury attorneys at Hale Law are experienced in holding the accountable party financially responsible for these damages.
Definition of a Soft Tissue Injury
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a soft tissue injury consists of one of the following:
- Contusions—A bruise to the skin, muscle, or other tissue.
- Strains—A strained tendon involves small tears in the tendon, which is an inelastic tissue, unlike muscle.
- Sprains—A sprained tendon is more serious than a strained tendon.
- Tendonitis—Tendonitis is an overuse injury, though it can be triggered by an initial blunt force trauma, such as hitting the knee against the dash board in a crash.
- Bursitis—Bursitis is another overuse injury that can be triggered by a slip and fall or a traffic collision. For example, a victim may slip and injure their knee, and after prolonged use on the swollen, unhealed injury, bursitis can develop.
More serious soft tissue injuries also include:
- Torn tendons or cartilage—Tendons have very low blood flow (much lower than bones or muscle) and therefore they take a long time to heal. Furthermore, tendons cannot stitch themselves back together; surgery is required to repair a torn tendon.
- Lacerations—Deep lacerations cause permanent scarring and disfigurement no matter how good the surgeon is. Lacerations to muscles may result in permanent disability.
- Degloving—A degloving injury occurs when the flesh is pulled back from the body part (usually a finger or hand). Typically, the body part must be amputated, assuming the skin cannot be repaired.
- Whiplash—About 25 percent of whiplash patients suffer chronic or long term damage due to whiplash, according to The Atlantic.
- Bulging or Herniated Disc—Discs act as shock absorbers in our vertebrae, and these rubber-like discs are filled with a fluid. If the disc is displaced (bulging) it causes tremendous pressure and pain on the surrounding nerves. If it bursts (herniated disc) the fluid leaks out, also causing serious pain and debilitation. Both of these conditions are often caused in trip and falls and traffic collision, and full rehabilitation is virtually impossible in the long term.
Call Our West Palm Beach Soft Tissue Injury Attorneys
Soft tissue injuries do not always get the compensation they deserve, especially when they are internal, such as a bulging disc or sprained ankle—both of which take months to heal from, and the tendons and disc are generally impaired for the long term. If you were injured by another party, the West Palm Beach attorneys atHale Law, can help maximize your soft tissue injury compensation. Call us today at 941-735-4529 to schedule a free consultation.
