Florida Personal Injury Guide

Florida Personal Injury Guide

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Melbourne Soft Tissue Injury Attorneys

Soft tissue injuries are relatively common and may be the result of numerous types of personal injury accidents. Although a soft tissue injury may initially seem like a relatively minor injury, these injuries can take an extended period of time to heal and can leave permanent damage to the affected area of your body. Soft tissue injuries can cause physical and emotional pain as well as financial hardship if the injury limits your ability to work. If another party (or parties) is responsible for your soft tissue injury, you may be entitled to compensation for all your injuries.

The experienced Melbourne soft tissue injury attorneys at Layman Law Firm, P.L. understand the challenges injured victims face when trying to heal from injuries, prevent financial devastation, and navigate an unfamiliar legal system. Instead of trying to do all that alone, let us put our experience, resources, and commitment to work helping you. We are dedicated to holding the at-fault party (or parties) responsible and recovering compensation for you for the physical injuries and emotional trauma you have suffered.

What Is a Soft Tissue Injury?

Soft tissue injuries involve your muscles, tendons, and ligaments and occur when these parts of the body experience a degree of trauma, either from a sudden accident or as the result of repetitive use. A ligament is a strong band of connective tissue that connects bones within your body as well as stabilizes and supports your joints. Tendons are the fibrous cords of tissue that attach your muscles to your bones. While a soft tissue injury can happen anywhere in your body, your wrists, ankles, and knees are particularly susceptible to a soft tissue injury.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a contusion (bruise) is an injury to the soft tissue anywhere in the body that is typically produced by blunt force trauma, such as a fall, blow, or impact with an object. A soft tissue sprain involves ligaments and occurs when a sudden action places tension on the involved ligament. Strains affect your muscles and tendons and are caused by your body’s fibrous tissue being stretched too far and/or too fast. Repetitive stress injuries, such as tendinitis, can also happen to muscles and tendons.

All soft tissue injuries are classified as overuse or acute injuries. Overuse injuries develop over time because of repeated use without sufficient time to heal, while acute injuries occur because of sudden, sharp trauma. It is this latter category, acute soft tissue injuries, that are most likely to be the result of a personal injury accident. Regardless of the type of soft tissue injury, all such injuries are classified according to severity as follows:

  • Grade 1 (Mild): Occurs when the body’s fibers are damaged at the microscopic level and cause tenderness and/or swelling.
  • Grade 2 (Moderate): Involves a degree of tearing but not a complete tear, causing pain, swelling, and tenderness that prevents the use of, or pressure being applied to, the affected area for several days or weeks.
  • Grade 3 (Severe): In a Grade 3 soft tissue injury there is a full or complete tear causing significant pain and swelling and preventing any use of the affected muscle or joint for weeks or months.

 

How Do Soft Tissue Injuries Happen?

Because the human body is made up of thousands of tendons, ligaments, and muscles, a soft tissue injury can occur under an infinite number of circumstances; however, there are some common ways in which you might suffer a soft tissue injury, such as:

  • Blunt force trauma. Anytime you are hit by, or encounter, a heavy object, you may suffer a soft tissue injury. This could occur under a variety of circumstances, such as an intentional act of violence, a workplace injury, or a swimming pool accident.
  • Repetitive use injury. While we often think of athletes suffering from repetitive use injuries, these types of soft tissue injuries can also happen in the workplace from repetitively scanning products, lifting boxes, or working on a computer.
  • Motor vehicle accident. A motor vehicle collision frequently causes occupants to be thrown about inside the vehicle and may cause objects within the vehicle to become airborne, all of which can cause soft tissue injuries.
  • Slip and fall accident. The sudden nature of a slip-and-fall accident may cause tendons, ligaments, and muscles to be stretched or tear, causing a soft tissue injury.

 

How Are Soft Tissue Injuries Treated?

The treatment protocol for a soft tissue injury will depend on factors such as the area of the body involved and the severity of the injury. For less serious soft tissue injuries, the RICE method of treatment may be all that is needed. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. For more serious soft tissue injuries, you may be required to brace the affected area. For example, for a sprained ankle, you may need to wear a walking boot for a period to stabilize the area while the injury heals. If you experience a complete tear, surgery may be required.

In many cases, a minor soft tissue injury will heal completely without lasting injury; however, moderate to severe soft tissue injuries can permanently damage the affected ligament, tendon, or muscle. This occurs because the collagen fibers involved grow back more densely and in a less organized fashion after a soft tissue injury, reducing the strength and stability of the involved ligaments, tendons, or muscles.

Am I Entitled to Compensation for My Melbourne Soft Tissue Injury?

If you suffered a soft tissue injury that was caused, in whole or in part, by another party, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury. While your soft tissue injury may appear to heal entirely, the reality is that the affected area could be weakened, increasing the likelihood of future injury and pain.

When the negligent or wrongful conduct of another party contributed to a soft tissue injury, an injured victim may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages compensate a victim for out-of-pocket expenses associated with the injury, including:

  • Doctor, hospital, therapist, and other medical expenses
  • Rehabilitation, in-home care, and long-term care costs
  • Lost income or loss of earning capacity
  • Specialized medical equipment

Non-economic damages compensate an injured victim for injuries such as:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Disfigurement
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of consortium

 

Contact the Experienced Melbourne Soft Tissue Injury Attorneys at Layman Law Firm, P.L.

If you suffered a soft tissue injury that you believe was caused, in whole or in part, by the negligent or wrongful conduct of another party (or parties), contact the experienced and compassionate Melbourne soft tissue injury lawyers at Layman Law Firm, P.L. to discuss your legal options. Contact the team today for your free initial consultation by calling 321-773-2111 or by filling out our convenient Intake Evaluation Form online.