In many cases involving claims of personal injury, the damage is clear and unmistakable. Other times, soft tissue injuries are present and can only be felt rather than seen. When compared to more visible injuries, like a fractured wrist, these injuries might be challenging to prove in court.
Soft tissue damage insurance payouts are frequently on the low end since insurance firms employ computers to determine an amount based on general information that does not take your unique circumstances into account.
But even so, insurance payments for soft tissue injuries have historically averaged between $10,000 and $20,000 with competent representation. It is not impossible to recover damages for soft tissue injuries. What you need to know to prove soft tissue damage is outlined below.
The Consequences of Injuries to Soft Tissues After a Car Accident Can Be Serious
Your entire body’s mobility and blood flow depend on your soft tissues. Damage to soft tissues places extra stress on the body, which can have negative effects on things like blood flow, organ function, and even limb function.
Among the specifics that contribute to the potential severity and legal ramifications of soft-tissue damage are:
Soft tissue function is essential for bodily functions: Soft tissues support bones and the connection between bones and muscles.
- Whiplash affects the movement of the back and neck, and can be especially painful and limiting.
- It may be quite some time before soft tissue injuries fully recover and sometimes they never do.
- Blood collecting around an injury can occasionally result in irreversible damage to soft tissues, especially in the case of contusions, often called internal bruising.
- A person may be unable to use their arms, hands, feet, and legs if the bones and muscles normally supported by injured soft tissue are unable to function.
It’s important to consider the full cost of the damages you have incurred so that you can pursue the full value of your settlement for a soft tissue injury in a car accident. A personal injury lawyer can help you to calculate the value of your losses.
For a free legal consultation, call 866-499-8989
Some Car Accident Soft Tissue Injuries Can Be Considered Catastrophic
The consequences of severe soft tissue injuries can be lasting and sometimes disastrous. The following are indicators that you may have sustained serious soft tissue damage:
- As a result of the pain, you are unable to move your neck or back, and you can’t bear weight on the injured limbs
- An audible cracking or popping when the injury happened
- Numbness or tingling at or around the injury site
- The injury site appears abnormal or misshapen, indicating a full soft tissue tear
The settlement you receive from a soft tissue injury in a car accident will need to cover the costs of medical treatment, long-term care, mobility devices, and lost income among other losses. It’s important to consult with a lawyer to ensure that a soft tissue injury settlement is of fair value.
How Can a Catastrophic Soft Tissue Injury Be Determined?
A catastrophic injury is one that precludes an individual from living his or her life in the same way as before the accident. A car accident soft tissue injury may be deemed catastrophic if it causes permanent or long-term disability. After an accident, if a person develops chronic pain, prolonged numbness, or loss of function, the soft tissue injury could be catastrophic.
The majority of soft tissue injuries are not considered to be sufficiently serious to warrant this classification. But more serious Grade II and Grade III soft tissue injuries can have long-term effects and could be deemed catastrophic. Grade II and Grade III soft tissue injuries after a car accident might cause the following long-term and irreversible effects:
- Movement is impaired or restricted
- Loss of function
- Chronic numbness
- Reduced muscle strength
- Chronic pain
Grade III soft tissue injuries can be quite serious and may even become catastrophic injuries that drastically alter a person’s life. If your injuries are this extreme, you can take steps to ensure that you receive an adequate car accident soft tissue injury settlement with help from a personal injury lawyer.
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How Can I Improve My Soft Tissue Injury Auto Accident Insurance Settlement?
Yes, but it depends on how convincing you can be to the insurance company that you’ll win in court. Insurance companies dislike going to court because of the time and expense. However, they will meet you in court with their lawyers if they think they can win and avoid paying you.
Securing the testimony of a qualified doctor with experience treating soft tissue injuries is another way to convince the insurance company that you have a solid case.
That, in addition to supporting proof of the impact your injuries have had on your life, will be invaluable in assisting the court in determining the entire extent of your losses. A personal injury attorney can work with medical professionals and expert witnesses to help build your case.
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Common Compensation for a Car Accident Soft Tissue Injuries
Financial stress caused by an accident can have long-lasting effects on an injured person. It’s not just the physical discomfort that sufferers have to deal with after an injury. Victims may also experience mental anguish, damaged personal relationships, financial hardship, and career chances missed.
Car accident injury lawyers can negotiate or go to court to get you the most money possible for your injuries. In circumstances involving car accidents and soft tissue injuries, common forms of compensation include:
- Mental anguish
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Prescriptions
- Medical bills
- Medical devices
- Mobility aids
- Loss of future earnings
- Loss of consortium
A Lawyer Can Help You Improve Your Settlement for a Soft Tissue Injury After a Car Accident
The insurance industry uses a variety of tactics to ensure that claimants with soft-tissue injuries receive the lowest possible payout.
Car accident victims who suffer soft tissue injuries are routinely underpaid by insurance companies. Insurance firms will battle aggressively to reduce or eliminate any compensation you receive, and it usually isn’t even enough to pay your medical bills and lost wages.
A car accident attorney can battle the insurance company on your behalf if you sustained soft tissue damage in a car crash. To find out how Zanes Law may assist you, please contact us for a free consultation.
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