Oftentimes, when we discuss car accidents, sudden impacts, and other injury-causing events, the focus ends up being on major or catastrophic injuries that are visible such as broken bones, punctures, severe burns, and more.
While there’s no denying that these injuries are prolifically life-altering and painful, it’s just as important to focus on lesser highlight ailments like soft tissue injuries. As some of the most common injuries sustained in car accidents, soft tissue injuries can linger for years, causing pain and disruption to your daily standard of living.
At James H. Brown and Associates, we know that any injury can be difficult to overcome and that having access to a dependable settlement is key in building your path to recovery. Since 1993, we partnered with Albertans to offer award-winning injury law representation that’s garnered precedent-setting results for soft tissue, as well as major and minor injury claims.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at soft tissue injuries and explore why it’s important to get help right away, as well as the benefits of choosing James H. Brown and Associates to represent your case. Read on to learn more!
What are Soft Tissues Injuries?
Soft tissue is all the little, unseen parts of our bodies that we don’t tend to think about daily until aches and pains set in. Soft tissue refers to our muscles, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels and other supportive body tissues. When damage occurs to these tissues, it can lead to other significant issues, like losing mobility in limbs, chronic pain, brain injuries (connected to whiplash) and more. Left untreated, soft tissue damage can become a permanent disability, making it integral to get medical help immediately following an accident.
Common soft tissue injuries include:
- Sprains (stretching and/or tearing of the ligament)
- Strains
- Contusions (bruising)
While car accidents often cause these, bike and pedestrian accidents and other forms of sudden, hard impact are viable culprits as well.
Catching the Signs
As with an injury, prevention and early treatment are key for recovery. If you’ve recently suffered a serious impact or fall, you need to see a doctor immediately, even if you feel “fine” after your incident. Soft tissue injuries can take time to set in fully, and doctors will know exactly what to look for to detect early signs of injury. Once returning home, you need to stay vigilant and look for any delayed signs of an injury, including:
- Mild heat radiating from bruises or contusions
- Progressive bruising
- Redness
- Difficulty moving your neck (bear in mind this could be whiplash OR a spinal cord/traumatic brain injury. Get help immediately if this occurs).
- Pain and/or swelling
- Any other onset pain or irregularity that you believe may be connected to your accident.
To ensure you have the best chance at a strong settlement, it’s essential to document everything as thoroughly as possible. From conversations with medical professionals to pictures of your injuries, any and all correspondence with other parties (which should be done through your legal team) to any other related details, compiling everything in as much detail as possible will help protect you when it matters most.
We’ll Fight for Your Right to Recovery
At James H. Brown and Associates, we believe that every personal injury victim deserves the right to the support and expertise they need to get a fair settlement. With over 30 years of active practice across Alberta, as well as over 250 years of combined injury law experience, including an unrivalled record of success in Alberta courts, our team has what it takes to get you the results you deserve. Our full range of services includes:
- Accident investigation services, including evidence preservation, accident reconstruction, and more.
- Access to industry-leading experts and specialists to fully understand your injuries and their long-term effects.
- Strong relationships with Alberta organizations ready to assist with recovery.
- A multi-lingual team offering service in English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Yoruba, and more.
Not sure if your injury falls under the Minor Injury Cap? While certain injuries may have a limitation placed on settlements ($5488 as of 2022), it’s important to know that every soft tissue injury is unique, and if you have long-lasting pain, you may be entitled to much more with the help of the right medical experts and an experienced injury legal team that knows how to fight for your rights.
Recover with Peace of Mind
Contact us today to speak with a lawyer and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with James H. Brown and Associates.