Car accidents are frightening and traumatic, especially for victims who’ve sustained serious injuries. In some cases, car accident victims feel fortunate when they’ve escaped catastrophic or life-threatening injuries so they put off medical care for perceived bumps, bruises, stiffness, and soreness. But these seemingly minor soft tissue injuries can worsen in the days and weeks following an accident until what appeared to be a minor inconvenience after a car accident becomes something that significantly interferes with physical health and well-being.
It’s essential to have a thorough medical examination after a car accident and tell a doctor about all of your symptoms, even if they appear minor. Not only does this help ensure your injuries are identified and treated promptly, but it also protects your rights in a McKinney personal injury claim for damages like medical expenses and lost wages later.
What Are Soft Tissue Injuries in Car Accident Cases?
Car accidents cause tremendous force to the human body, transforming a 100-pound human to a 3,000-pound force in a crash at only 30 miles per hour. Even with seatbelts and airbags, the jarring force of an accident can cause significant injuries to the body, including soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue in the body includes skin, tendons, muscles, connective tissue, fat, cushioning discs between vertebrae, and blood vessels. The following injuries to soft tissue in car accidents are common:
- Neck sprains (whiplash)
- Sprains in other body parts caused by overstretching of the ligaments connecting the bones
- Strains, or injuries to the tendons connecting muscles to bones, often occurring in the lower back in car accidents
- Torn ACL (the ligament connecting the parts of the knee)
- Torn MCL (ligament on the inside of the knee)
- Contusions, or bruising and inflammation caused by blood leaking from capillaries and other blood vessels
- Cerebral contusions (concussions)
- Herniated discs
- Lacerations (cuts and gashes)
- Abrasions (scrapes)
- Burns
Burns cause damage to the soft tissue of the skin and are among the most serious soft tissue injuries, but burns are seldom overlooked or ignored after a car accident. Treatment for most soft tissue injuries includes elevation, rest, ice, immobilization, and physical therapy, or surgery.
To speak to a McKinney car accident lawyer about your injuries, call us at (469) 224-1617 or contact us online.