Perhaps the most frequent injury description in Maryland car and truck accidents is a "soft tissue injury". Insurance adjusters often attempt to undercut the value of claims by saying " well its just a soft tissue injury" as if that serves to reduce the pain and inconvenience of such an injury.
Soft tissue injuries are defined by Johns Hopkins Health as injuries to muscles, ligaments and tendons and are distinguished from broken bones and herniated discs in the spine. These sprains, strains, bruises, contusions and bursitis or tendinitis, are very real injuries with long-term consequences that often require extensive medical care and loss of time from employment.
Obtaining fair compensation for such injuries can be tricky as their manifestations are not so obvious as broken bones or herniated spinal discs which are demonstrable on diagnostic testing including MRIs, X-rays and Ct scans.
So what can an accident victim to do to enhance the likelihood of receiving fair compensation?
- Get prompt treatment
- Attend all scheduled appointments
- Follow your healthcare providers recommendations
- Provide a detailed accounting of what you injured and how it is responding to treatment
- If your injuries worsen communicate this to your doctors immediately
- Document how your injuries affect your day to day activities
- If your injuries hinder your work abilities, make sure your co-workers know why
- Be patient. Soft tissue injuries can linger
