Millions of Americans drive an automobile every single day. In addition them, there are millions more riding as passengers. Given the amount of people in automobiles every day, it is easy to see why there are so many accidents. Most accidents are minor and devoid of injuries. However, there are others which pose a threat for more severe injuries.
You should be grateful if you have not yet been in a car accident. However, chances are you will be in one at some point in your lifetime. We will provide information on what the usual kinds of injuries sustained from car accidents are. These are normally injuries affecting your soft tissue. Some of the most common soft tissue injuries are whiplash, bruises, strains, and sprains.
Soft Tissue Injuries Explained
A soft tissue injury is an injury any soft area of your body has sustained. This would include your tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The types of injuries affecting your soft tissues are the following:
- Strains – Traumatic stretching of a ligament
- Sprains – Laceration of a joint’s ligament
- Bruises – Injury to soft tissue without breaking skin
You can experience a high degree of pain as a result of soft tissue injuries. Some of the uncomfortable symptoms include being sore, experiencing swelling, getting bruises, and feeling stiffness. There are varying degrees of soft tissue injuries possible depending on the severity of a crash.
Whiplash Explained
The most common soft tissue injury resulting from automobile accidents is whiplash. The way whiplash occurs is that your vehicle gets hit from behind by another vehicle. Once this occurs, your neck and head get jerked and hyper-extend. The repercussions of this are the following:
- Stiff neck
- Piercing neck pain
- Back pain
- Difficulty with memory recall and concentration
The effects of whiplash are usually immediately apparent. However, they can sometimes only begin to appear days after an accident has occurred.
Initially, whiplash may seem insignificant, particularly if you do not see symptoms right away. However, it may be more serious than you think, especially if you do not seen medical attention. The risks of not looking into whiplash symptoms are the development of chronic pain in your neck and back. Even if your sustained injuries appear minor, you should go get them checked out. Your doctor may advise you to either wear a neck brace, take physical therapy, or ingest a muscle relaxant.
Liability in Regards to Soft Tissue Injuries from Car Accidents
It can sometimes be difficult to ascertain who is at fault in an automobile accident. It is important to find out who is at fault because there are far-reaching implications. One of these is car insurance rates skyrocketing. It is possible for you to get a more accurate account of an accident by referring to police reports and local traffic laws.
Police will normally arrive at the scene of an accident relatively quickly. This is to ensure everything is under control. They will put together an official report which includes the name of who is at fault, if it is clear. Police officers are deemed as a trustworthy source of information. This is why their account of an accident is adhered to by car insurance companies and courts of law.
You can also obtain helpful information from traffic laws to clarify whose fault an accident is. There are lots of traffic laws, indicating it is likely there will be at least one relevant to your situation.
