Columbia Soft-Tissue Injury Attorney

Injuries to Muscles, Tendons and Ligaments

When a person is involved in some type of accident, he or she could end up suffering from a soft-tissue injury. Soft tissue is basically body tissue that is not bone or cartilage that support and connect the body's organs and other structures. For example, soft tissue can include muscles, tendons and ligaments. While these injuries are more minor than other injuries, such as brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, they can still have negative impacts on your life. For example, they can cause you pain and discomfort, they can force to you to spend time away from work or they can require expensive medical attention.

Individuals who received soft-tissue injuries as a result of accidents they did not cause need to hire a competent lawyer who can help them recoup their losses. It is possible to obtain compensation for these types of accidents through personal injury claims and lawsuits, which should only be carried out with the assistance of qualified legal counsel. At the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, our Columbia personal injury lawyer can assist you in this area. Individuals can obtain soft-tissue injuries through sudden accidents, such as auto accidents or slip and fall accidents. Or, they can obtain them over longer periods of time, such as through repetitive physical movements of physical strains to their bodies through their jobs.

Types of Soft-Tissue Injuries

Below is a list of a few common soft-tissue injuriesm, most of these are outlined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

• Contusions (or bruises)—These injuries occur when a blow to the body injures the subsurface tissue but does not break the skin. The bruised skin becomes discolored because the blood accumulates around the injury underneath the skin's surface.
• Sprains—A sprain is a stretch or tear of one's ligaments. Ankles, knees and wrists are the parts of the body that are most vulnerable to these types of injuries. These injuries are often caused by a falls or sudden twists of the affected body part.
• Strains—A strain is a stretch or tear in one's muscle or tendon. Strains often occur in the foot or the leg.
• Stress Fractures—These are tiny breaks in the bone that occur when one of the bones is being overused. These types of fractures are often missed on initial routine X-rays and require bone scans to be made in order for the injury to be discovered.
• Tendonitis—Tendonitis occurs when a tendon or the covering of a tending becomes inflamed. This is usually caused by repetitive physical actions, such as those are carried out in one's line of work.
• Whiplash—This is an injury that affects the soft tissues in the neck area. Whiplash can occur after a person's experiences a sudden jerking (or "whipping") of his or her head, particularly when the neck's muscles and ligaments are strained beyond their usual range of motion. This is a common injury caused by auto accidents.

Some of these injuries—such as sprains, strains and tendonitis—can require surgery when they are very severe. It is vital that individuals who suffer from soft-tissue injuries receive the appropriate level of medical attention so they can determine the extent of their injuries and learn what types of treatment they will need.

Getting the Protection You Need in Columbia, SC

Along with getting medical attention, one of the first things you should do after your soft-tissue injury is to contact an experienced attorney who can help you file a claim or lawsuit against the possible party. Because it can be hard for others to visibly see the effects of soft-tissue injuries, there might be people who try to challenge the fact that you were seriously injured. Attorney James R. Snell, Jr. can help you obtain the appropriate documentation to prove the extent of your injuries, as well as your injuries' financial repercussions. In addition to those filing personal injuries claims and lawsuits, we can also help individuals who are trying to obtain payment for workplace injuries through workers' compensation.

Contact our firm to learn how we can help you!