Soft tissue injuries are among the most common sources of ongoing pain for New Jersey drivers who have been victims of a motor vehicle accident. Soft tissue damage, unlike hard tissue injuries, does not affect the bones or cartilage; instead, these types of injuries reflect damage to muscles, ligaments, tendons and other softer parts of the body. After a car crash, a number of symptoms can point to continuing soft tissue damage, such as strains, sprains, muscle tears, persistent soreness and other forms of muscle and tendon pain.
A car accident can often generate an immensely powerful impact that rapidly and suddenly jolts the people inside a vehicle that has been hit. This impact can force people’s bodies to move suddenly in disparate directions, damaging the soft tissue and forcing it to stretch suddenly. Even protective instincts like entering a brace position or slamming on the brakes can lead to additional soft tissue damage as a result. Whiplash is one of the most common and best-known types of soft tissue damage that can result from a car accident; this type of neck injury occurs most frequently in people who were hit from behind. A rear-end crash can put serious pressure on the neck, leading to chronic pain.
Of course, whiplash is only one type of soft tissue damage; these injuries can lead to ongoing pain but can be difficult to diagnose because the damage cannot be seen on an X-ray. Without receiving medical treatment and physical therapy, people with soft tissue injuries can suffer long-term consequences.
Car accident victims who have been injured due to another driver’s dangerous, distracted or otherwise negligent driving may experience severe pain that lasts long after the accident itself. A personal injury lawyer may be able to provide advice and representation to people who have been injured in a crash to seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages and other damages.