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Broken bones and soft tissue injuries are among the most common types of accident-related personal injuries. Here’s what you need to know about how they can affect your claim.
Understanding Broken Bone Injuries
A broken bone injury occurs when a bone fractures due to some traumatic force; medical conditions and repetitive stress can increase the risk of a broken bone from a traumatic force. Doctors classify broken bone injuries by the fracture pattern or the cause of the break. Broken bone injuries that result in a straight-line break through the bone include:
- Transverse fractures: A perpendicular straight-line break
- Oblique fractures: A straight-line break at an angle through the bone
- Longitudinal fractures: A break along the length of the bone
Common fracture patterns include:
- Greenstick fractures: A crack along the side of the bone that does not completely break the bone into two or more pieces
- Comminuted fractures: An injury where the bone breaks in two or more places
- Segmental fractures: A fracture where the bone fractures in at least two places, causing a segment of the bone to break away
- Spiral fractures: A broken bone injury where the fracture line takes a corkscrew pattern
Doctors may also classify broken bone injuries by cause, including:
- Stress fractures: A hairline crack in the bone
- Avulsion fracture: An injury caused by a small piece of bone attached to a ligament or tendon getting pulled away from the bone
- Buckle fracture: An injury caused by traumatic pressure on the bone, which can cause it to bulge out of shape or place
Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries refer to injuries to bodily tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and discs. Common examples of soft tissue injuries include:
- Strains: Damage or tearing to muscles or tendons (the fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones)
- Sprains: Damage or tearing of ligaments (the fibrous tissue that connects bones or cartilage to hold joints together)
- Contusions: Bruising of soft tissue caused by damage to small blood vessels in the tissue
- Whiplash: An injury caused by a rapid jerking of body parts (usually the neck/head), which results in trauma to soft tissues that result in chronic pain and stiffness
Comparing the Effect on Personal Injury Claims
Each type of injury can have different effects on personal injury claims. Broken bone injuries can lead to more significant financial recovery in personal injury claims, as medical treatment for broken bones can involve more intensive medical care, such as surgeries. Furthermore, juries may perceive broken bone injuries as causing more significant pain and suffering than soft tissue injuries. However, some soft tissue injuries can also lead to increased compensation in personal injury claims, including when an accident victim needs surgery to repair a torn ligament, tendon, or muscle. But juries may discount pain and suffering claims when accident victims can treat soft tissue injuries through more conservative treatment, such as physical therapy.
How Insurance Companies View These Injuries
Unfortunately, insurance companies may view soft tissue injuries with greater skepticism than broken bone injuries when an accident victim doesn’t require surgical treatment for a soft tissue tear. Some insurers may view specific kinds of soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash injuries, as not warranting extensive compensation. Accident victims may find it easier to secure maximum compensation for broken bone injuries due to the clearer medical evidence of the injury and its effects on the person’s life.
Maximizing Compensation for Your Injuries
An accident victim can maximize their compensation, regardless of the types of injuries they suffer, by following best practices such as:
- Seeking immediate medical attention after an accident
- Following their doctor’s treatment plan
- Keeping copies of medical records
- Obtaining a medical narrative letter from their treating physicians
- Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney with experience recovering compensation for broken bone or soft tissue injuries
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Have you suffered fractures or soft tissue damage as the result of someone else’s negligence? If so, contact Joshua E. Palmer Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a personal injury attorney in Atlanta.
