How Much Can You Get for a Soft Tissue Injury From a MS Car Crash?
Car accident victims experience a wide range of traumatic injuries. Among the various injuries you might face, soft tissue injuries are some of the most common and can be quite painful. These injuries affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments. While they may not be as visible as broken bones, they can still have a significant impact on your daily life.
Looking for more personalized assistance with your car accident claim? Let’s talk. Call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151 to find a time to meet with our team.
Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are those that cause damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the body. These injuries are common in car accidents, as they are caused by sudden movements or impacts. The force from two cars colliding can make your body jerk violently, leading to strains or sprains. It’s normal to experience pain, swelling, and bruising from these injuries, which can show up right away or a few days later. Even if they seem minor at first, soft tissue injuries can cause ongoing discomfort and make it hard to do everyday tasks.
One common type of soft tissue injury is whiplash, which affects the neck due to a rapid back-and-forth movement of the head. Strains involve overstretching or tearing muscles or tendons. Sprains occur when the ligaments are stretched or torn. Contusions, which are bruises from a direct hit to the body, are another common soft tissue injury.
Factors Affecting Compensation
When seeking compensation for a soft tissue injury from a car accident, several key factors influence the amount you might receive. First, the overall severity of your injury is important. More serious injuries often require extensive medical treatment and a longer recovery period, which can lead to higher compensation. How the injury impacts your daily life and ability to work is another important factor. If your injury makes it hard for you to do your job or affects your everyday activities, this can increase the amount you may be compensated.
The quality and quantity of your medical documentation may also be important. This includes records from your doctor, test results, and any other medical evidence showing the extent of your injury. The more detailed and comprehensive your medical records are, the stronger your claim will be.
Your ability to show how the injury has changed your life is also important. This can include how much pain you are in, the emotional stress you are experiencing, and any limitations on your activities. Keeping a journal detailing your daily pain levels and difficulties can support your claim.
The insurance policy limits of the person at fault can affect the compensation amount. Sometimes, even if your injury is severe, the amount you can receive might be limited by the insurance policy’s maximum payout. Of course, this is unfair to you as the victim—your injuries aren’t suddenly worth less just because the at-fault party had the minimum amount of insurance required.
This is why it’s so important to carry more than the minimum insurance required by law—failing to do so puts you at risk of a lawsuit if you cause a crash. While you could technically sue for the remaining value of your claim, it’s unlikely that you’d actually be able to collect it.
Tips for Maximizing Your Claim
You may want to keep a personal injury journal to document the effects of the injury on your life. It’s easy to forget about the numerous ways your life has changed post-injury, but a daily log streamlines the process of keeping track of these changes—and your losses.
It’s also important to be patient and not give up when you get a lowball offer. Insurance companies may offer a quick settlement that is lower than what you deserve. Do not rush to accept the first offer without fully understanding the long-term impact of your injuries. That’s one of the main reasons we recommend talking to an attorney. You don’t want to accept a low offer because you unintentionally underestimated your claim value.
Discuss Your Claim with Reeves & Mestayer
The team at Reeves & Mestayer is here to advocate for you as you seek compensation. Give us a call at 228-374-5151 or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
