What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement Involving Soft Tissue Injuries?
Because of the many possible variables that make up a personal injury case, it’s tough to figure out the average settlement for a soft tissue injury car accident. For example, an ankle sprain might cost $10,000 while damage to shoulder tissues could be $20,000+. Also, whiplash injuries caused by a rear-end accident can result in settlements between $2,500 and $10,000 while herniated discs can cause expenses up to $350,000. Although it’s vital to keep in mind that every car accident payout is different, many people mistakenly believe their payouts will be similar to what they’ve seen or heard about elsewhere. To avoid this issue, always consult with an experienced car accident lawyer who can tell you what to anticipate for your case specifically.
Many things affect how much you could receive from an injury settlement, such as medical bills, physical therapy, pain and suffering, and more. Someone who only had an x-ray and diagnosis will get less money than someone who needed surgery and months of PT. If you’re not sure whether it’s worth filing a claim, contact Hyatt & Goldbloom for a free consultation with a personal injury attorney. During this meeting, we’ll evaluate your case to see if we can offer you a potential settlement amount.
It’s critical to understand that having an attorney can help increase your settlement. Over 91% of accident victims who have a personal injury lawyer receive a successful payout, and the value of these payouts is on average $60,000 higher than for those who do not have legal representation. Contact our personal injury lawyers today to learn more about how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.
What Is a Soft Tissue Injury?
A soft tissue injury is any type of damage to the ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Even a minor car accident can cause severe soft tissue injuries. However, these types of injuries may not be visible at first. They may only show up on x-rays but sometimes won’t appear in that either. Additionally, in many soft tissue cases, the victim won’t realize they even have an injury at the scene because of the lack of visible injury and the adrenaline/shock following an accident.
Without an immediate diagnosis, the victim is likely to develop even more severe injuries over time. Also, in this window of undiagnosed injury, they will not be able to receive sufficient medical treatment. Soft tissue injuries have symptoms that include pain, reduced mobility, swelling, and more; however, these might not become apparent for days or weeks after the initial accident. The other driver’s insurance company may try to deny or discredit your injury claim if they think you don’t have enough evidence. If you haven’t contacted a personal injury attorney yet, it will be more difficult to win your case in court.
Most Common Soft Tissue Injuries Caused By Car Accidents
Various types of bodily injuries usually fall under the category of soft tissue injury claims that can be compensated. According to most personal injury records, these are some of the most common types of injuries:
Contusion
Contusions, more commonly referred to as deep bruises, are a type of tissue injury caused by blunt force trauma. This then leads to pain and swelling in the area, along with purple discoloration. A serious contusion like this can take weeks or even months to heal properly.
Whiplash Injury
Whiplash is one of the most frequently seen soft tissue injuries and usually happens from a blow against the back that forcefully yanks the neck. Commonly occurring in car accidents, whiplash can create long-term issues such as neck pain, headaches, and back pain. For some people, these negative effects might even become permanent.
Sprains
A sprain is a stretch or tears in a ligament, usually caused by an awkward fall or quick turn beyond the ligament’s normal range of motion. The resulting pain can be severe. Most soft tissue sprains occur in the ankle, knee, or wrist—and sometimes all three at once! In bad cases, you might even need surgery to repair the damage.
Bursitis
When the bursa becomes inflamed, this is due to a direct impact on a joint that creates pressure and friction. The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that serves as a cushion between your muscles or tendons and the bones.
Burns or Abrasions
If a wound is caused by abrasion or friction, it’s called a burn or abrasion. In the most severe cases, there may be bleeding, scarring, infections, and skin grafts may be required to heal the injury.
Lacerations
Lacerations, or deep cuts, are wounds that can occur from an accident. They may require stitches depending on the severity of the wound.
Symptoms Of Soft Tissue Damage
If you’re wondering if you have a soft tissue injury after your car accident, know that these types of injuries can affect any area of the body. Thus, there are many potential symptoms. Some common indicators that you may have suffered a soft tissue injury include:
- Muscle spasms
- Pain and swelling
- Inability to bear any weight
- Weakness in your muscles
- Limitations in your range of motion
- Muscle cramping
It is crucial, however, to seek medical attention immediately after your car accident. This way, you can accurately document which injuries you’ve incurred and soft tissue damage caused by car accidents can be difficult to assess without proper documentation. If your case needs to go before a jury, having thorough records of your injuries will ensure they are able to fairly evaluate the extent of damages caused by the accident.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Calculate Pain And Suffering In Soft Tissue Injury Settlement?
You can be compensated for pain and suffering in a minor car accident case by proving how much pain and suffering you are actually experiencing. The most regular method of calculating pain and suffering damage is multiplying the economic damages, such as lost earnings and medical bills, by a multiplier that ranges from 1 to 5 based on how severe the injuries are.
For example, the multiplier used for minor injuries is typically 1 or 2. So if medical costs total $5,000 and the multiplier is 2, you would receive a settlement of $10,000. Conversely, a multiplier of 4 or 5 might be assigned in cases where the injuries are more severe or permanent—such as spine injury, brain damage, internal organ damage, etc.
What Does A Car Accident Investigation Involve?
Hyatt & Goldbloom has many years of experience in soft tissue cases and, because of this, we have the appropriate resources and networks to investigate your personal injury claim. In order to ensure a fair settlement for you, your personal injury lawyer will do the following:
- Identify and interview any possible witnesses
- Obtain a copy of the police report, if there was one
- Analyze any physical evidence
- Enlist the help of professionals such as economists, medical experts, etc.
- Use pre-existing photos or videos of the accident scene and your injury, if available. If not, take your own
- Gather evidence of your injury-related losses and expenses
Contact A Baltimore Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you’re wondering what the average settlement for a soft tissue injury car accident is, we can help. We are aware of the pain and anguish an accident can bring along with its related injuries. We realize that receiving money cannot turn back time to before the accident happened, but it’s still a positive step forward. With over 30 years of experience with these types of cases, our personal injury attorneys are ready to get started on your legal journey. Schedule a free case evaluation today so that we can answer any questions you may have and evaluate the details of your case.
