There are many serious injuries that you can recover damages for in Indiana. One type of injury that victims frequently seek compensation for is soft tissue damage. This type of injury typically involves tears, strains, and sprains of tendons, ligaments, and muscles anywhere in the body.
You can get compensation for soft tissue damage in Indiana by bringing a lawsuit against the party responsible for your injury. There are multiple types of economic and non-economic damages that may be accounted for. An experienced injury law firm in Indianapolis can help fight for the maximum amount of payment available in your case.
What Types of Compensation Can You Recover for Soft Tissue Damage in Indiana?
If you sustained soft tissue damage because of another person’s negligence, there are many economic and non-economic damages that you may recover compensation for. During an assessment of your case, a personal injury lawyer will explain which of the following damages you may seek:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket expenses
In order to recover these damages, you must prove that they were caused by your soft tissue damage. You can call a lawyer for help building your claim and negotiating for the compensation you are owed.
Proving Damages Caused by Soft Tissue Injuries in Indiana
In some cases, proving the damages caused by plaintiffs’ soft tissue injuries is a complex process. That is because soft tissue damage often cannot be observed without sophisticated diagnostic tools. For instance, you cannot simply take a picture of your soft tissue injury. Still, such injuries may produce highly harmful impacts on your quality of life. You should take the following steps to ensure the damages caused by your soft tissue injury are properly established:
Seek Prompt Medical Treatment
You should seek medical treatment as soon as possible after sustaining soft tissue damage. If you wait too long, your injury may begin to heal on its own and you will be unable to obtain documentation for the full extent of harm you suffered. Further, during a personal injury lawsuit, a defendant’s insurance company may assert that waiting to seek medical care indicates that you were not seriously hurt.
See a Specialist if Necessary
In some cases, an emergency room visit after an accident won’t reveal soft tissue damage. Accordingly, it may be necessary to see a specialist for the type of injury you suffered. For example, if you suffered a knee injury, you may have to see an orthopedist in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis. You can call a local attorney for help locating the right specialist for you.
Take Your Treatment Seriously
Furthermore, you should take your medical treatment seriously. This involves attending all scheduled follow-up appointments and continuing with any medicines that were prescribed for your soft tissue damage. If you begin to miss medical appointments without valid excuses or fail to take your prescription medication, your actions may be used to dispute your personal injury claim.
Also, you should be sure to see a doctor covered by your insurance right away if any of your soft tissue injuries worsen. Failure to do so could prevent you from recovering the full range of compensation available in your case. Eventually, you may even be able to get visits with a functional medicine doctor covered, even if that is outside of your insurance coverage.
Keep Personal Records
It will also be beneficial for you to keep personal records documenting the effects your soft tissue damage has on your life. You may wish to keep a journal describing how your injury has impacted your daily life. Additionally, you should keep records of all the appointments and therapy sessions you attend. These records can be valuable to your personal injury lawyer when establishing your claim for monetary damages.
Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you sustained soft tissue damage as the result of another party’s negligence, reach out to a personal injury attorney as quickly as possible. An experienced attorney can evaluate the strength of your case and explain the proper course of action. Furthermore, the sooner you get in touch with a lawyer, the more efficiently they can gather the evidence needed to prove your case.
Common Causes of Soft Tissue Damage You Can Sue for in Indiana
You can seek payment for soft tissue damage if it was caused by another person’s careless or intentional behavior. There are many types of accidents that give rise to personal injury lawsuits. The following are common causes of soft tissue damage you can sue for in Indiana:
Car Accidents
Car accidents are a very common source of soft tissue damage. Often, victims suffer such injuries because they are impacted by hard objects inside of their vehicles during their crashes. If you sustain soft tissue damage because of car accident, you may be able to recover payment from the at-fault motorist.
Slip and Falls
Slips and falls are also a common cause of soft tissue damage that you can sue for in Indiana. In many cases, these accidents happen because of property owners’ carelessness. For instance, a customer at a restaurant may sustain slip and fall injuries because of a slippery bathroom floor. Also, a guest at a hotel may suffer a slip and fall accident because of ice accumulation at the hotel’s entrance. After being hurt because of a slip and fall, contact a personal injury lawyer for help building a claim against the responsible party.
Construction Accidents
Additionally, construction accidents are a source of many soft tissue injuries. When workers are injured because of third-party negligence, they may be able to recover damages through personal injury lawsuits. Victims of construction accidents should reach out to personal injury attorneys for help investigating their injuries and assessing their potential claims.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents are another source of soft tissue damage you can sue for in Indiana. Pedestrians are often struck at intersections and in parking lots because of negligent drivers’ actions. For instance, someone may be struck because a motorist forgot to check their surroundings before pulling out of their parking space. If you sustained soft tissue damage as the result of a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation.