What Are Soft Tissue Injuries and Why Do Insurance Companies Treat Them Differently?

Have you ever been in an accident and sustained a soft tissue injury? If so, you may have noticed that the insurance company didn’t treat your case like it would if you had broken a bone.

But what exactly is a soft tissue injury, and why do insurance companies respond differently to them than other injuries?

When you’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you need the legal help of a Providence personal injury lawyer to deal with resistant insurance companies and ensure you’re treated fairly.

Contact Louis W. Grande today for a free consultation on your personal injury case.

What Are Soft Tissue Injuries?

Soft tissue injuries involve any damage done to muscles, tendons, or ligaments as opposed to more obvious physical trauma such as fractures or lacerations.

They can be caused by anything from sports injuries to motor vehicle accidents, but because of their subtle nature, they can often go unnoticed until symptoms worsen over time.

Symptoms of Soft Tissue Injuries

The symptoms associated with soft tissue injuries vary depending on the specific area impacted and how severely it was damaged. They can range from minor strains to major tears, which require medical attention.

Symptoms usually include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Redness
• Stiffness
• Difficulty moving the injured part of the body
• Inability to bear weight

In some cases, a person may also experience numbness in the injured area due to nerve damage. If left untreated for too long, these symptoms can worsen over time and lead to further complications such as chronic inflammation or joint instability.

Insurance companies take into account factors like the severity of injury when determining how much coverage is appropriate for a particular case. As such, it’s important to get prompt diagnosis and treatment if you think you have sustained any kind of soft tissue damage.

Causes of Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries can be caused by a variety of things, ranging from everyday activities to more extreme occurrences. It’s important to understand the potential causes so you can better treat this type of injury.

Sports and Exercise Activities

The most common cause of soft tissue injury is overuse or repetitive strain on muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This often occurs in sports that involve throwing motions, such as baseball pitching, volleyball spiking, and football passing.

Other activities like running, hiking, biking—even sitting at your desk for extended periods of time – can lead to inflammation if done too much or without proper form and technique.

Physical Trauma

In addition to overuse or repetitive strain, sudden forceful movements or physical blows can also contribute to these types of injuries. Trauma due to a car accident or a slip and fall, for example, may result in damage to the body’s soft tissues.

Insurance Coverage for Soft Tissue Injuries

Unfortunately for those who suffer from these kinds of ailments, soft tissue injuries are not taken as seriously by many insurers since they cannot be verified through X-rays or scans like broken bones can be. Insurance companies prefer tangible proof when assessing claims which makes it difficult for those suffering from soft tissue damage to receive the compensation they deserve after being involved in an accident.

Most insurers will cover medical expenses related to treating a soft tissue injury as long as the policyholder can prove that their condition is directly caused by an accident or illness. However, some policies may have exclusions for certain kinds of treatments associated with these types of injuries due to the fact that they are often difficult to diagnose and prove accurately. In addition, there may be limits on how much coverage is available for any one incident depending on your particular plan’s terms and conditions.

This means that while you may receive some form of compensation for your treatment costs if you experience a soft tissue injury, it could potentially end up being less than what would normally be provided under another type of policy. It’s important to understand exactly what your own personal policy covers so that you know what kind of financial protection is available should you need it later down the line.

The Role of Pre-Existing Conditions in Differential Treatment of Soft Tissue Injuries

When assessing the severity of a soft tissue injury, insurers will take into account any previous medical history that may indicate an underlying condition that could be contributing to or complicating the current situation.

For example, say someone has had shoulder problems in the past. It’s likely that they will experience greater pain with any future issues related to their shoulder than someone who has never suffered such ailments before.

As a result, insurance companies might consider offering higher levels of coverage for those people with pre-existing conditions when dealing with soft tissue claims. This differential treatment can also affect how much money is awarded for successful claims as well as what type of rehabilitation services are offered for recovery.

Contact a Providence Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Soft tissue injuries can have serious consequences for those affected by them. Insurance companies are – first and foremost – businesses, so they’ll use any excuse they can to lessen your settlement amount or dismiss your personal injury case altogether.

This includes invalidating your soft tissue injury case by using a lack of evidence or pre-existing conditions.

If you believe your insurance company has treated you unfairly with regard to a soft tissue injury, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney in Providence who can help protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.