Many, including those working in jobs that involve heavy manual labor, tend to view broken bones and head injuries as the most serious type of injury. But most also know how debilitating a soft-tissue injury can be, and how it can prevent you from doing even the relatively light manual tasks that may be required in your day to day labor.
Soft-tissue injuries are not insignificant
Injuries that occur to the muscles, ligaments, tendons and even nerves are grouped into the “soft-tissue” category, according to Johns Hopkins University. These can include contusions, sprains, strains, and tears, and can often cause stress fractures if they’re not properly monitored.
While they’re not as outwardly visible as, for example, a broken bone, they can lead to pain, bruising, swelling and further damage, and sometimes require surgery to repair. Although broken bones (fractures) are usually more apparent and easier to diagnose (since fractures can be confirmed by X-rays while soft tissue injuries may require MRIs or CAT scans) soft-tissue injuries may be more significant and often require surgery. Basketball fans will note that the injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson that knocked these players out of the NBA Finals and cost their team the championship, were soft-tissue injures. Those affected can be subject to protracted disability, affecting their income, livelihood, and day-to-day enjoyment of life.
“30% of the injury claims in the construction industry”
Research by the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC), detailed that such injuries make up around 30% of all injury claims in the construction industry, and that the number of back injuries for construction workers is 50% higher than the national average for all other workforces.
Many construction workers attempt to push through these injuries, leading to disabling and debilitating injuries further down the road.
Making the workplace safer, while providing for an injury
Workers, including construction workers, who have suffered a soft-tissue injury, should be careful not to risk serious, life-long harm by ignoring their injuries. Workers with soft-tissue injuries and their loved ones should contact an experienced personal injury and construction litigation attorney who is able to better assess the situation and work to obtain the financial benefits they may be entitled to under the law.
