Quick Answer Soft tissue injuries (muscle strains, ligament sprains, contusions) are the most frequently diagnosed injuries after car accidents. Despite being called "soft tissue," these injuries cause significant pain and functional limitation. Proper documentation with MRI and clinical examination is critical for your claim. MAIC provides same-day evaluation. Call (888) 991-5290.

What Soft Tissue Injuries Are

Soft tissue injuries encompass all non-bony injury structures: muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, cartilage, discs, and nerves. In car accidents, the most common soft tissue injuries are cervical and lumbar sprains (ligament injuries), muscle strains, disc herniations (the disc is itself a soft tissue structure), and nerve compression injuries.

Why "Soft Tissue" Gets Minimized

Insurance carriers often characterize injuries as "mere soft tissue" when they lack objective MRI findings or specialist diagnoses. This characterization is used to offer minimal settlements on the grounds that the injuries are minor and temporary. The counter is thorough objective documentation — range of motion measurements, functional assessments, MRI findings where present, and NCV/EMG studies for nerve involvement.

Building Objective Documentation for Soft Tissue Claims

MAIC documents soft tissue injuries with serial range of motion measurements (showing either recovery trajectory or persistent limitation), functional capacity testing, pain behavior documentation, and imaging studies as indicated. For soft tissue injuries with radicular components, NCV/EMG provides objective neurophysiological evidence that transcends the "soft tissue" characterization entirely.

Call MAIC at (888) 991-5290 for comprehensive soft tissue injury evaluation.