Types of Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are approximately 3 million car accident injuries per year in the United States. There are also millions of work injuries, as well as various other injuries including medical errors and slip and fall cases. When looking at these millions of injuries, many are similar.

However, just because two injuries are similar, it does not mean that two recoveries are similar. There are many factors that contribute to how a person will recover from an injury. Two similar injuries in two different people can have vastly different results. While one person may make a quick recovery, another might have long-term consequences.

Just as there are millions of injuries every year, there are countless ways that a person can be injured. However, some of the more common injuries we deal with include:

• Broken Bones and Fractures
• Burn Injuries
• Head, Neck, and Spine Injuries
• Herniated Disc Injuries
• Knee Injuries
• Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Injuries
• Scarring
• Soft Tissue Injuries
• Traumatic Brain Injuries & Head Injuries

If you’ve been injured, you need a lawyer with the experience to understand not only that there are millions of types of injuries, but also that each person’s recovery will be different.

For example, there are many types of knee injuries. There are injuries to the ACL and MCL that are commonly seen in athletes. Fractures of the kneecap are also common. Some people have trauma injuries that cause a condition called chondromalacia, which is swelling behind the kneecap. Still others tear their meniscus. Each one of these injuries is different.

People who develop chondromalacia or tear a meniscus can have vastly different outcomes. A young athlete who tears a meniscus can have a surgery and be back to normal within a few weeks. Someone in their 50s with arthritis may never be able to fully recover from a torn meniscus. There is no universal recovery period for any injury.

Part of this is because almost everybody has what is called a “preexisting condition.” As we get older, our bodies aren’t as responsive as they used to be. This is caused by two things. First, there is normal wear and tear that, over time, causes pain and limitation. This is especially true for people who work with their hands. Second, everybody gets injured periodically. Often these injuries are minor, but sometimes they can be serious. Regardless of their severity, as our bodies heal from injuries, it leaves certain residual symptoms, including making us more susceptible to re-injury.

Because everyone has these pre-existing conditions, insurance companies try to use them against you. If you’ve been dealing with a shoulder injury that flares up a few times a year, and then injure that same shoulder in a workplace injury, the insurance company will deny that there’s a new injury. You need a lawyer who is able to cut through the insurance company’s misguided logic to show that your injury is new and worse than it ever had been.

At Marcotte Law Firm, we know that no two injuries are alike. We know that an injury to a 19 year old may be much different than the same injury to someone in his/her 60s. We understand that everyone has pre-existing conditions, and we understand that pre-existing conditions aren’t a bar to recovery.

If you’ve been injured, call Marcotte Law Firm for a free consultation at (978) 458-1229. We’re here for you.