When someone else causes an accident and you are injured, you must prove your injuries before an insurance company or jury will award you compensation for your medical, financial, and emotional losses. Getting compensation may be problematic if you suffer soft tissue or ligament damage, because those do not register on a traditional X-ray machine or in a CT scan or MRI imaging.
Digital motion X-ray offers a clearer picture of what is going on with your soft tissue. X-ray works by emitting electromagnetic radiation into the injured area, which absorbs it to different degrees, depending on the denseness of the body part. Bones absorb radiation the most, and soft tissue absorbs it the least, making it difficult to identify soft tissue injuries.
Digital motion X-ray is an advancement that takes multiple pictures of the painful area instead of just one. The pictures are put together to resemble a video or flipbook that allows physicians to observe the area in real time as the patient moves the sore joint. By observing this movement, physicians may see how tendons and ligaments are compromised and offer a diagnosis.
In court, the plaintiff must prove the defendant had a duty to behave responsibly toward those who could be injured, such as other motorists on the same road or customers visiting a grocery store. If the defendant breached that duty and caused an accident that injured the plaintiff in a way that requires compensation, negligence is established.
The plaintiff must definitively prove the defendant’s behavior caused their injury. The defendant may argue that a soft tissue injury could have occurred from some other action or substandard behavior on the plaintiff’s part, which negates one of the elements needed to prove negligence.
For instance, if someone were texting and driving when a speeding drunk driver slammed into their car, the injured party’s physician may testify that bracing against the steering wheel caused wrist ligament injuries. These hidden injuries may be diagnosed using digital motion X-rays. This testimony would also diminish the plaintiff’s responsibility, hopefully to below 50 percent, allowing the lawsuit to go forward.
Your experienced personal injury attorney needs to gather as much evidence as possible to prove a claim of negligence. This may include medical reports, physician statements, and expert witness testimony. When the injuries you sustain include invisible soft tissues and ligaments, a digital motion X-ray is one crucial method of proving the extent of your losses.
Other relevant evidence can help build a stronger case, such as police reports and eyewitness testimony, but remember: you must prove all four elements of negligence, and using digital motion X-rays to diagnose hidden injuries further strengthens your claim. Call us today for a free consultation.