Detailed Answer
If you suffered minor soft tissue injuries or muscle pain in Wyoming, you can include them in your personal injury claim. Soft tissue injuries cover strains, sprains, contusions, whiplash and muscle soreness. Even if you feel your injuries are “minor,” Wyoming law lets you seek both economic and non-economic damages for any harm caused by another party’s negligence.
Key Elements of a Personal Injury Claim
- Duty: The other party owed you a legal obligation, such as safe driving or maintaining premises.
- Breach: They violated that duty by acting carelessly or recklessly.
- Causation: Their breach directly caused your soft tissue injury or muscle pain.
- Damages: You sustained measurable losses—medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Documenting Soft Tissue Injuries
You must link your pain to the incident. Schedule a medical exam immediately. Request a diagnosis and a treatment plan. Keep records of imaging tests, physical therapy notes and follow-up visits. Maintain a pain journal that tracks symptoms, treatment dates and any limitations in daily activities.
Statute of Limitations
Wyoming law gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. See Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105. Missing this deadline usually means you lose your right to sue.
Calculating Damages for Soft Tissue Claims
In Wyoming, you can recover:
- Economic damages: Medical expenses, therapy bills, medications and lost income.
- Non-economic damages: Pain and suffering, mental distress and reduced quality of life.
Court decisions consider the severity, duration and impact of your muscle pain. Detailed medical records and expert testimony strengthen your claim—even for injuries labeled as “minor.”
When to Consult an Attorney
A personal injury attorney can review your evidence, calculate your damages and handle negotiations with insurance companies. You gain a professional evaluation of liability, the strength of your medical proof and the best path to fair compensation.
Helpful Hints
- Seek medical care within days of your injury to establish causation.
- Keep a daily log of your pain level and mobility limitations.
- Photograph any visible bruising or swelling.
- Organize all medical bills, invoices and insurance correspondence.
- Track lost work days and calculate wage loss precisely.
- Contact an attorney well before the two-year filing deadline.