Knee injuries are common after Georgia car crashes. They can have catastrophic effects. Some car accident victims need knee surgery and extensive physical therapy to heal. Other victims can experience permanent loss of mobility. Car accident knee injuries can also produce medical debt and create financial stress.
If you have sustained a knee injury in a Georgia car accident, you should take advantage of a free consultation. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can review your legal options and discuss whether you may file a car accident claim and demand compensation. Here’s what you need to know about how an auto accident lawyer can help you pursue accountability.
What Are Some Causes of Car Crash Knee Injuries?
The knee joint is formed by two lower leg bones: the thigh bone and the knee. They are all held together by a bundle of ligaments, muscles, and tendons. The knee bears a lot of stress in high-impact activities and is vulnerable to injury in a car accident. A knee can be damaged in many different ways in an auto accident, such as the following:
- Impact with the dashboard — A rear-end collision can push a driver or passenger forward forcefully, slamming their knees into the dashboard. A head-on collision can force a car’s dashboard to intrude further into the passenger compartment and cause a knee injury.
- Sudden twisting motions — A crash can cause a driver’s or passenger’s body to twist and jerk while their legs remain in place. This sudden twisting motion can put intense pressure on the knee joint and nearby ligaments and tendons, potentially leading to a knee injury.
- T-bone crashes — A T-bone accident can push a driver’s or passenger’s knees into a car door if the car strikes the opposite side of the vehicle where the driver or passenger is sitting. Alternatively, a T-bone crash can cause the striking car’s front end to intrude into the second car’s interior and directly hit a driver or passenger.
- Crushes or pinned legs — A vehicle’s frame sometimes crumbles in a severe collision, crushing or pinning a driver or passenger’s legs. Even if a driver or passenger’s legs aren’t crushed, their leg might twist at a bad angle that causes a knee injury.
- Hyperextension — Knee injuries commonly occur when the joint is forcefully pushed backward as the leg extends more than it should. This injury commonly happens when drivers or passengers brace for a crash with their legs.
- Ejections — Drivers or passengers who don’t wear seatbelts may be ejected from their car in a crash and sustain a knee injury from a hard landing.
What Are Some Common Types of Knee Injuries?
Some common knee injuries in car accidents include:
- Knee fractures — A direct impact to the knee in a collision can shatter the patella or other bones in the knee joint. Knee fractures are extremely painful and often require extensive surgery to rebuild the normal knee structure and make the knee bones glide smoothly.
- Torn knee ligaments — Ligaments connect bones to other bones. The knee includes three ligaments that are vital for smooth movement: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the medial collateral ligament (MCL), and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Sudden twisting of the knee sideways during a crash can cause ligaments to stretch and tear, leading to anterior cruciate ligament tears, lateral collateral ligament tears, collateral ligament injuries, and posterior cruciate ligament tears. Reattaching torn ligaments usually requires surgery.
- Meniscus tears — The meniscus is a small piece of cartilage that helps cushion the knee joint. The twisting motion from a crash or a direct blow to the knee can cause this cartilage to tear, leading to pain and difficulty walking. A meniscus tear or partial tear may require surgery.
- Dislocated knee — A severe impact can push the bones of the knee joint out of place. A dislocated knee can damage nearby nerves and blood vessels in some cases.
- Bursitis — Multiple fluid-filled sacs called bursae in the knee help cushion the joint. A hard impact can cause these sacs to swell and affect movement.
- Knee tendon injuries — Tendons connect the knee bones to nearby muscles to facilitate movement. Like ligament injuries, these tendons can stretch or tear in a crash.
What Symptoms Could Indicate a Knee Injury After a Car Accident?
Knee injuries from car accidents can cause many symptoms, such as:
- Knee pain, which can range from mild to severe
- Swelling or inflammation in the knee
- Stiffness or limited range of motion
- Bruising or discoloration
- Weakness in the knee joint
- Instability
- Popping or cracking sounds when walking or bending the knee
- Difficulty walking or bearing weight
- Numbness or tingling, which may indicate nerve damage
- Visible deformity in the knee or surrounding area·
- Inability to bend the knee.
Can You Seek Compensation for a Knee Injury After a Car Accident?
If someone else was at fault for the car wreck that caused your knee injury, you may pursue a car accident injury claim. To start a personal injury case, you may file an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company and seek compensation. Knee injuries affect your life in many ways and can be expensive. An experienced car accident attorney can help you pursue full and fair compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
What Factors Could Affect the Value of a Knee Injury Settlement from a Georgia Auto Accident?
The factors that might affect the value of your settlement for a car accident knee injury include:
- Your medical expenses — Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might need extensive treatment. Knee fractures or dislocations may require screws or pins to hold the knee in place, or you might need surgery to repair broken bones, ligaments, or tendons. Once the injury heals, you will likely have limited range of motion or reduced strength in your knee, meaning you’ll need physical therapy to regain full function. In a car accident case, you may demand compensation for all your medical expenses, including surgery, physical rehabilitation, and future medical care.
- How your injury affects your ability to work — People with jobs involving physical labor need fully functioning knees to work. A knee injury might temporarily or permanently limit your ability to earn a living. You may seek compensation for your lost wages or reduced future earnings related to the knee injury.
- How your injury affects your daily life — Even if your job doesn’t involve physical labor, a knee injury might keep you from playing sports or participating in other activities and hobbies. You can pursue compensation for how a knee injury affects your overall quality of life.
- The experience of your injury lawyer — Having experienced personal injury lawyers who can investigate your accident, identify all the insurance coverage available, and guide you through the claims process with the other driver’s insurance company, can make all the difference in whether you receive a fair settlement. Seek the guidance of trusted legal professionals.
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer
The Atlanta car accident attorneys at Bayuk Pratt understand the severity of motor vehicle accident-related knee injuries caused by negligent drivers. We have extensive experience handling personal injury claims and have recovered over $300 million for our clients. Our founding partners are former insurance defense lawyers who use their insider’s knowledge of how insurers respond to claims to help injured people overcome serious injuries.
We are proud of the testimonials that many former clients have shared about the legal assistance we have provided to them. We would like to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Call now or use our online contact form for a free case review.
