Knee injuries are some of the more challenging to rehab after a car accident. The knee is very complex, and any little thing wrong with even one part of the knee can lead to disability and excruciating pain.
Larson & Gallivan Law helps Vermont car accident victims obtain compensation after an accident. A knee injury may keep you out of commission for a while, so it’s critical that you understand the process of filing a car accident claim.
How Accidents Injure the Knee
Any trauma or wrenching of the knee can lead to injury:
- Rear-end collisions force a motorist forward, where they can slam their knee into the dash or the seat in front of them.
- Side-impact collisions can cause a car to spin and twist a knee in the process, causing damage.
- Sideswipe accidents cause the knee to ram against the inside of the door, which has almost no cushion.
- Rollovers can toss a person around in the car, especially if they were not wearing their seatbelt. Consequently, they can jam their knee.
Common Knee Injuries
A person’s knees can handle some abuse— but not too much. If you feel pain after an accident, you probably are suffering from a knee injury. At the hospital, a doctor will ask you questions and possibly order imaging tests to look at the knee in detail. Some common injuries include:
- Patellar fracture. The patella is commonly called the kneecap, which provides a shield for the knee. Unsurprisingly, it can crack under too much stress. A comminuted fracture occurs when the patella shatters into many pieces. It might also be moved out of position when it fractures.
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears. The PCL connects the tibia and the femur. It can stretch or tear in an accident, especially when the knee hits the dashboard.
- Meniscus tear. The meniscus is two pieces of cartilage that provide a cushion inside the knee. Any tears can lead to swelling, pain, and instability in your knee. You might need surgery.
Some knee injuries are degenerative, especially those involving the cartilage. Over time, even a young person can suffer arthritis in their knee and lose the ability to walk. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you meet with a doctor promptly following your crash.
Compensation for Your Knee Injury
If someone else was at fault for the accident, you should seek compensation. Our clients often need surgery, injections, physical therapy, and prescription drugs to deal with a knee injury. Bad injuries could require countless visits to doctors and specialists. All of this care is expensive, and you should not have to pay for it.
Knee injuries might also keep a person from working. If you stand or walk around for your job, then you might be on leave until you heal. Even someone working a desk job could experience pain too intense for them to go to work.
We also cannot forget compensation for loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and similar losses. Knee injuries often cause depression or irritability since people cannot leave home or participate in their favorite hobbies.
Call Us Today to Learn More
When you contact Larson & Gallivan Law, we will work hard to prosecute your claim, calculate your damages, and negotiate a fair settlement. To get started, please contact our law firm today and speak with our Vermont car accident lawyers.
